Episode Twenty-Six: The 6 Mindsets Fiction Writers Need to Revise Successfully
Revision isn’t just about perfecting your plot or sharpening scenes. Revision is also mental and emotional. In this episode, I’m breaking down the 6 mindsets that fiction writers need to embrace in order to successfully revise their books. The six mindsets are:
Don’t compare your draft to a finished book.
Don’t be afraid of big changes.
Be patient.
Feedback isn’t law.
You can make your book great.
Embrace collaboration.
These mindsets aren’t always easy to embrace, but they will help you create a book that works for readers.
Listen to the full episode to learn why each of these mindsets is crucial and my advice for making them part of your process.
Want my support through every step of the revision process? My course/group coaching program Reader Ready Revisions is open for enrollment right now. You can learn more and apply for the next cohort here: https://readerreadyrevisions.com.
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Watch on YouTube here.
Thanks for listening, keep writing, and keep getting better one word at a time!
Transcript
Olivia Bedford (00:00)
Many revision issues start between your ears, not on the page. What do I mean by that? A lot of revision issues stem from mindset issues.
Or from looking at your story in the wrong way. And we don't always talk about that mental and emotional side of revision. So today I'm going to dive into six mindsets that are critical for your success in revision so that you can make sure you are approaching your work in the right way and that you're not going to get stuck in any mindset traps that could get you stuck. Let's dive in.
Welcome to episode 26 of the Better Writer Podcast. I am so excited. We are halfway to 50 episodes. ⁓ and I'm just I'm proud of myself that this has continued, and I'm really excited to talk about the mindset side of revision. I talk a lot about revision techniques, I talk a lot about what makes revision overwhelming as a process, but today I want to talk about six mindsets that are really critical to the success of your revisions. And I think a lot of people see writing and revision just kind of technical challenge but a lot of issues that I see as a developmental editor I think have a mindset component and I see that a lot in talking to clients and working with clients and today I just want to talk about six mindsets that are going to help you revise successfully. All right mindset number one first off I want you to approach your current draft with gratitude and I know that sounds so strange but I want you to appreciate what your current draft has done for you.
And what I want you to not do is to compare your draft to someone else's finished, published, polished book. And I think those two things are critical together because number one, if you are comparing your draft to someone else's finished book,
It is a recipe for despair. And I think, especially if you have not yet gotten feedback, if you have not yet gotten an edit, that person's published book has had multiple hands on it. It has had multiple people working together to get it to that point. Especially a traditionally published book has had the writer themselves, the writer's agent, the acquiring editor. There is a an in-house, you know, probably line editor or maybe the publishing company has contracted with a line editor, a copy editor, a proofreader, they might have gone through multiple rounds of editing. ⁓ you know, if someone was, you know, really struggling, they might have brought in a developmental editor or a book doctor, because publishing companies do that, and you don't always know that, you know, if you're just looking at the finished product, you know, then there's a whole sales and marketing team that has worked together on the cover.
All of the formatting and all of the sales and promotional materials that have gone into making that book successful, there is a massive operation behind that book. And even if someone is self publishing, they're not doing it all themselves most often, especially those who are successful. There are, of course, outliers, ⁓ but most people who are successfully self publishing are hiring editors. They are hiring people to help them with the parts of the business that they are not as adept at, especially the technical ones like proofreading, creating covers all those things. Again, they're outliers, but most people who are successfully self-publishing are investing in help of some sort because no one is a master at every part of the process from writing the book all the way to formatting it and marketing it.
We have to become skilled at many of those things, but no one is an expert in all of those areas. So it is something that most people are investing in help and support in some way. So when you are looking at your draft, especially if it is your first draft, do not expect it to look like a published book. If you start reading through your draft and you're like, why doesn't this feel like a real book? Why doesn't it feel like the books I have been reading since I was little? How did I fail so badly at writing when I've been reading forever? Don't get into that headspace because it is not fair. So instead,
I want you to be grateful to that first fact. Be grateful that it exists. And now you get to make it better. Then you can move on and start thinking about what you're actually going to do to change it, but just start from that place of gratitude that it gets you to the next step. All right, mindset number two is to not be afraid of big changes because changes mean progress. In revision, if we are sticking too closely to that first idea, what we thought we wanted our book to be, we are going to get stuck.
