First Look at a First Draft: How to Revise Your Manuscript

By Janice Hardy

A first draft is a wonderful thing, but it always needs more work.

There's something exciting and rewarding about a first draft. The story that's been in our heads is finally down on paper, and we can see how it developed. Sometimes it unfolded exactly how we pictured, but more often we encountered snags here and there and discovered fun twists and plots as we wrote. The draft might even be, shall we say, a little messy.

And that's okay, because first drafts are often messy and filled with holes.

It's what you do with it from there that really matters. As the adage goes...writing is rewriting. Often, a lot of rewriting (sigh).

This is why taking an objective first look at your first draft is so important. 

You're taking stock of what you have and looking for what's working, what's not working, and what could use a little more work to get it right. It's much easier to do the heavier rewrites in draft form before the story becomes mentally "set in stone." First drafts are supposed to be messed with. 

Every writer has their own process, and I like to start with the macro structural issues, because if they aren't working, no amount of polishing the text is going to help. 

Here's a four-step process you can follow to take that first look at your first draft: 

Step One: For every scene, ask yourself four questions:

• What is the point of view character (protagonist) trying to do?
• What goes wrong?
• What does the point of view character (protagonist) do about it?
• Why does this matter?

These questions capture the basic goal-journey-disaster structure of a scene.

(Here's more with How a Sequel Works with a Scene)

In The Shifter, my opening scene looks like this:

What is the point of view character (protagonist) trying to do? Steal eggs for breakfast.
What goes wrong? She gets caught.
What does the point of view character (protagonist) do about it? She uses her shifting ability to get away.
Why does this matter? Someone sees her do it, and now her secret is out.

The "Why does this matter" is a key component of building a strong story. Plenty of things can go wrong, but not all of them will move your story along toward the climax. (Even if that climax is still 70,000 words away). 

Knowing why it matters not only clarifies the character's motivation, it clarifies plot and stakes.

You can either mentally check this, or write it down. I like writing it down because it forces me to pinpoint the major plot points of the book. I can easily see which scenes are moving the story and which aren't. Some folks like using flash cards for this, so they can shuffle them around or take them out to see how the book flows when they cut or move scenes. You can also create a book or editorial map for an easy reference guide to how your novel unfolds.

(Here's more with Open Up! Writing the Opening Scene) 

There are probably going to be some scenes that you can't answer one or more of these questions. Usually the "what are they trying to do" and "why does it matter" ones. 

This is a good indicator that the scene might not be needed, or it's missing the goals and narrative drive to advance the story. These are scenes you might want to focus on first. Either cut them or find a way to make them work. Not every edit needs to be a substantial one, and sometimes all it takes is having the protagonist say what it is they're trying to do to make it all clear and refocus the scene. 

Step Two: Once you have all your scenes down, read through your list and see how the story flows. 

You should be able to see plot progression from the opening scene to the resolution, where everything is marching toward the end climax. Your stakes should be escalating, things should keep getting worse and worse and more personal to your protagonist. They want this goal badly, or else. 

If they can just walk away without any repercussions, chances are your stakes aren't personal (or high) enough. Now is a great time to edit your outline or editorial map since you can see the entire novel in summarized form.

(Here's more with Clarifying Thoughts: Revising Your Outlines to Make the Writing Easier)

Step Three: Take note of anything that feels repetitious. 

I don't know about you, but I always find a few scenes that feel similar in every first draft. Maybe the details are different, but, for example, it's still two scenes where "someone sneaks into a house to steal evidence," or two "fight scenes over the girl," or four "chase scenes through the city". I'll also find spots where the protagonist uses the same trick to get out of a jam, or resolve similar issues in the same way. They might all be good scenes, but if they feel like the same scene all over again, it's likely going to bore the reader.

Look at your list: 

• Are your characters being put in the same situation too many times?
• Do they do the same thing to resolve the issue too often?
• Are there slow areas where nothing really happens?
• Scenes where it's all explanation?
• Are there chains of scenes that don't raise the stakes?

This list is also useful for checking chapter breaks: 

• Does every chapter end on something that leaves the reader hanging and wanting to know what happens next? 
• Do the chapters clearly build toward your climax?

(Here's more with Does Your Novel Just…Stop? What Makes a Good Ending)

Step Four: Look at your overall character motivations. 

Sometimes we get so caught up in how the plot unfolds, we forget to make sure the characters are doing all these great things for a plausible reason. Ask: 

• Do the reasons answer the story question and say what the book is about? 
• Is the character acting in a way that makes sense, or are they acting because the plot tells them to? 
• Do they get more determined to win as the story progresses? (a good indicator of rising stakes) 
• Does the resolution fulfill the motivations and the reasons for acting?

(Here's more with Two Questions to Ask for Stronger Character Goals and Motivations)

Getting a look at the big picture goes a long way toward making your revision process easier. 

You'll have a much better understanding of what your story is and how you want to strengthen it. By the time you get to the polishing stage, you'll know your plot is solid, your characters and characters arcs are strong, so all you have to worry about is making the text sing.

What do you look for in a first draft? 

*Originally published June 2009. Last updated April 2026.

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• Fix awkward stage direction and unclear character actions

Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft Omnibus starts every workshop with an analysis and offers multiple revision options in each area. You choose the options that best fit your writing process. This easy-to-follow guide will help you revise your manuscript and craft a strong finished draft that will keep readers hooked. 

Available in paperback and ebook formats.

Janice Hardy is the award-winning author of the teen fantasy trilogy The Healing Wars, including The Shifter, Blue Fire, and Darkfall from Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins. The Shifter, was chosen for the 2014 list of "Ten Books All Young Georgians Should Read" from the Georgia Center for the Book.

She also writes the Grace Harper urban fantasy series for adults under the name, J.T. Hardy.

When she's not writing novels, she's teaching other writers how to improve their craft. She's the founder of Fiction University and has written multiple books on writing.

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