How I Revise Short Fiction

The writing process is different for everyone. When I saw Abbie Taylor’s recent blog, I thought answering those same questions would help me understand my writing process. Here it is—a peek into the right hemisphere of my brain.

Are you an author who writes, then edits, or do you edit while writing your first draft?

It could be either, but the approach I adopt is a telltale indicator of my comfort with the story and characters.

When I have an entire story in mind, with solid characters, I rough draft the whole piece, and rework different parts, not necessarily in story-sequential order. A little here, a little there, much as an artist might work the entire canvas. It’s a good feeling, and it doesn’t happen as much as I’d like.

On the other hand, continually revisiting and revising the beginning is a deafening alarm bell that I don’t know the characters and have no clue where the story is going. Some developmental changes might be in order.

What are some of the techniques you use to revise your work?

Hemingway is credited with saying, “write drunk, edit sober.” While I would never put words in Hemingway’s mouth, writing, like intoxication, is a spectrum. You need to feel free to make big changes, so, yeah, have a beer or two. But precise changes require a sharp and unimpaired mind.

I’m blind and use a screen reader to write and revise. This means I hear my stories read aloud, even if it’s with an emotionless robotic voice. Repetitive words and sentence structures stand out when you hear a piece read aloud. Sighted authors could benefit from this technique.

I can’t overemphasize the power of sleeping on it. But you have to be careful. Those story ideas that seem brilliant at 4 AM rarely work.

Do you create a new document and start over again, or do you edit the document you have and work out the kinks in that story?

I’ve done both, but it’s rare to back out of a new idea or revision. I write with Scrivener, which lets me take snapshots of my stories. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used that feature to back out.

Do you start with the title and keep it, or do you wait till you’re finished with your short story to choose your title?

The title, the opening, and the conclusion are the three most important parts of every story. That said, I don’t think I give a title as much love as I should.

I often seek title ideas from my critique group, and while I’ve never used a title verbatim, this feedback gets me thinking in different directions.

Do you use a professional editor to look at story development and common errors, or do you simply do your own editing?

I don’t work with a developmental editor for short stories. But if (when?) I write a novel, I’ll seek one out. It’s better to identify those problems early before investing too much effort.

I have paid a professional for a short story copyedit. It was valuable. I’d do it again.

I find that critique feedback is sufficient for identifying errors of logic.

What does your editing process look like?

I run finished stories through critique, go through the feedback, and act on the low-hanging fruit. More complex ideas require some thought and elbow grease. Finally, I make a pass for -ly adverbs, passive voice, and crutch words such as just, like, only, still, right, and always. I look for misplaced periods and commas that result from sloppy editing, often concurrent with sacrificing a chicken during the new moon. If I’m not writing in a regional or uncommon vernacular, I run my story through Grammarly. A copyedit is the final step.

Do you have any advice for new writers/authors?

Isaac Bashevis Singer once said, “The wastebasket is a writer’s best friend.” Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The human brain learns from mistakes.

What is the difference between critiquing and revision in your opinion?

Revision is a meat grinder. Critique is the raw meat I feed into that grinder. My story is the half-pound of ground round that comes out the bottom.

While critiques guide and influence revision, don’t rely solely on critique feedback. You’re writing your story, not someone else’s.

Do you take advice from others during your editing process such as a beta reader or critique buddy?

Along with learning how to write, we must also learn how to critique. I’ll be the first to admit that I have a long way to go in both departments. My earliest critiques told authors how I would’ve written their stories. That’s a classic beginner mistake.

What a writer needs most is the critiquers’ impressions of the story—what parts hit them hard and how they felt about certain characters. That’s why I bring a story to critique. I want to know what readers think of it. With that information in hand, I can make my own decisions about what to revise.

I almost always accept copyedits verbatim.

How do you know when to stop editing and just push Publish?

I want to say something deep, such as, “A story is never finished, only abandoned,” or something cool and gritty like, “It’s done when the publisher pries it from my cold dead hands.”

In all seriousness, I have a pretty reliable way to know when my story is finished. I wake up each morning with new, fresh ideas for changes. Early in the revision process, those ideas work well and improve the story. As I get closer to completion, the sense that I’m making improvements becomes more elusive. When my changes interfere with—or outright break—other parts of the story, then I know it’s time to call it done.

Your Turn

I’ll conclude by pasting Abby’s call to action. Here it is.

If you write short fiction, I encourage you to answer any or all of the above questions, either in the comment field or on your blog with a link to this post. That way, your readers and mine can learn from your revision process. If you have any questions about my process, please ask them in the comment field, and I’ll answer them as best I can. Thank you for reading.