And if you notice that something is not working, I want you to bring the same level of creativity that you put into writing the book in the first place and now put it toward figuring out a different way to approach that thing.
You might not be able to get there on your own. That is totally fine. That's why we get feedback. That is why we get support in the revision process. ⁓ but you need to be willing to make those changes. And just to give you some context, ⁓ here are some changes that I have recommended to clients over the years. I have recommended cutting entire characters, I have recommended cutting subplots, I have recommended cutting tens of thousands of words, but I've also recommended adding tens of thousands of words. Not, you know, directly saying like add X number of words, but saying like we need to see X, Y, and Z. And then that leads to an expansion of the story. ⁓ I have suggested expanding one book into three separate books. ⁓ I've actually done that twice. Once I essentially said, like, this book is actually a trilogy in disguise. you're trying to do too much in this one story, and then the other time.
There were just so many different subplots that had exploded. ⁓ I really said these are like three complete separate storylines ⁓ that do not belong in the same book. ⁓ so I do not shy away from recommending big changes because sometimes that is what it takes to make a story work. And if you are convinced that your first idea is your best idea your revision is not going to go anywhere. And I know it can be really hard to let go of that initial idea. I know it can be really hard when you realize that you are going to need to completely rewrite sections of your book. ⁓ but that is the process, that is revision, and it all is working together to helping to help you create the best book possible. ⁓ I will say there are some people who are not gonna make those changes, and then that might be a situation where you put that novel in the drawer and move on. But I do believe if you are willing to get creative, you can make a book work.
Yeah, so I do think it's possible. You have to be willing to though. And again, that is where that mindset piece is so important to revision because if you are not willing to make those big changes to really radically rethink your story, ⁓ then you may not be able to get your book to the level you want it because you're holding too tightly to that original idea. All right, mindset number three is to be patient, and it can be so hard, but revision takes time. And if you are merely going for speed,
It is unlikely that you are going to successfully make your book better. That's not to say that you can't learn to revise quickly or that you can't work through those revisions quickly, but if speed is the goal, then you are going to be prioritizing the wrong thing. ⁓
We want to make sure that we are giving ourselves time to be creative. And if we are thinking that revision is just going to be checking off a series of boxes, I'm editing my sentences, I'm making sure there are no typos, that is not revision, my friends. Revision is the big stuff. And that might take time to think about and brainstorm.
You might need just as much time to revise as you did to draft, or even more, depending on where you fall on that spectrum of plotter to pantser If you're a pantser, you might spend twice as much time revising to make things work, especially for your first book. That might not be true always, because your second book, you are going to take in everything that you've learned along the way. And that first draft, even if you pants it for that second book, is probably going to be stronger. But especially if this is your first go around be patient. Take the time to learn and grow as a writer and then apply those changes into your draft.
Mindset number four: feedback is essential, but feedback is not a mandate. And I think this one is really hard as well, because I don't want you to reject feedback completely out of hand without really thinking about it critically. But at the same time, not all feedback is created equal. Not all feedback is going to help you. And you really need to consider who is giving me this feedback, what is their relationship to the genre that you're writing. ⁓ what is their particular lens they're they they're coming to your story with. So there's a lot that you need to consider. And I think what's behind this mindset is really knowing your goal, your genre, your ideal reader, so that you have a strong filter for the feedback that you get. If you don't have a strong, clear vision, then all feedback feels essential. All feedback feels equal because you aren't sure who to trust. And you might base your analysis of that feedback off of that person's credentials, which I'm not saying that you should ignore those credentials, but you know, just because someone has published a ton of books before, or just because someone is an agent, they might actually
Not have the right impression of what you are trying to do in your story. Again, I'm not saying that we discount their feedback 100% automatically because we don't agree with it. You need to take time, sit with it, but then filter it through your goals, your ideal reader, your genre. I very recently had a conversation with a client who had met an agent at a conference, and that agent does not work with her genre.
