24 Carrot Writing
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Book Picks
  • About

The Unibrow Revision Strategy

6/18/2015

6 Comments

 
Picture
By Kelly Carey

While I am never happy when an editor asks me to rewrite a story, I have learned that if I can quell my bad attitude for a smidgen of time, the end result will be a better manuscript.

A few years ago, an editor asked me to flip a Christmas themed story centered on gift giving to fit with a February issue of the magazine. The story was titled “The Gingerbread Shop”.  I thought she was insane. Then I decided she was mean. Then I was just really mad. How do you take what is clearly a December Christmas story and rework it to fit in a February issue?

The request to revise always leaves me feeling defeated. By the time I submit a manuscript, I have already revised a bajillion times, had it critiqued, rewritten it again and fallen madly in love with my brilliant work.  I send it off to the editor or agent like a perfect present. Asking me to rewrite it is like someone returning a gift I bought them. Only worse, they are asking me to return it and get them something else - something better.  How rude!

Grumble, grumble, curse and spit.

I came dangerously close to refusing to rewrite my gingerbread story. Instead, I took a few days to stomp around my house, complained to my writing buddies, derided the absurdity of the editor’s request,  BUT I sent my editor  an email reply that read, “Of course, I’d be happy to revise my story.”

After venting and still unconvinced that any revision could improve on my perfect pearl, I reluctantly mustered the will to sit down and give the rewrite a try. The result was a better story, a more unique manuscript and a piece I was more proud to present. The revised story sold as “Dolphin Queen Valentine” and it never would have happened without the request to rewrite.

Just last month, I was asked to revise a manuscript and I have my routine down. I curse, stomp around my house with a scowling face that leaves with me with a self- inflicted unibrow, and I send the editor an email that says, “Of course, I’d be happy to rewrite”.  

When I finish the revision,my unibrow disappears in happy haze of contentment and the recognition that the request to rewrite was the perfect present.

6 Comments
Joe Carey link
6/18/2015 02:23:02 am

priceless!
I've been there and can certainly identify but I could never have expressed it so well!

Reply
Val link
6/18/2015 11:16:12 am

Love the unibrow! Been there, done that, and totally agree. Those rewrites can really stretch us and the end result it usually something unique.

Reply
Laurie
6/18/2015 03:10:52 pm

The unibrow emoji, apart from the heart emoji, is one of my most regularly used (especially with my children) - loved reading this!

Reply
Gloria G. Adams link
7/19/2015 06:28:24 am

Kelly,
This post made me laugh out loud! My new saying (if you don't mind) is going to be "Grumble, grumble, curse and spit."
BTW, I mentioned you, Annie and your blog site in a post for MY blog written with 5 fellow writers, A Song of Six Pens. It hasn't been published yet, so if it's not okay to quote, email me and I can have our gal who is in charge hold it so I can change before it goes out. But I figure it's always good to promote one another's sites and I love yours; if your group is like ours, we have become really good friends. :)
Gloria

Reply
Kelly Carey
7/20/2015 06:33:57 am

Gloria -- I'm so glad you enjoyed the post! You made me "grin, grin, twirl and hoot". Of course you can quote from our blogs -- we would be thrilled. I look forward to following A Song of Six Pens - Kelly

Reply
Tara Lazar link
10/20/2015 05:05:05 pm

Right now I'm not mad...I actually see part of the revision request's point...and for that, I am mad...does that make sense????

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Peruse blogs for advice and tips from KidLit creatives. 
    Join Our Email List
    Join our Facebook Group

    Categories

    All
    20 Minute Miracles
    Accountability
    Amanda
    Annie
    Author Interviews
    Book Proposals
    Book Release
    Carrots
    Chapter Book
    Character Development
    Conferences
    Contest
    Cover Reveal
    Craft
    Creativity
    Critiques
    Diversity
    Drafting
    Editing
    Fiction
    Francine
    Graphic Novel
    Guest Posts
    Holiday Wishes
    Hook
    Illustration
    Inspirational
    Interviews
    Kelly
    Library
    Magazine Writing
    Marketing
    Megan
    Middle Grade
    Nonfiction
    Picture Books
    Plot
    Promotion
    Publishing
    Query
    Read
    Readers
    Revision
    SCBWI
    Self Publishing
    Self-Publishing
    Setting
    Story Structure
    Submissions
    Tech Tools
    Tips And Tools
    Voice
    What Is 24 Carrot Writing
    Writing Challenges
    Writing Community
    Writing Goals
    Ya
    Young Adult

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    RSS Feed

    Click to set custom HTML
    Click on the RSS Feed button above to receive notifications of new posts on this blog.
Photos used under Creative Commons from byzantiumbooks, davidwilson1949, JKehoe_Photos, GotCredit, Chicago's North Shore Conventions & Visitors Burea, Roman Pfeiffer, ymu rocks, Au Kirk, Sweet Dreamz Design
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Book Picks
  • About