The Mythical Revise & Resubmit
Greetings and Salutations Scribblers!
Today, we’re going to talk about the mythical revise and resubmit. We’ll talk about how common they are, what it actually looks like, and some steps you can take should you be the lucky recipient of an R&R! I also wanted to dig into the less talked about, grungier, and more personal side of things.
Let’s start with how often authors are being asked to revise and resubmit their manuscripts. When I first started querying, I had this idea that the revise and resubmit was like a mythical unicorn and you’d only see one if you were lucky and pure of heart. I had read occasional blog posts and twitter threads of writers who’d received them. My main writing circle has never been above more than 10ish people. I have a lot of writing community on the fringes, but my main ten are people I trade pages with, brainstorm with, and celebrate or cry with. Of those ten, SO MANY OF THEM had R&Rs from either an agent or an editor. Of the three manuscripts I’ve queried, I’ve had 1.5 R&R requests. I give the .5 because on my second manuscript the agent passed and gave me some feedback, but didn’t ask me to resubmit until nearly 5 months later during a pitch contest when they liked my pitch and asked me to resubmit if I’d taken into consideration the feedback they’d given.
My second R&R was 100% a “please send this again if you make revisions.”
First off, I think it’s important to acknowledge the truth of how I felt. I was gutted. I had been super hopeful about this full and when I got the pass with a request for a revise and resubmit, I spiraled. Even with its ember of revision hope sparking between the lines. I had to process my devastation. I went through the why bother diatribe because no one was going to want it. What was the point in doing revisions? If they’d liked it enough, they would have offered rep--because I know that once you get an agent you usually do a REVISION on your manuscript before going out on sub. And I’ve known actual people who were picked up by an agent and then they did a massive revision that completely restructured their manuscript. So like, isn’t that the process anyway?
And while this is true, it also depends on the agent. Some agents are very editorial in nature, some have the time and energy to take on a manuscript that needs a lot of TLC and sometimes they want something that is polished enough to go right out on submission to editors. I suspect this was more the case with my almost agent–they were editorial, but they were also managing other clients and didn’t want to take on a new client unless they felt 100% confident in my writing abilities. In hindsight, I understand this better, but I still had to process my anger and frustration. So don’t skip that part–I think it’s important to acknowledge all the feelings you have about writing. I don’t recommend lingering there, but definitely take a minute, wallow, then move on.
Once I’d done that and I started digging into the specifics of the R&R and arguing with them. Because I had clearly already done all the things the agent wanted me to do. The groundwork was there. It wasn’t my fault they didn’t read carefully enough to see all the work I’d done. Look. This isn’t pretty, but it’s an honest processing of feedback--especially feedback attached to a NO. Part of it was me being so emotionally tied to this project. Being defensive is something humans do almost instinctively when we’re told something we did wasn’t good enough.
But the truth was, the feedback wasn’t bad. It wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but it was all actionable things I could do that would make my manuscript stronger. Once I recovered from my pity party, I bucked down and was making charts and tables and bullet lists of how to fix this mess and somehow manage to win this agent over and get that offer of rep.
I shared the feedback with critique partners and they kept pointing out the good things and compliments in the pass–something that definitely helped me to refocus. I can’t stress enough how important it is to build your writing community and support each other. Because when things like this happen, you need friends willing to listen and support you.
Once I had made my plan, I put the project aside to let it breath and have some space. This killed me–I like to just go go go. But it was the best choice I could have made. I had a plan but it needed some time to marinate and fully come together. While I waited, I did a read through and minor revision of a previous project. Then I spent time working on a new project. A month later, I was feeling pretty good about my revise and resubmit and how I was going to work the requested changes into my manuscript. And I still didn’t start revisions. I made myself wait another week. Next I did a read through of my manuscript as it was, handwriting notes as I went to indicate what needed adjusted and where.
Throughout this entire process, I also read. There was a specific element of the revision this agent was looking for and it was one I struggled with the most because I didn't entirely see it and of all the feedback, I felt it was the most opinion based. It had to do with mood and tone. I could see the value in tweaking this component, so I started analyzing the books I was reading for this element and I did a reread of a book that definitely managed to do this, I highlighted, I took notes, I studied craft.
In the end, the biggest changes were at the front of the novel. I added in several scenes and one entirely new chapter. Then two more scenes that came later in the book were also completely brand new. But the rest was small stuff, word choice or adding a line of emotions or internalization, shifting the focus minutely to highlight one thing or another. And then I sent my revised manuscript out to my new betas mid August.
I had one beta who’d read it before and two who were brand new to the story and didn’t have any prior knowledge to sully them or confuse them (anyone who has ever read more than one version of a manuscript knows what I’m talking about. Every time you read it, regardless of the depth and types of changes, you come away being more familiar with it and making more connections). So I was really focused on the feedback of my two new betas, one of which was a secret reader--she didn’t know me and I have no idea who she is (a mutual beta partnered us up) and I only mention this because I really like this concept because it’s no strings attached and she had the freedom of saying anything she felt she needed to without having to feel like there was a person/face behind the words.
Once I got all my beta readers feedback, I did another minor revision. None of them had anything major to suggest. And so I requeried this agent with my new and shiny manuscript. In the end, I had a stronger manuscript. This wasn’t an exclusive R&R,--an exclusive R&R means that if you choose to requery you’re expected to only send this new version to the agent who requested it. Since mine was non-exclusive, I could query this new version widely. I appreciated this because to me, it spoke to the agent’s methods--they wanted what's best for me and my manuscript, even if it means they aren't the one repping me.
If you've stuck with me throughout this long convoluted story, you deserve to know the end. The agent passed. Again.
Their reason was valid and I absolutely don't begrudge them for it–it had to do with changes in the market and not being confident they could sell it. Most R&Rs end with happy stories of the agent or editor saying yes.
No one wants to see a story that ends in failure, but in publishing we usually only hear the success stories (even if said author queried diligently and earnestly for a long time--their story still ends in success despite the setbacks). So I think seeing stories of it *not* working out are just as important.
What are my big takeaways from this entire experience?
R&Rs are not as rare as you would think, but they still aren't common--it's a mini investment in you as a writer and a fostering of potential
You're allowed to be devastated, frustrated, and angry--process those things
But then, make a plan
WALK AWAY. Give it a month (or two--whatever you need), then come back and reassess and do your revisions
Test those revisions out on new people
Requery said agent, knowing that you have a stronger manuscript,
Self-care whatever that looks like!
If you do get a revise and resubmit, congratulations! Take your time and really dig into that feedback. In the end, I learned a lot about writing and myself from this manuscript. If this agent doesn’t work out, I’m strongly considering starting down the self-publication path. But that’s another story and another video.
If you’ve had an R&R experience, let me know what your thoughts are in the comments.
As always, your mileage may vary! Take what helps and leave what doesn't! Drop a comment with tips or methods you use to stay resilient as you write!
