A Review of The Complete Revision Workbook for Writers: Tools for a Polished Novel by Arielle Haughee
So, you’ve finally got it written. Yay you. Now what? You know that draft still needs some work. This workbook is the answer. I love it and I’m going to be using it on all my book from now on. It is a great workbook.
I love everything about this workbook. It is laid out very well with pages for main character, supporting character, and a wonderful section devoted to plot including questions, evaluation, subplot evaluation, chapter and scene structure and evaluation, cause and effect, setting evaluation and essential information.
This workbook covers common problems and solution ideas for characters, plots, settings and language.
Problem solving work pages go in depth on characters including cutting, merging, adding, fleshing out, changing and tightening up, including POV which is my personal favorite.
I could so have used this on my first book.
This workbook even cover plot extensively with subplots, and scenes including timeline, backstory, conflict, setting, language use, and an editing checklist for cleaning up your prose.
This workbook even has work pages devoted to specific genres. Now that is useful!
Getting and managing feedback. The first time I sent my book out to beta readers I had no idea I should give them a list of feedback I wanted. Or how to analyze that feedback. This workbook even includes a checklist for your beta readers as well as how to review your content and copy edits and how to review your critiques and beta reader feedback forms.
Imagine getting your 85,000 word MS returned with a "it was nice" comment. What was I supposed to do with that?
There’s even a section for resource recommendations.
Finally, there is a section of planning pages to help the author with their original story summary, the updated summary, your original timeline and your updated story timeline.
The workbook also has a revision plan.
Writing and revising your novel is a monumental task and writing is a lonely business. So many authors told me, “just write it down”. That’s all you have to do. They make it sound easy.
Sure, it is. This book will be your best friend if you like rules and you want to follow a guideline. At least until I’ve written 300 or 400 books and get the hang of it, I’ll be attached at the hip to this workbook.
If you're a new author, or even if you're not, I cannot recommend this workbook highly enough.
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Sometimes you need something to get you writing or to ask the right questions!
The look and feel of the overall design of this workbook is clean. Whether you are struggling through your first draft or fighting your revisions, there is a page in here that's going to get you through it. With plenty of pages and space to write in the book, there are key questions, topics, and focused elements that can expose missing parts in your characters, plot and world. This is a piece that you can cherry-pick activities from to cater to your needs or check areas you are struggling to polish and repair. Whether you plan on following it front-to-back or diving into the parts you need, it's nicely labeled and even broken out to genre when needed. I've been sharing and showing off the piece when I can. This is a tool, not a workbook or a read, a tool and blueprint legend for you and your story. Open up the cover and find some activities and put pen to paper. Think of what you've written and even aim to write in a way that will inspire you to keep moving forward. LOVE THIS! Hope to see more workbooks in the future!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2019
- Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2019
The look and feel of the overall design of this workbook is clean. Whether you are struggling through your first draft or fighting your revisions, there is a page in here that's going to get you through it.
Sometimes you need something to get you writing or to ask the right questions!
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2019
With plenty of pages and space to write in the book, there are key questions, topics, and focused elements that can expose missing parts in your characters, plot and world. This is a piece that you can cherry-pick activities from to cater to your needs or check areas you are struggling to polish and repair. Whether you plan on following it front-to-back or diving into the parts you need, it's nicely labeled and even broken out to genre when needed.
I've been sharing and showing off the piece when I can. This is a tool, not a workbook or a read, a tool and blueprint legend for you and your story. Open up the cover and find some activities and put pen to paper. Think of what you've written and even aim to write in a way that will inspire you to keep moving forward.
LOVE THIS! Hope to see more workbooks in the future!
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2020
- Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2020
- Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2020
This is the best workbook I've ever used. I get so tired of craft books filled with 200-300 pages of craft analysis. Sometimes what we need is practical, useful tools to fix our novel, not tear apart someone else already published and successful novel.
Finally, a practical how to book with amazing exercises and ample planning space
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2020
This workbook is filled with so many helpful exercises to help you plan your novel revisions and increase your success in publications. It provides all the guidance and tools you need to analyze your own work and plan how you're going to fix it. This workbook is the ultimate planner for revising your novel. I love that the author provided ample space to write my revision note within this single book. No need for an external journal with this one. Everything you need to plan your revisions is held within these pages. The author even provides a myriad of recommended resources should you need to dive deeper into some of the revision topics.
This workbook is worth every penny!
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