One of my least favorite parts about writing is revising. Fortunately, I do it anyway, because that is where the magic happens. Cutting out all the crap, getting to the good stuff, and snagging pesky little (or big) inconsistencies…it can be incredibly tedious, but it’s also what makes the story as good as it can possibly be.

In case you were wondering, the book revising process goes something like this:

1. I hand in my novel to my editor. At this point, my writing buddies have done some work on it, and I’ve gone over it a few times. I have also lost all perspective on it, so it’s time to turn it over to a professional.

2. I get a month or two to goof off and play scrabbleblast to my heart’s content, until my editor calls with her list of revisions. I’ve had occasions where so many changes were asked for that I wondered if anything of the original draft would remain. But usually, it’s a good conversation because I get to talk about my book really honestly, with the only person who has read the whole thing (at this point). We strategize how to make it better.

3. I get about a month to make all the requested changes. Print manuscript (consider switching to writing short stories). Mail manuscript back to the publisher (see bill, and swear to switch to short stories). Resume scrabbleblast.

4. Copy-edited version arrives. I love the notes from copy editors. One told me that phrase “hell for leather” wasn’t used until the later 1800’s, long after the Regency period ended. But I dare you to find a Regency-set romance novel written today that doesn’t have someone riding hell for leather somewhere. So I kept it. I did not get any hate mail about it.My newest favorite note, though, is on my most recent manuscript (which I should be working on right now, but whatever…). On page 300-something, it’s the Big Sex Scene and I write about the heroine being nude in front of a man for the first time in her life. The note in the margin: “Already nude. See page 175.” Note To Self: Ponder when nudity is best revealed for the first time.Make changes accordingly.This is pretty much my last chance to make any changes to the story. After that, I won’t see it again until its release.In the meantime, it’s back to scrabble blast, and writing the next novel…