How to Make Revisions Fun by Raven Traylor
You did it. You finally typed “The End” and feel like you can soar over the moon with unadulterated euphoria. You celebrate with your loved ones and maybe a few writer friends on “X”. You close your laptop, and that’s when the truth hits you—your work is far from done. Revisions are the bane of many writers’ existence (aside from the dreaded synopsis). What if I told you there are ways to make them less panic-invoking and more exciting? Don’t believe me? Check out the list below and let us know which fun tip you can’t wait to try.
1. Music Playlists
As a music aficionado, I might be a little biased, but creating a playlist of songs tailored to fit the theme, plot, or characters of your book is by far one of the most fun ways to set the mood while working on revisions. Try curating your own soundtrack on sites like Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music.
2. Mood Boards
Speaking of setting the mood, mood boards are a great way to have a visual representation of your book’s aesthetic. To create one, you can search sites like Pinterest for pictures that remind you of your characters or your book’s overall vibe. Then, put them all in a collage and voila. Creative tip: Try a color theme that represents your book well. Photos of similar hue or shades will make your collage blend better and be more appealing to the viewer.
3. Vlogs/Social Media Content
Nowadays everything counts for content. So, why not document your revision process? Even if no one ever sees it, it’ll serve as a great way to track your progress and how far you’ve come throughout your writing journey. Plus, if others do so happen to see it, it’ll be a fun way to connect and relate to other writers who might be having similar challenges or woes.
4. Leave Yourself Fun Comments
Anyone who’s ever had beta reader, critique partner, or editor/agent feedback know that tracked comments in your document can either lead to much-needed validation or existential dread. So, why not leave your own fun comments and reactions to keep you motivated through revisions. To make your reactions even more authentic, I recommend taking at least a two-week break after you finish your first draft before diving back in. Sometimes you’d be shocked at how good your first draft actually is!
5. Character Art
If you have funds to spare for commissions or your own artistic talents, bringing your vision of your characters to life can be such a rewarding way to celebrate finishing that first draft and moving into the revisions phase. You can find artists to commission on pretty much every social media site. Pro tip: check out who other writers hired for their character artwork and start your search from there!
6. Faux Cover
Another way to get creative is to create your own faux cover to motivate you and help you envision your book on shelves. If you believe in the power of manifestation, this is a really good activity to do. If you plan to self-publish, it might end up being your actual cover one day! Pro tip: use apps such as Canva for premade templates and inspiration.
7. Dramatic Reading/Listen
Can’t wait for the audiobook? Try the text-to-speech accommodation available on most word processors and writing apps to hear your words read aloud. Hearing the words out loud can help catch mistakes, check for unnatural dialogues, convoluted sentences, and more. Plus, it’s entertaining. You can also read it yourself!
8. Print Your Book
One of my new favorite things to do when I finish a new draft is print out my project in the form of a book. Sites like Barnes & Noble offer printing services where you can print your book just for fun without an ISBN number (be careful not to create an ISBN unless you plan to self-publish). You can also print from your home printer or office supply stores, such as Office Depot or Staples. Printed copies can make it easier to mark mistakes and annotate sections you want to return to in revisions. Bonus tip: use your faux cover to complete your personal copy!
Image by valeria_aksakova on Freepik