She said that up front, she in some ways kind of ⁓ represents an opposite genre. I'm trying not to give too many details here, but her feedback had some useful tidbits, but there were some things that she said that just do not correspond to what I am seeing happening in the market with that particular genre. Because just because an agent is an expert on their corner of the industry does not mean they are an expert on everything. and I say this with so much respect for agents, but you know, they were making some comments about this particular subgenre that just do not feel true to what I am seeing from readers and from other writers who are having a lot of success in the subgenre. And that is why it is so important to know your genre. Know what is happening with your readers, what your readers want from you, because someone can be brilliant and an expert on some genres, but that does not mean they know what readers are looking for in your genre specifically. ⁓ and that is why I don't ever pretend that I am an expert on every genre out there. That is why I say very strongly, I don't work with literary fiction. You know, I have a degree in literature from Yale. I taught English at the high school level for almost a decade. I can read literary fiction. I, you know, I can adequately comment on whether or not this is something that I personally like, but I am not immersed in that market.
I am not immersed in what is selling for literary fiction right now in 2026. And that is why I don't edit it. ⁓ You know, if I really wanted to, I could become immersed in those genres, but I don't, I don't want to. I love working with my current clients. I love working with genre fiction. I am paying attention to what is happening in the market for genre fiction. ⁓ and that is why I edit that genre. That is why I work with that genre. And again, I could work with literary fiction if I wanted to. Right now, I do not. maybe that will change someday in the future, but
It's not because I think literary fiction is bad. It's not because I don't like it. I do read it occasionally. Not a ton anymore, I'll be honest. But you know, I want anyone out there listening to this who writes Literary Fiction, I want you to be successful. I would love to see your book on the shelf someday. I'm just not the right editor for you, and I really want to be honest about that. And unfortunately some editors are not honest about that. They, you know, will edit anything, anytime for anyone. ⁓ and maybe they really are paying attention to all corners of the market. Maybe they really are tuned in to all of those genre expectations. I
Personally find that a bit hard to believe. And I think you need to be careful as a writer. Be careful about who you are trusting to give you feedback, especially if you're paying for it. if you're getting free feedback from beta readers, you know that can be hit or miss as well. But you know, you can just take that, analyze it, figure out, you know, what is this person's relationship to your genre. If you're paying for feedback, please look for someone who really honestly knows your genre.
And above that, loves it. Find someone who loves your genre because why would you take feedback from someone who doesn't like romance if you're writing romance? Why would you take feedback from someone who thinks fantasy is stupid if you're writing fantasy? Like, don't do that. Just find someone who loves your genre, who is an expert in your genre, get feedback from them. okay, that turned into a bit of a soapbox moment, but I just really get upset when I see editors disparaging a certain genre.
But then you also see that like they offer editing for that genre. It just really annoys me. Cause what editors will say in private sometimes is very different from what they are saying in public. ⁓ and that is where I will end that. And we will go on to mindset number five, which is you can make your book great. And I genuinely believe this. And I think sometimes it is going to require a complete overhaul.
And you might have to rewrite every word in that book multiple times, but I believe it is possible to make stories work. I don't believe in automatically doomed books. I think, you know, there are people out there who will say you can't, you know, fix a draft that has fundamental problems. You can't fix a draft that has structural problems. And I think you can if you are willing to rewrite those things, if you are willing to fix those problems, and you might not be, and that's okay. but if you are willing to make those big, big changes, if you're willing to cut the, you know subplot that goes nowhere. If you're willing to cut the character who doesn't need to be there, if you are willing to cut and rewrite half the book, you can make it work. and I know that might sound really scary. You might be having a visceral reaction right now that is, you know, your shoulders are getting tight as you're thinking about doing all that work. ⁓ but I know that there's someone listening right now who passionately believes in the specific story that they are telling. And that is a story that they want to share.
And they don't want to let go of that idea. And I think there is a version of that idea that can work. You might not be able to hold on to every teeny tiny little piece of that idea, at least not in its current form. You might need to let go of some of those pieces and you know save them for another book or save them for a different project. ⁓ but I think the core of it, we can probably make that work. Again, it might take a lot of effort, but I think you can make it work.
And specifically, I think you can make it work for your target readers. I think that is another piece to this that it might not be a mega bestseller. It might not, you know, turn you into a household name, but that isn't the only version of success out there. It isn't the only version of success open to us. And I think, especially right now, the traditional market is super competitive, but we have self-publishing. We can share our work with readers directly.
