Revision – Like Digging A Grave

Writing an eloquent and smooth storyline to flow from beginning to end with voice, style, and depth is like digging a grave. Not that I’ve dug a grave before, but as a creator, I can imagine the analogy.

I believe most authors strive for their story to stand on its own structurally, as well as thrive in that foundation with carefully crafted words to clearly tell their tale and impact their readers. No matter the direction a writer chooses to get to this end-result, they’re going to get their hands dirty. And that’s a good thing!

I’m not here to sell you on any specific process. Many craft books exist about story structure along with tips and tricks for character development and more. What I am going to remind you of, my writing friends, each time you dig in to find the roots of your story, the stronger your story becomes.

Don’t skip this step!

What does this look like? Here are a few phases I take with books where I’ve completed that first draft or two, and I’m smelling the aroma of doneness in the air. It’s time to dig into revisions.

Keep these steps in mind when you’ve finished your drafts and are ready to weed through your manuscript:

Take a step away! Distance makes the heart grow fonder yet also allows plot holes or other issues to reveal themselves. We’re often too close to our projects to notice these little snafus in the beginning stages. This is also a chance to weave in those themes and word choices to make your pacing flow effortlessly once you return.
Now is the time when you can use the check points from all the craft books you’ve been studying. Does your character have a solid arc? Does every scene move your story along to discover this arc? Does your dialogue reflect your characters? There are so many pieces to this phase. Again, I’m not recommending any specific craft book because their are LOTS! But choose a few that speak to you, and dig in!
Find an early beta reader or critique group that understands the stage of writing you’re at. This isn’t your polished manuscript yet, it’s the diamond in the rough you’re sawing, cleaving, and bruting into something shiny.
- Don’t compare your rough drafts to another author’s published work. This goes for your expectations too. You want that friend who is reading your early work to call out the poison pulling your story down. You don’t have to agree or change a thing, if you don’t want to, but as painful as it may be (and it is excruciatingly painful), keep digging, tossing, and smoothing!
- Now, once you feel ready, you can send your work off to a developmental editor…a step I never forego! I will write soon about this stage of writing in an upcoming article.
- You can find a vetted editor through sites like, Northwest Editors Guild: https://www.edsguild.org/
Know when to put your shovel down and dust off your hands. Your revised manuscript won’t be perfect. Recognize that you’ve dug up your story in the midnight hour of creation and cut all that you can, revealing your clear plot, your true story in the end. Let your work shine and feel all those tingles of accomplishment.
Celebrate the exhausting effort you’ve put into your book. You’ve given yourself space. You’ve read it through multiple times. You’ve checked all your notes and analyzed your helper-readers’ (and possibly editor’s) comments. You’re ready for that next step in the writing process…those final line edits and the dreaded query process. Those topics are for another day. For now, celebrate!

What I hear most from the book world is that sometimes authors jump too fast to get their work out into the world. There’s a digging process that can feel overwhelming at first, but it can also encourage and inspire, once you see the light on the other side. Let yourself get a little dirty.

Face that scary feeling of digging up your story…all the bones and guts of your creation. Arrange them and rearrange them. Bring them back to life.

I’ve taken to finishing my stories, celebrating my accomplishments, and then leaning into the above tips and tricks when it comes to digging back into my work to edit and revise. Only you will know when your work feels ready.

Happy digging, my friends, I believe in you!

Celaine Charles

October 16, 2025

Bio:

Celaine Charles is a teacher by day and writer by night. She’s an award-winning, multi-genre author who strives to balance her dual life creating poetry, young adult fantasy, romance shorts, and a blog about her writing journey, Steps in Between. To thrive, Celaine enjoys walks through the enchanted forests of Washington State, reading at least fifteen minutes a day, and eating mounds of allergy-free chocolate. She is currently querying her children’s picture books about social emotional learning in whimsical, creative ways. Join her newsletter, as she loves connecting with writers and readers. Find her other published books and links on her website: https://celainecharlesauthor.com/

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