The Number One Mistake Writers Make in Revision
I work with hundreds of memoirists a year. Each of them has a unique story to tell, along with their own craft strengths and challenges. But when it comes to revising their manuscript, most have this in common:
They miss the forest for the trees
In craft terms, this looks like getting hung up on small problems in a manuscript rather than seeing the deeper, more sweeping craft issues at the heart of the story. For instance, a writer might be playing around with word choice in a scene, while neglecting the larger question of whether that scene fits in the manuscript at all. In my classes, I refer to this as fixating on “micro-level revisions” versus the bigger picture “macro-level revisions.” Here’s a breakdown of what I mean:
Macro revisions
Macro-level revisions are the ones that have the biggest effect on the narrative, often creating a ripple of change throughout the entire manuscript. Examples include:
Structure & Scope
Story & Theme
Character Development
Micro revisions
Micro-level revisions are more specific, granular craft issues that may have a big effect on individual chapters or scenes, but don’t always create a ripple effect throughout the entire manuscript. Examples include:
Narrative transitions
Voice (sentence structure, tense, word choice, etc.)
Detail & imagery
Here’s the mistake I see writers make: They get too quickly into the nitty gritty micro issues, rather than dealing with macro problems first. As a result, they waste time prettying up their prose when that material may end up changing significantly, or being cut altogether.
How to fix it
The key to a successful revision is leaning into the process of re-imagining your book — doing the deep, substantive work required to evolve your craft. That means starting with the macro problems rather than getting hung up on the small things. As intimidating as it may be, start big. You’ll have plenty of time to move around commas later on!