Revise

This week I had my first writing critique in grad school. My previous experiences with critiques were often filled with unnecessary praise and little actual critique, but this was the exact opposite. The students and the professor started out with a couple positives but then they dove right in to the negatives, as they should.

Much of what they said I agreed were issues. It was nice to have another voice confirm my suspicions. Some things, though, were issues that I had completely overlooked. I gave myself a night to mull over the good and the bad and when I woke up I decided that I was going to give it another go. I wanted to see if I could fix the problems while maintaining the core of my story.

What happened was amazing. New, interesting characters. Plot twists and seeds I could sprout later. After only one revision my story had gained so much.

I have always been a fan of revising my work, but I'm now noticing how important it is to have other writers give it a once over. I mean, having a friend or a parent look at what your doing can be great, but in my experience it is only the writer that can detect the most minute of inconsistencies and really help propel your story forward.

Down the line, when the work I am currently writing is completed, I look forward to my fellow writers tearing it to shreds because I think once I put the pieces back together the story will be stronger, more captivating, and better for having been broken.

Photo by Matt McGee