A Character-by-Character Revision Method
Okay, I can't claim credit for this one. I came across this article last night written by Walter Dinjos on Indie Horror. He speaks about a revision method that is well suited to novels with intricate plotting that are told not only from the point of view of the protagonist but from the point of view of several other characters as well.
He picks one character and revises every scene in which he/she is the point-of-view character. Then he moves on to another character and revises all those scenes, etc etc. While trying out this method of revision he discovered eight things:
- Character arc. A novel is a coalescence of...
- Dialogue. Everybody has a way of speaking...
- The repetition of words and phrases. Especially words not among the three thousand most...
- The disappearance of an important character from the page. Has your editor ever...
- Too many point-of-view characters. This one pretty much explains itself. Once you've...
- Theme. How do your characters' stories...
- Boredom. I know how you feel. Revision can suck, especially when...
- Deus ex machine. I know miracles happen, but that doesn't give you the right to...
And if you want to know how those eight points are finished, you'll have to follow the link to the original article!
