How to Revive a Manuscript: Welcome Back, Novel #3

Hey, Tartlets. Coming at you today with how I finally — finally — revived a manuscript that I thought was a lost cause.

Notice that I said “revived” and not “revised.” That’s on purpose. Remember when I called Time of Death on Novel #3? Yeah, that was a rough day.

When I announced my decision to shelve that manuscript (amidst a flood of tears, I might add), I was convinced I was doing the right thing. I’d been trying for the better part of a year to revise my rom-com manuscript, without any success. When that blog post went live in July 2022, I was certain there was no saving Novel #3.

Guess what? I. WAS. WRONG.

WHAT CHANGED?

About a month after I boxed up Novel #3, I bravely (stupidly? masochistically?) started drafting Novel #4. (More on that another time.) Despite how excited I was for this new story idea, I couldn’t get Novel #3 out of my head. Even though the story I wanted to write hadn’t come out during any of my attempted revisions, I could still feel it in there, niggling at me like a splinter in my thumb. But, y’know. In a good way.

After so many failed attempts to revise the manuscript on my own, I decided to take a different approach this time around: I signed up for a creative writing workshop taught by a published author.

That workshop? It changed EVERYTHING. I didn’t just revise my manuscript — I revived it. 

I’m proud to say that Novel #3 has transformed from a ho-hum rom-com to poignant, funny, and cozy women’s fiction novel that I am amazingly, wonderfully proud of. Taking that workshop helped me find everything that had been missing from my story — the characters, the ambiance, the plotlines. Everything finally seemed to flow, and I was able to get the story I felt in my heart onto paper (erm, onto a Word doc, I mean). 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Revising my manuscript is one of the main reasons I stopped blogging for a few months. My weekly workshop classes began in September 2022, and I worked my ass off tearing my manuscript apart, piecing the good parts back together and tossing the bad ones. (#KillYourDarlings) I wrote numerous completely new scenes and chapters that fit perfectly with the book. It was like all my words had been stoppered, and they’d just been waiting for this workshop to pour forth.

The need to keep working on Novel #3 consumed me. I didn’t want to do anything else; all I wanted was to live in the world I was (finally) creating.

At the end of the fall semester, I was halfway through revising the manuscript. So, I signed up for the winter semester in order to finish the book. This past January, February, and March were spent locked away in my writing room, hammering out edits and rewrites before my last class of the semester and my impending back operation.

The night before I went into surgery, I put the finishing touches on the revived manuscript of Novel #3. Then I cried happy tears and fell into bed.

When I signed up for the writing workshop in September, I figured it was truly my last ditch effort to salvage Novel #3. If this doesn’t work, I told myself, then you’re walking away for good this time. Turns out, that investment in time and money (yes, money; these workshops weren’t free) was completely worth it.

I was lucky enough to have a workshop instructor who’s a brilliant editor, as well as an amazing author. The insight she gave me into crafting a story, building up characters, setting a scene, and tightening up my writing is invaluable. I was also lucky enough to work with other wonderful, inspiring writers in both of my workshops; their constructive criticism, ideas and suggestions, and general camaraderie also breathed life back into Novel #3.

In short, my writing workshop(s) taught me how to revise a manuscript. How to revive a story that a large part of me had given up on. I say with 100% certainty that Hyggely Ever After — the reborn version of Novel #3 — would not exist today if it weren’t for those weekly sessions with my instructor and classmates. 

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

I’m diving back into the query trenches. (I’m not crazy. You’re crazy.)

Yesterday, I started querying my women’s fiction novel, Hyggely Ever After, which embraces all things hygge (pronounced “hue-gah”). If you don’t know what hygge is, you can look it up here.

Hygge is a huge part of my life, and I’m so thrilled I was able to write a novel that embodies this wonderful Danish lifestyle concept that, among other things, helped me overcome seasonal depression and appreciate the quiet beauty of winter. One of the reasons I really want Hyggely Ever After to be published is so more people can become aware of hygge and learn ways to lead calmer, happier, and more purposeful lives. If you’re looking for a non-fiction “how to” book about hygge, check out my short book review of The Little Book of Hygge. 

Querying plans: I’ve contacted those two agents who encouraged me to send them future projects after they read Desserted, and I’ve sent out five queries to other agents so far. I’m continuously compiling a list of additional agents that I should pitch to, though I’m only querying about five agents at a time. (It’s best to query on a rolling basis.) Right now, I’m at 47 agents on my to-query list, and counting.

I’m excited to keep you all updated on how querying goes for Hyggely Ever After. Send me all your good thoughts and wishes, please! Here’s hoping Novel #3/third time’s a charm.

WRITING WORKSHOP INFORMATION

I’m planning to write a separate blog post about my experience with the writing workshop, so please stay tuned for that. There’s just so much I want to talk about, and I cannot fit it all into one post. For those of you itching to know what workshop I took, though, here are the deets:

I took The Novel Continuum virtual workshop with The Writers Circle (TWC), and my instructor was Caitlin (Katie) Barasch (author of A Novel Obsession). I’ve taken a few webinars and workshops now with TWC, and I can’t recommend this organization enough. They offer so many different types of classes and workshops for writers of all ages, and in all stages of the writing journey. If you’re looking to improve your writing or to just connect more with a writerly community, I encourage you to browse TWC’s selection of virtual and in-person classes. [Note: this is not a paid advertisement; I just really, really like TWC.]

Finally: sending a huge shout-out to my instructor Katie and classmates Jean, Tarynne, Illana, and Eileen. Thank you for helping me find my way to Willa and her home.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Writer friends, tell me: how did you manage to successfully revise (or revive!) your novels? Did you work on your own? With a critique partner and/or writing group? Or, did you take a creative writing workshop like I did? I’d love to hear about your experiences!