Revision: Catching the Vision Again

By Len Lawson

I have this process I go through whenever I write a new poem or a new chapter of a novel. After I gain inspiration from a phrase, scene, or topic that catches my attention, I furiously write down each line or scene. When this gorgeous episode of creativity and imagination is over, then the euphoria sets in. I feel like I have written the greatest piece of writing known to man. That's where the trouble starts.

Immediately, I want to shotgun the piece to every publisher or journal I can think of. I have learned to resist those urges because they usually lead to rejection letters. The lesson here is that a writer is only as good as he allows his revision process to be. Once the euphoria wears off, then the real flaws and opportunities for improvement in the piece can be detected.

Here are some proofreading and revising tips that have helped my work become accepted or have brought me more satisfaction in my writing.

1. Allow the piece to "breathe." Just walk away. Put down the pen, pencil, or computer and step away from the page. Do not even look at it again until the haze of euphoria wears off. The high from the creative process can be delightful, but it is not the end of the process. It is only the beginning. Don't make any rash decisions here. Just let the work breathe for a few hours or days. Then, come back to it (easier said than done, I know).

2. Allow the creative process to continue. In the same way we can get inspired to write something we think is great, we can also be inspired after the draft has been written. Sometimes the best lines or scenes come in the revising phase. We do ourselves a disservice when we think our first draft is our best draft. We can still experience those moments of brilliance during the revision.

3. Allow another set of eyes to view the piece. There is no more sobering feeling to a writer than allowing another writer or editor to read our work. This will shift the euphoria into hysteria. However, it is good for us. We must let someone who is not emotionally attached to the work tell us what readers, publishers, and other editors will see. The best place to get an honest, objective critique is from a writers group like SCWW. I cannot express how much my writing has improved by putting my work into the hands of passionate writers.

Everything we write should go through a revision. Our favorite novels, essays, and poems went through this process. In fact, this very blog went through a revision process. As writers, we should not feel that our work is any different. We should embrace the revision. In it, we can see truths and errors we have missed. We can also catch a new or updated vision of our work. Revision allows us to catch the vision again.