Revision And Self-Editing (Write Great Fiction) [Paperback]

James Scott Bell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 5, 2008 | ISBN-10: 1582975086 | ISBN-13: 978-1582975085 | Edition: 2nd

Don't let the revision process intimidate you any longer. Discover how to successfully transform your first draft into a polished final draft readers won't be able to forget.

In Write Great Fiction: Revision & Self-Editing, James Scott Bell draws on his experience as a novelist and instructor to provide specific revision tips geared toward the first read-through, as well as targeted self-editing instruction focusing on the individual elements of a novel like plot, structure, characters, theme, voice, style, setting, and endings. You'll learn how to:

• Write a cleaner first draft right out of the gate using Bell's plotting principles
• Get the most out of revision and self-editing techniques by honing your skills with detailed exercises
• Systematically revise a completed draft using the ultimate revision checklist that talks you through the core story elements

Whether you're in the process of writing a novel, have a finished draft you don't know what to do with, or have a rejected manuscript you don't know how to fix, Revision & Self-Editing gives you the guidance you need to write and revise like a pro.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Scott Bell is the author of the Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure and a contributing editor to Writer's Digest magazine. He is also the author of more than fifteen novels currently teaches fiction writing courses at Pepperdine University and is a regular speaker at writers conferences.
www.jamesscottbell.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books; 2nd edition (May 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582975086
• ISBN-13: 978-1582975085
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Education & Reference > Writing, Research & Publishing Guides > Writing > Editing

More About the Author

For notifications and deals about JSB's new releases, sign up for his occasional update at www.jamesscottbell.com (the signup box is on the left side of the screen). Your mail box will never be overstuffed nor will your address be shared with anyone else.

JAMES SCOTT BELL is a bestselling and award winning suspense writer, and one of the top writing coaches in the country. He writes in both the traditional and indie publishing realms. Writing as K. Bennett, he is the author of the Mallory Caine, Zombie-at-Law series, which begins with PAY ME IN FLESH. In 2012 he became the first writer to have a self published work nominated for the prestigious International Thriller Writers Award (for the novella ONE MORE LIE). He was the fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine and has written four popular books for the Writers Digest line: Plot & Structure, Revision & Self-Editing, The Art of War for Writers and Conflict & Suspense. Jim taught novel writing at Pepperdine University and continues to teach at numerous writers conferences in the United States, Canada and London. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied writing with Raymond Carver. He lives and writes in L.A. He blogs weekly at Kill Zone -- www.killzoneauthors.blogspot.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a caring English Professor, Jim hovers over your shoulder pointing out the problems and dishing out the fixes. July 7, 2008

By C.J. Darlington

Format:Paperback

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 know he doesn't just preach at you, he shows you examples of what works in the real world. Revision & Self-Editing is chock full of examples from successful, published novels and even movies. There are tidbits of advice from other published novelists like Athol Dickson and Terri Blackstock. Exercises after each chapter help you retain and apply what you've learned (Jim provides answers at the back of the book.)

Speaking of writing conferences, that's what reading this book felt like--attending a break-out session presented by a skilled wordsmith who knows of what he speaks. Like a caring English Professor, Jim hovers over your shoulder pointing out the problems and dishing out the fixes. He pulls no punches, and you can tell he wants those who read this book to succeed. With lots of sweat, burning desire, and these techniques in your back pocket, you truly can.

When Plot & Structure released I said, "If you can only buy one writing book, buy this one." Well, it's time to make space on your shelves for one more. Revision & Self-Editing deserves it.

--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for TitleTrakk.com Read more ›

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars If you have his Plot and Structure, don't bother with this one December 23, 2009

By annibus

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book hoping for a detailed how-to on revising my manuscript which is, currently, kind of a mess. This book provided little help. There are only two new chapters--the rest of the content is virtually identical to his other book, Plot and Structure. While there is good stuff in there, I would say, if you have one book, don't waste your money buying the other.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book on the craft of writing May 27, 2008

By Deborah Raney

Format:Paperback

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!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Help Book May 11, 2008

By Robin C. Miller

Format:Paperback

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.

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Wrong title October 8, 2009

By J. Hill

Format:Paperback

While named Revision & Self-Editing, this book really is a quick overview on the craft of a novel writing. Part one, 190 pages of the 262-page book, is entitled Self-editing. Yet, instead of specific revision tips and exercises, Bell skims through the basics on what's involved in writing a solid novel. It's all good advice, offering gentle reminders of what we may have forgotten. But, it's not on the topic his title promised. Part Two, entitled Revision, is only 60 pages, 10 of which discuss the need for discipline in writing. Meanwhile, the section on how to consider revisions for endings is only two pages.

While this book might be helpful to younger, less experienced writers, the books, plays and films he chooses as examples, i.e. The Maltese Falcon, The Odd Couple, and The Searchers , might not be familiar or relevant to that audience.

The book's main strength comes from Bell's easy, conversational style to make his brief, yet obvious, points.

The book's weakness is its title. It's misleading, and readers are sure to be disappointed.

If you're looking for a book about revision, pass on this one. This book misses its mark by not going far enough into the self-editing and revision process. Instead, it quickly offers obvious and basic advice in how to write a novel. And if you're looking for a book on crafting a novel, others work better.

26 of 31 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Little new here - it's the other books repeated August 8, 2009

By Man in Paris

Format:Paperback

Having bought Plot and Structure from the same series and found it helpful, I was looking forward to reading this book. However, huge chunks of this have been copied and pasted from Plot and Structure, so much so that I feel I've been conned into buying the same book twice. Don't make the same mistake yourself - this is a rip-off.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Misleading March 19, 2009

By R. G. Heckathorn

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I rated this book on the title and what I thought I was getting. As a book on revision and self editing, it makes a better book on the basics on the craft of fiction writing. If that was what is was being marketed as I would have given it a 4 or 5 because it does a nice job of covering the basic 'how to's' of writing. I would say that reading this was not a waste of time. I found much of it informative and it was pleasent to read.
However, if you looking for a good book on editing and revision, look elsewhere.