Take as much time as you need?

[Little Bird]

So, I'm newly agented and working on requested revisions.

My agent told me to take as much time as I need. I'd really rather have a deadline, because now I have no idea how much time is appropriate. I'm thinking 3-4 weeks. Am I way off?

I got the editorial letter about ten days ago, and manuscript revisions (pages of my manuscript marked up by the agent's assistant) late last Saturday. I'll be finished with the rewriting by the end of tomorrow, I think. But then I plan to go through the entire thing again, making sure it all makes sense still, etc.

I'd like to have a friend read it, too, just to have another set of eyes, but that would take more time.

I'm also a former copy editor, and I could get caught up over grammatical and stylistic matters, pull out my old Chicago Manual of Style, and edit the whole thing for all eternity.

If any of you have been there, please help me out. I really want to do a professional job, but I don't want to spend six months "perfecting" it either.

[Stijn Hommes]

I haven't been there, but 3-4 weeks sounds reasonable. From what you've said, it gives you enough time to make the revisions and have some leeway. Give yourself the 4-week deadline and stop obsessing about the little things. You don't want to go mad. ;)

[motormind]

How could you take less time than you need?

[willietheshakes]

How could you take less time than you need?

Um, if you have have to ask...

Quite often there are requests for turn-arounds -- on revisions, edits, etc -- that are so tight they result in work which you end up looking at later and muttering "if I had just had another week..." THAT'S how you take less time than you need.

(For the record, I prefer deadlines too. I tend to blow them off, but I prefer them...)

[DeadlyAccurate]

It depends on how severe the revisions are, of course, but I understand what you mean. If you're not rewriting the last half of the book, 3-4 weeks is probably plenty of time. Maybe set yourself a deadline, but if it looks like you're not going to make it, let it be flexible. Until you're under contract, there's no reason to overly stress yourself.

[harvey]

Hi,

If I were you, I would take your agent at their word. Take as much time as you need means take as much time as you need!

You could always contact them now and say you estimate it will take you 6 weeks (or whatever). If this isn't acceptable, they'll let you know. If it is, no worries!

Harvey

http://www.novel-writing-help.com/

[Danthia]

If you're unsure, just ask. "When do I need/would you like these back by?" Even if it's just a ballpark time, it'll give you something to work with.

Since it's an agent revision, not an editor, there's probably not a quick turnaround. They'll start selling it when it's ready to submit. You don't have any deadlines yet to adhere to. And it might go one or two rounds before it's ready.

[ChaosTitan]

Adding to what Danthia said, "take as much time as you need" could also be shorthand for "I'm a little swamped, so I may not get to it right away." Your agent may have other contracts she's negotiating, other manuscripts she's giving feedback on.

Give yourself a deadline that's reasonable and stick to it. Get the feedback you think you need and turn in a draft that makes you happy.

[Little Bird]

Thanks, guys.

I did ask how much time I should take, and "as much time as you need" was the answer.

I'm reducing 142k to 100k, and removing my MC from involvement in certain events to facilitate that, so a slight plot change was necessary to explain why he wasn't there. This changed conversations, the character's mood, etc. in various little bits throughout the novel. I'm also writing a new ending. It's my fault I have to do that, because it's a result of one of my suggestions. So far it's going well, but then a read-through of the whole story may change that.

What are your thoughts on having it beta-read before giving it to the agent?

I wouldn't be surprised if I were asked to revise again, to do some final tweaking. Would it be better to wait until then to ask someone to read it?

[WendyNYC]

What are your thoughts on having it beta-read before giving it to the agent?

I wouldn't be surprised if I were asked to revise again, to do some final tweaking. Would it be better to wait until then to ask someone to read it?

I think it's a probably good idea if you are cutting a switching anything having to do with the plot. When I cut a character, there were one or two places that referred to him, even though he was no longer there. I proofread it, of course, but even so. "They" instead of "she" and "children" instead of "child." That kind of thing a beta might catch.

[lute]

I agree with Wendy about the beta-reader. I tend to mention characters when they're not in that part of the book too, and even when going through my ms with a 'fine-toothed comb' I miss things like that. It's lovely to get a fresh look from someone new.

Good luck!

[TrixieLox]

Sounds like your agent's really in no hurry for them, which gives you some time, and even if you did do them super-quick, she might be prety busy so wouldn't get around to checking for a while anyway. So 3-4 weeks sounds fine to me.

I took 10 days to do major revisions (I work uber-fast as write / edit in my day job anyway so had years of 'training') - sent them 5-6 weeks ago and still waiting for agent thoughts (though she has been in touch to say she likes them but very very busy so not finished reading yet). The waiting is a killer. Now I worry I did them too quick so 3-4 weeks is fine.

[Danthia]

What are your thoughts on having it beta-read before giving it to the agent?

I wouldn't be surprised if I were asked to revise again, to do some final tweaking. Would it be better to wait until then to ask someone to read it?

I love my beta readers, but I have fantastically talented ones. I don't send anything to anybody without them looking at it first.

It's not uncommon to have multiple rounds of edits with your agent. I did.

[scope]

First of all I don't think you should cut any corners to meet what is currently an undetermined deadline. I think you should take all the time you need to do everything you believe is required. After all, when ready your agent will expect to receive a revised story, polished story which she likes.

To revise and rewrite all you describe in 3-4 weeks is great, but it sounds to me that you might need more time. I also think the use of beta-readers can only make your work better. Why not email the agent and tell her you have just started the revision process and at this point anticipate it will take you about 6-8 weeks to complete same, perhaps less. Ask if 6-8 weeks is okay with her. If she says "fine", you have that extra built in time based on the schedule you describe of 3-4 weeks.

[illiterwrite]

She wants you to take your time, because she wants to read it only once more before being able to send it out. That means making it as perfect as you can.

Once you have it as perfect as you can, and when you are very happy with the book, send it to betas. Better to fix anything now, before it has gone to publishers.

[Little Bird]

Thanks for the great advice, everybody.

I just finished writing my new ending, and will soon be printing this thing, reading it for content, and praying I don't discover a gaping hole I've overlooked.

If all goes well, then a little tweak here and there, copy editing, and off it goes to Beta.

I figure while he reads, I'll take a break from it (and bake him cupcakes, his favorite form of bribery), then take his comments and do another read-through. Edit as necessary. Hopefully not repeat too many times.

And I'll try to make that happen in under six weeks.

As a side note, part of me loves my new ending; the other part of me is sure my agent is going to say, "Sorry. This just isn't as good as I hoped it would be." (I got a rejection once that said just that.) Does everyone feel this way?

[Danthia]

Always. It's only natural :) For what it's worth, my agent had me rewrite my ending and it wasn't quite right on the first go. I didn't get what she was talking about the first time around. We discussed it, and I finally understood and rewrote the ending again. She loved it.

So even if yours isn't happy with the new one, you can talk it over and do it again. It's not a one-shot all or nothing deal :)