I still think that you should hold yourself to a standard of greatness. I think, you know, I have always been of the mindset that if you are self-publishing, your book should be indistinguishable from a traditionally published book in terms of what is inside on those pages. You know, I am not the kind of person who thinks that this is just, you know, the the consolation prize. I think right now indie publishing is a decision that people are making. It is the first choice of many writers out there for so many reasons.
I think especially people who are writing series, ⁓ or just people who want the control and want to be able to be creative and be nimble in a market that is really changing rapidly. ⁓ you know, I'm very agnostic about the the decision of traditional versus self-publishing. I work with authors who are pursuing both. I have seen people be successful with both, and it just really depends on who you are, what you're trying to accomplish. But when I say you can make your book work, I am not promising that every book can become a bestseller. I am not promising that I can make you into an overnight success. I will never promise that because only scammers make those kinds of promises. Let's be real. Only scammers will promise to make you a bestseller overnight. but I do believe that you can make your book great in terms of your personal satisfaction of having created something beautiful. I do believe that you can make your book work for readers, ⁓ especially your ideal reader. And I do believe that, especially with all the tools open to us now, you can get that book into the market, make it work and find your readers. Whether that audience is thousands of people or not, ⁓ I think that we can make that story work. Again, it might be really hard and it might require sacrifice, but it is possible. All right. And then finally, mindset number six is that there is no prize for doing it alone. And great revisions often come from collaboration, not isolation. And I think we have this image in our minds that we need to work alone. We need to do stuff by ourselves. That if we are not working alone, it doesn't really count because you're cheating or you know, whatever narrative you're telling yourself inside your head. ⁓ but great books come from collaboration. I said this at the beginning. When you look at that published book, whether it is indie published or it is traditionally published, there were multiple people involved in that process. Many, many people who helped bring that book into the world, whether that is beta readers, critique partners, whether that is an editor that could be freelance like me, or it could be you the acquiring editor at a traditional publishing house that's the marketing team, the cover designer, all of these people who work together. And I think if you need evidence of that, just go to the acknowledgments of your favorite book. Go to the acknowledgments and see who that author is thanking see who helped them along the way, because I guarantee they did not do it alone.
And if you want me to be part of your team going forward, I would love to help you out. If you are listening to this episode on May 26th when it comes out, then Reader Ready Revisions, is currently open for enrollment. It is a revision course that is going to walk you step-by-step through the entire process of setting a vision for your book, analyzing your draft, strategizing revisions that will actually make your story work, and then implementing that plan without getting completely overwhelmed or lost in the weeds. And I designed this program to combine the best parts of a self-paced course in that you have lifetime access to the curriculum. There are no set deadlines.
Everything that we do live is recorded and shared with you after the fact. But you also get some of the benefits of a live course, like being able to ask super specific questions and get them answered on our calls, whether you show up live or not. You can pre-submit questions if you need to. And you also get feedback from me. And I think this is the best part. I love online courses. I think they are great. I've learned so much. But if you're not getting feedback, it is so difficult to know.
Whether you are actually successfully applying what you're learning. And I really wanted to design a course that would give you that feedback, but you also have complete flexibility on when you submit. You have two years to submit your work to me. ⁓ so literally if you join the course now, you have until like 2028 to submit. ⁓ because I really want you to be able to take your time with revision. Remember, it's all about patience, ⁓ not trying to do it for speed. So
Check out the course. It's called Reader Ready Revisions. You can go to readerreadyrevisions.com and learn more. I would just love to help you through this revision process. You can have me in your back pocket for four months for the live course. Plus, I will also be in your inbox every week for a year checking in with you as you revise. So if you want that support, if you want that help, if you want me to walk you through the revision process step by step, readerreadyrevisions.com. I would love to support you. And again, the course is open for enrollment now. If you are listening to this in real time.
But if you've just discovered me in the future, I will be running future sessions of this course. So go to readarreadyrevisions.com and find out when the next cohort is going to open. All right, thank you so, so much for listening to another episode of the Better Writer Podcast. If this episode resonated with you, please, please, please share it with a friend, post about it on social media. I just love getting tagged when you talk about the show. ⁓ and my goal is really to help as many writers as possible with this podcast. So please share it. I would really appreciate it.
Thank you again for listening. Have a wonderful week. Keep writing. Keep getting better. One word at a time. See ya.
