Wrap Up
And that, my dear writers, is the end of the Beginner’s Guide to Revising. Assuming you’re actually done revising now—and you have even typed in all the changes—how are you feeling?
Do you think you’re close to the Perfect Book? Do you still sense there is a gap between your vision and the translation on the page?
It is okay if the answer is yes! I have been working on some of my manuscripts for over a decade because I just cannot get the story on the page to match what I see in my head. But I love the stories enough to keep trying, keep revising, keep coming back for more.
And sometimes, we can’t tell if our books are doing what we want them to do. And in those instances, we must turn to outside readers to help us along. This is not a flaw in the system; it is a characteristic of it.
All writers need outside help and now that you’ve revised your book, you’re in a position to ask for it!