STAIRWAY TO SUCCESS: How I Learned to Love Revision

Do you remember writing a paper for a school assignment? I do!

I’d read it to my mom and hope that she’d think it was ready to hand in – but she’d often make suggestions as to how I might be able to make it better.

Now, as a writer of stories for children, I don’t have my mom to ask for advice anymore…but I do have critique buddies who help me get the manuscript submission-ready.

Submission-ready…what does that really mean? As far as the formatting goes…there are many websites that offer advice about that as well as the Essential Guide to Publishing for Children, a fabulous resource available online to all SCBWI members – and of course, we always want to consult the guidelines of the website of the agent or editor we are submitting to.

But what about the content of the manuscript? For me, it means that no matter how many times I read it, the opening lines hook me, the plot and pacing keep my attention, I connect with the main characters and I want to cheer them on, and the closing lines provide an ending that satisfies.

By the way, just what is a satisfying ending? I believ there are THREE responses from the reader that indicate a successful ending:

a.      Aww Ending: Heartfelt

b.      Hahaha Ending: Laugh out loud humor

c.       Aha Ending: Surprise/an unexpected twist

I think these are the key elements of probably every story in every genre. But when I write the first draft, these elements are not usually at the level they need to be. Editors are receiving piles of manuscripts every week…and the stories that get acquired are the ones where all of those elements are present.  Sometimes, when an editor falls in love with a premise or has been looking for a particular topic…and even if the writing isn’t exactly spot on, they may ask for an R&R…a Revise and Resubmit. Sometimes editors may give written feedback to explain the changes they are looking for. On occasion, they may schedule a phone call or Zoom chat to discuss. But often, they send word that they would be happy to see a revision. So, what do you do if that happens to you and you aren’t sure what the editor is looking for? Here are a couple of suggestions:

1.      Email the editor, either through your agent if you have one, or in the same email chain you’ve been communicating through. Ask the editor if there are specific changes they’d like to see.

2.      Share the manuscript with your critique buddies – have others read the manuscript aloud – see if they trip up anywhere – and make sure those important elements are present: Does the opening hook YOU? Do the plot and pacing hold YOUR attention. Do you feel connected with the main character? Does the ending satisfy YOU?

3.      If at all possible, read other books that this particular editor has worked on. I did this when I got an R&R for one of my books. I was on my third R&R with this fabulous editor and had almost given up on getting it right. But she had faith in me and I knew she’d been an editor for a long time and so I Googled her and found lots of interviews she’d done. I read those…and discovered that in each interview, she mentioned one or two picture books she was working on at the time. Off I went to the library and took out a pile of those books. At home, I read them and studied them as mentor texts…trying to uncover what there was about each of these books that made her fall in love with them. Most of them used quotes from the main character. And the stories were tight and trim…lots of action on the part of the MC.

Fortunately, I had discovered lots of quotes for my main character and so I set about adding them in while I made sure that there was action and the MC was doing something on every spread. We resubmitted – and the editor acquired it! And now it’s a real book!

But please don’t think that the revision ended when the editor acquired the manuscript. There was still lots of revision – first with the editor…and then during the copy editing phase and also during the fact-checking phase.

So, how about I give you an idea of how manuscripts can change with revision. In 2014, I came across a photo on the internet…Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe sitting shoulder to shoulder in a nightclub. The photo had been taken in 1954…just before the Civil Rights Movement gained momentum.

In those days, most white movie starlets and Black jazz singers did not pal around together. But Marilyn was a huge fan of Ella’s and had studied Ella’s singing voice to improve her own and she was grateful to Ella. When she heard that Ella was having trouble getting a booking at one of Hollywood’s top night spots, she turned the tables and helped Ella. Editors loved the story, but it took four years until it was finally acquired by Little Bee Books in 2018…when even more revision took place.
Original title and ending in 2014 – ELLA AND MARILYN: DREAM A LITTLE DREAM
And just as Marilyn held court as the Queen of the Silver Screen, Ella took her rightful place as the Queen of Jazz, and never had to perform in small smoky clubs again.

Revised title and ending 2016: ELLA AND MARILYN: STANDING UP FOR FRIENDSHIP
From that moment on, just like Marilyn held court as the Queen of the Silver Screen, Ella
took her rightful place as the Queen of Jazz.

But the title they each valued most was…

…Friend.

Revision that was acquired in 2018: MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: THE INSPIRING FRIENDSHIP OF ELLA FITZGERALD AND MARILYN MONROE
For the rest of their lives, Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe remained friends. Ella

never missed one of Marilyn’s movies. And Marilyn never got tired of listening to Ella’s songs.

On the outside, two stars never looked more different. But on the inside, they both

understood that sometimes even stars need a little help to shine.

 

One other revision tip: I love satisfying endings that circle around and echo the opening lines. Here are the opening lines for that book:
Ella and Marilyn.

On the outside, you couldn’t find two girls who looked more different. But on the inside,

they were alike—full of hopes and dreams and plans of what might be.

I now have seven picture books and more in the pipeline…and I’ve worked on revisions with seven different editors at seven different publishing houses…and this is what I can tell you about working with editors. They work really hard and are kind and respectful and pretty darn smart. It makes good sense to listen to them, although it’s always important to stay true to your vision for the story…and remember, it is YOUR story…and if they’ve acquired it, it means they absolutely love it!

Dear friends, I have one more post this month…please stay tuned for next week when I share my 5P’s and how writing picture books is like making a pizza…and we can make it gluten-free and dairy-free so that everyone can enjoy it!