Client Success Story | Revision Complete!
The Client
CG is an ongoing coaching client who came to me with a draft of a middle grade contemporary that wasn’t working. They had done two drafts on their own.
We met a few times to talk through the whole story. The biggest change was from third person to first person.
Wow, did this character have a VOICE in first person that wasn’t there in third!
The Plan
Non-negotiables
the character
the premise/setting
what CG wanted to say about the world with this story
Changes
point of view (POV)
family dynamics
plot points
character motivation
the importance of a previous side character (this character demanded more screen time! And it works!)
I’m soooo proud of CG and their new fully revised complete draft. After 9 sessions together, we’ve come a long way!
Next Steps
Next up: a deeper layer of revision.
Making sure character voice is consistent throughout.
Checking that all threads are carried through.
Correcting any inconsistencies that may have popped up from moving scenes around.
Adding in more nuances.
Filling in some scenes between scenes to strengthen the flow.
Takeaways
Here’s what I want you to take away from this.
Sometimes one seemingly simple change can reinvigorate your whole draft.
Decide what things are your non-negotiables for the story you want to tell. If everything else is up for grabs, you can make meaningful changes to some of the other elements and strengthen your story.
Remember that writing is iterative. CG and I came up with a plan, they started writing, and we hit a bump. It wasn’t working. We paused, reworked the issue (hint: it’s almost always about the character!), and then they zipped right along to THE END. Don’t be afraid to pause and reevaluate if something isn’t working.
You can do it too! You can finish that first draft. Or that revision.
And if you can’t see your way there just yet, schedule a chat with me and let’s see how we can get you going.
