Revision!

Revision is my favorite part about writing. But I know many writers don't agree with me. How about you?

This weekend I went to a workshop on revision led by author Ann Hood. She said, "If you're a writer, you're a reviser."

She added that we writers spend 90% of our time revising. That's a lot of time!

So how do we learn to love revision?

I think of revision as re-vision, or "re-seeing" my story. What works? What doesn't? How can I make my characters deeper, funnier, more alive on the page? 

How can I tighten my plot and make my dialogue snap like a sail in the breeze? And while we're at it, how can I add a simile or metaphor to spice up the story's language? 

Try this exercise. Take the first page of your story, or write a first page. Then read it out loud. Better yet, have someone read it to you. 

Listen. Really listen. 

Then mark places where a character seems dull, the plot has a hole, the dialogue drags, and the language makes you yawn. Type or write in your changes. 

Reread. See the difference? 

Get snappy! Try some revision today!