What I Learned While Tackling A REVISE & RESUBMIT

Stick to your premise.

Remember when I blogged about that time an agent called me?

I felt confident that I could revise and resubmit my manuscript within a few months, but…those few months turned into six. Let me tell you why:

There was a problem with my manuscript and it ran deeper than I initially thought.

Now, this was not something that the agent had flagged, it was an issue I had with myself and how I felt about my work.

Way back when I was drafting, I got lost in creating a complex character and dramatic story which caused a shift in my intentions.

Without realising it, I had swayed from my original motivation for writing this story.

The manuscript was being read, read quickly, enjoyed, and had relatability BUT it had become about something other than what I intended.

That one line that summed up my project, the hook I started with, had changed and I didn’t even know it.

New plots and character traits were hitting all the story beats. Unfortunately, these new threads were making a point on a topic I never planned to explore. My manuscript now featured a topic I didn’t understand or have any idea how to discuss.

This was a big problem; because authors have to be able to promote their books. They sit interviews, run talks, and share their premise with readers explaining why they decided to explore the particular themes that are at the core of their novel.

And I wasn’t proud of what I’d written.

What I realised while tackling a Revise and Resubmit was that I had written an entertaining story, but it wasn’t true to me. I wasn’t happy with the themes running through my story. And I wasn’t the right person to write about these topics.

But my original idea, that was all me. That is what I can talk about all day, that is what I’m passionate about and want to raise discussion about.

So here’s the best part:

A niggle was felt for years before I was ready to acknowledge it, but it was there.

When I asked readers what their thoughts were on these uncomfortable topics, they said my story was working and that they enjoyed those parts I disliked.

But it wasn’t about them.

Sometimes you have to listen to yourself and trust your gut because no amount of readers or editing suggestions can help you tell the story you want to tell. Only you know why you sat down to begin your manuscript.

So after months had passed, I was finally ready to listen to my heart. No more revising, workshopping, and thinking was required. I needed to wipe out the trails that I’d made, leading into a forest of uncertainty and finally get back on the track that led to the home of where my story began.

By remembering why I wrote this story and what it means to me, it was obvious how I needed to move forward.

To produce something I am proud of, I needed to stick to my original premise. And whether that lands me an agent or not doesn’t matter because having written a story that’s authentically me is what calms my heart more than anything.

Are you proud of your WIP?