Revision Confidence

This module is all about the logistics of revision and setting ourselves up for success so we can properly assess our manuscripts and then make a plan to fix the issues.

 

In this module we’ll cover:

• The revision mindset that will lead to success

• Your book’s "why”

• Your book’s “point”

• Revision tools that will form a plan for how you’ll work through the revision

• How to craft a revision plan

This module is all about the foundational elements of fiction. These are the things that must be rock-solid before you fix the micro elements of your story.

 

Lesson 1: Character

• How to craft a compelling character that readers connect with

• Character motivation and desire

• Active vs. Passive protagonists and how to avoid the latter

Lesson 2: Obstacles & Stakes

• How to give your character obstacles that are authentic to their world and arc

• Internal and external obstacles and stakes

• How to raise the stakes in your story

Lesson 3: Plot & Story Structure

• How to use story structure methods (Save the Cat!, etc.) to create a propulsive story

• Assessing your story using the Inside Outline 

• Assessing your story for causality and structure

• Assessing your story for essential scenes

In this module, we will look at how to assess and fix common mistakes in micro-level elements of fiction.

 

Lesson 1: All about Scenes

• How to write a scene using objects of desire and the 5 commandments of storytelling

• Assessing your scenes in terms of quality, value, and position in your story

• Complete a final list of scenes 

 

Lesson 2: Setting & World-Building

• Learn how to weave your world-building/setting in organically

• Using all the furniture in the room

• Fixing common setting errors

 

Lesson 3: Interiority and Voice

• Assess POV consistency & fix common errors

• How to craft a compelling voice

• How to use interiority to move your story forward

 

Lesson 4: Tension & Suspense

• How to assess for tension 

• How to assess and increase suspense throughout your manuscript

• Tools to increase tension

 

Lesson 5: Dialogue

• How to assess your dialogue to make sure it’s working hard, sounds natural, and moves the story forward

• Fix common dialogue errors

• How to increase subtext in your manuscript

Once all of the heavy-lifting of revision is finished, we’ll talk about how to look at your manuscript from a line-level to make sure the prose is working.

 

In this module we’ll cover:

• Common line-level mistakes and how to fix them

• Passage of time

• How to spot and avoid info dumps

• And more