Revisions Are a Part of Life
Janet Roberts
As writers, we understand the power of revision. Like shifting tides, life fluctuates. With each movement comes change. A tweak. A slight edit. A major overhaul. A resulting calm stretch. An ensuing realization.
Have you lost a dream you still cling to, a dream you were driving hard toward achieving when something derailed it? Getting it back on track is a lot like manuscript revisions. Take it from someone who had to perform major edits just as my dream of publishing a new book came true.
The Dream Begins: Retirement
Finally, it was time to move full speed toward dreams that had carried me through years of 50-hour work weeks. I would write, travel, and pursue a healthier lifestyle. I signed a hybrid contract with a small independent publisher, confident that my marketing strategies would recoup my investment. For four months, I focused on launching my novel, What Lies We Keep, taking a trip to Europe, and visiting the gym more often. As my launch date of May 7, 2024 fast approached, life was good.
This is a question I always pose to my creative writing students. Many are earnest, excited, anxious adults who hope to write a novel. They arrive in the classroom with crisp blank notebooks and their favorite pen (as instructed), but what they really bring are their dreams. They set them down gently in the scarred chairs of the high school geography classroom where we meet.