Hi Reader,

About a week ago, I finally tackled a task I’ve been avoiding: repairing the walking pad underneath my desk.

The repair itself wasn’t difficult once I diagnosed the issue, but in the process I managed to rip up the skin on one of my fingers.

The thing is, I didn’t notice it as it was happening.

Even though I was near bleeding and had a blister on my palm, I didn’t notice the damage or feel the pain until after I stopped working.

Writing your first draft is the same way.

You’re making progress, getting the words down on paper, feeling good about your writing. Then, you hit “the end,” take a step back, and realize that all those beautiful scenes aren’t quite as coherent as you thought.

You didn’t feel the pain when you were still writing, but somehow it’s time to revise and all that pain hits at once.

It’s not because you failed.

It’s not because you can’t write.

It’s all part of the process.

If you want help unpacking everything that comes next, Reader Ready Revisions is open for enrollment. We start June 1st, and you have until May 29th to snag the special June cohort bonus: feedback on extra words AND double the 1:1 calls with me.

Learn more and apply here.

Better Writing

Today’s episode of the Better Writer Podcast is all about your revision mindset. Why? Because revision problems start between the ears, not just on the page.

If you aren’t approaching your revisions in the right headspace, you’ll likely get stuck, even if you have the craft knowledge to get you through.

Here’s a quick preview of the six mindsets that you need to revise successfully:

1. Don’t compare your draft to a finishedbook. Instead, be grateful to your current draft for all that it has done to set up the next phase of your project. After all, your first draft’s job isn’t to be perfect; its job is to exist so that you can revise it into your second draft and beyond.
2. Don’t be afraid of big changes. In my book, revision is all about big swings and taking risks that allow you to create the best version of your book possible. I’m not saying you’re guaranteed to need big changes, but stay open to the possibility that they will be part of your journey.
3. Be patientwill not lead. My job is to help people revise effectively and efficiently, but effectively always comes first. If speed is the goal, you’re prioritizing the wrong thing. Rushing your way to a subpar book isn’t going to lead to success. Will you get better and faster over time? Of course. But that doesn’t mean you should start by aiming for speed.
4. Feedback isn’t law. No matter who you get that feedback from. You need to hone your filter, a filter based on your genre, ideal reader, and publishing goals. If you’re getting feedback from someone who doesn’t understand your market, your reader, or what you’re trying to accomplish, this is your permission to take any tidbits of their feedback that are helpful/applicable and ignore the rest.
5. You can make your book great. It may take a lot of work. You may have further to go than someone else in your writing group. But it’s possible if you’re willing to do the work.
6. Embrace collaboration. The idea of a writer sitting alone and creating a masterpiece is a myth. Great books come from collaboration. Don’t believe me? Just go check out the acknowledgements page in your last five favorite reads. I’ll bet that there was an entire team behind each one and that book wouldn’t be what it is now without them.

You can listen to the full episode and get all the details about these revision mindsets here.

Better Living

Last summer I bought a gorgeous watermelon at Costco that I foolishly thought could be eaten by two people and a six pound dog before it went bad.

Most of that watermelon got cubed and put into the freezer, where it waited until last Friday, when I turned it into “ice cream” with this super, simple recipe.

I added a bit of maple syrup because I had more watermelon than I realized and didn’t want to make more simple syrup, and the result was absolutely delicious! 10/10 recommended as a summer snack that feels almost healthy.

Better Reading

I finally pulled Quicksilver by Callie Hart off the TBR pile, and it’s been delightful so far. It’s definitely fantasy romance, but the worldbuilding and pace feels like the fantasy I read as a kid (which was all adult fantasy, just to be clear). I’m only a few chapters in and I hope the rest will live up to the beginning!

Thank you so much for reading another issue of the Better Writer Weekly!

Have a wonderful week and happy writing!

Olivia

P.S. Ready to revise with confidence? Join the next round of Reader Ready Revisions today.

Your story matters. Let's make it great.

Curious to know how I can help? Check out my services here. I can't wait to work with you, so you can write the book your future readers are waiting for!

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