Revision & Self-Editing: Techniques for Transforming Your First Draft Into a Finished Novel

Great condition, with no tears or nicks. A few highlights and notations, but in a book like this, not too off-putting. So glad I found this out-of-print book for cheap!

This is in many ways a perfect companion to Bell's classic Plot & Structure. It covers virtually every aspect of the fiction craft and gives dozens of techniques for improving each. (Oddly, some comments seem to have missed this obvious point. There is almost no repetition of the material in the Plot book. These two volumes completely complement each other). Here is one example, worth the price of the book: How to get HIP to your scenes. HIP stands for Hook, Intensity and Prompt. Understanding these concepts will make every scene in your novel more gripping, whatever genre you write in. The Revision section is also one of the most helpful tools you'll find anywhere. It provides a systematic approach to editing, something all writers need. Using Bell's guidance, you won't find yourself flopping around wondering what to fix next. Bell helpfully points to the most common flaws you'll find when revising, with ideas on how to handle them. What I love about this book, and Plot & Structure, is how down to earth and easily understood it is. Bell is not writing to puff himself up, but to help other writers. That is greatly appreciated by me.

. . . buy this book. It will help you, whether you're a newbie or a multi-published veteran. I've written four published novels, and I still found invaluable advice in every chapter of Revision & Self-Editing. Although this book focuses on the work that comes after a first draft is finished, it includes tools and tricks that will be useful no matter where you are in the writing process. It's also surprisingly fun to read. We've all read novels that read like bad manuals. Here's a manual that reads like good novel. I generally have to force myself through nonfiction books (particularly how-to-write guides), but I actually had trouble putting this one down. Kudos to James Scott Bell on a job well done.

How-to books for writing come in as many variations as there are writers. Some are hype, promising you'll make $100,000 in your first year of freelancing or a $50,000 advance on your first novel. They promise much more than they deliver. There are also the texts which do provide some useful information, but they're about as dry as the Nevada desert in August. But every once in awhile a writing instruction book comes down the pike which not only delivers techniques you can immediately apply to your own fiction writing, but is actually entertaining to read too. James Scott Bell's Revision & Self-Editing is that kind of book. Writers worth their salt are always looking to improve their craft. We want each plot to be stronger, each character deeper, each book or story to be better than the last. We're desperate to write a novel that'll keep our readers up `til dawn. But what do we do when we churn out a draft that is, shall we say, junk? What if we know something's not right, but we have no clue how to fix it? Jim Bell to the rescue. In his previous book Plot & Structure he taught us how to create compelling plots. Now in Revision and Self-Editing he shows us "techniques for transforming our first drafts into a finished novel". When asked who the book was for, Jim told me, "Any beginner who wants to learn the essentials of the craft. And experienced writers, who can pick up some extra tips that work and a systematic approach to revision that will make their books better." Part I: Self-Editing, gives us an overview of various fiction techniques and exercises. Here Bell touches on the building blocks of novel writing like point of view; show vs. tell and beginnings, middles and ends. It's here in this section readers of Plot & Structure might notice some re-cap. But even seasoned novelists need to be reminded of things like Bell's LOCK system (the four essentials of strong narrative) and what makes great dialogue. Part II is where we heat up and get down to the nitty gritty of resuscitating our manuscripts. And let's face it--almost every first draft we write is going to need help. As Bell says, "Submitting a novel without rewriting is like playing ice hockey naked. You're just not equipped to put your best, um, face on things. And sooner rather than later a well-placed puck is going to hit you where it hurts most. That puck is the editor's or agent's built-in prejudice against weak material." Broken down into easy read and digest sections, Bell shows us how to overcome obstacles like procrastination and what to do before you revise. He gives common fixes for everything from setting & description to dialogue and theme. For example, if your opening isn't working he suggests revving up our opening line or weeding out too much backstory, exposition and cast. Your middle sagging? Try strengthening your exposition, adding a subplot, raising the stakes, trimming, or adding research. If you've ever attended one of Jim's writing classes, you kno

I read James Scott Bell's Plot & Structure and found it extremely helpful (that's saying a lot since I'm a seat-of-the-pants plotter). Revision and Self-editing is a great follow-up. I found the format of the book very easy to use with interesting sidebars, illustrative examples from books and movies for each technique, and sections with the key points for each chapter. Like Plot & Structure, this book was hard to read only because I kept wanting to jump up and run to my computer to apply Bell's techniques to my own writing. Highly recommended!

As a multi-published author, I'm always looking for great craft books for my "library" to keep honing my skill and working on my craft. This book is definitely a keeper. While it gives a "refresher" on some writing basic concepts and pointers to go deeper into your story and characters, the revision section is a must for all writers prior to submission (or fulfilling deadline). Infused with Bell's humor, the suggestions given are extremely helpful for not only the new writer, but for the seasoned writer as well. The pages contain real, HELPFUL information to help every writer on their career path. This book has earned a space on my reference book shelf.