Scribe Professional Author Revisions Instructions

How Revisions Work

  1. Revisions Overview

  • You will have five total revisions calls with your Scribe.
  • You will discuss your manuscript in four sections as noted in your Revisions Plan.
  • You will review one section (usually two to four chapters) per call.
  • On the fifth call, you’ll review the full manuscript with all the revisions integrated.

 

  1. How the First Four Revisions Calls Work

  • Before you do any editing, read the whole manuscript all the way through. Then go back and edit one section at a time.
  • Read and edit the relevant chapters BEFORE your call with the Scribe.
  • Make sure “Suggesting” mode is turned on (upper right corner) and edit directly into the Google Doc.
    • Some people like to print their manuscript out, make changes on paper, and then type the edits into the Google Doc. Warning: this takes a lot longer!
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: You are NOT editing on the call with your Scribe. Your edits MUST be done prior to the call.
  • Finish your edits at least 24 hours ahead of each call so your Scribe has time to review them.
  • On each revisions call, you and your Scribe will discuss what edits you want to make.
  • Your Scribe will then make those edits after the call while you review the next chunk of chapters.
  • NOTE: If you do not do your edits before the call, the Scribe cannot do the call with you. They will have to get off the call and give you the time you need to do your edits before the next call.

 

  1. How the Last Revisions Call Works

  • After those four revisions calls, the Scribe will fully revise the manuscript based on your notes and then share it with you.
  • You’ll review that whole manuscript again, making any notes for your final review.
  • You’ll do a fifth call (your Final Revisions Call), and go over the whole manuscript one more time.

 

How Authors Succeed in Revisions

  • MOST IMPORTANT THING: Maintain momentum.
  • The longer you take in revisions, the more likely you won’t make it through revisions and you won’t publish.
  • Successful Authors schedule and keep their weekly or biweekly revisions calls. They use this cadence to create momentum that gets them finished.
    • If you spend that time working hard, digging in, and focusing, you’ll reap the rewards for years.
    • Unsuccessful authors go slow, take their time, revise endlessly, and get stuck in the tarpit of perfectionism and second-guessing.
  • Successful authors also lean on us for help.
    • If you have any fears or worries, speak up about them and let us help you work through them.
    • We’re experts at writing books, and we’ve had all the same fears you have. We know how to deal with them because we’ve been through it.
  • The big thing to remember is this: WE WILL NEVER LET YOU LOOK BAD.
    • It’s our job to make sure you get the best book possible, and we will do everything in our power to make that happen.
    • The more you bring up any of these fears you have to us, the more we can help you deal with them, and help your book succeed as a result.