What Happens After You Type "The End?" -- Talking about Revision

There's a strange moment that happens after you finish the draft of a book.

You've done the big thing. You wrote the pages for months or even years.

And now, there it is: "The End."

Then comes the question: now what?

If you're like me, you imagine that finishing a draft will bring relief. And it does. Because the thing is out of your head an on paper. All the time spent carrying it around is over, and now here it is, sitting in front of you.

But then a different kind of overwhelm sets in. You know you have something. You know your book has potential. But you also know it needs revising.

Knowing where to start, what to tackle first, what's working, what's not, how to move from a rough-but-complete first draft to a stronger, more intentional manuscript is like trying to catch a cloud in your hand.

That's why I'm really excited to be co-leading the Book Revision Lab this summer!

About Book Revision Lab

Book Revision Lab is a six-month program offered through the non-profit group Book Inc. It's for writers who already have a completed draft of a memoir or novel and are ready to dive into revision in a serious, supported way with a community of writers who are in the same position.

What I love about this lab is that it treats revision like part of the creative process. This group helps you step back far enough to see structure, pacing, arc, and helps you figure out what your story is trying to become ... and then helps you get closer.

The lab isn't prescriptive.

Everyone comes into the group ready to revise, but each writer's work may have different aspects to tackle (and in different orders!). We spend time really getting to know our drafts. There's story analysis, revision work, feedback from other writers, who will read your entire manuscript, and an opportunity to build a plan for what comes next, as revision will continue after the Lab ends.

Most importantly, there's accountability. Writing is a largely solitary undertaking. Sometimes what helps the most is knowing other people are showing up, too, doing the hard work, and staying with their books through the most challenging periods.

And honestly, for me at least, that's been one of the hardest parts of revision: staying with it.

For me, drafting is fun, fueled by momentum. Revision requires something slower. Steadier. It asks for more patience. More trust. It demands you return to the same pages again and again, and keep going.

It can be a lot easier to do when you have company.

If this sounds like where you are right now, I'd love for you to take a look at the program. The next session starts Thursday, July 16, 2026 and runs for six months. It includes twice-monthly Zoom meetings (4 PM PT / 7 PM ET), daily Slack interaction, deep feedback on your work, and a supportive peer group of writers working through revision alongside you -- myself included!

--> You can learn more here: Book Revision Lab (July 2026)

Payment plans and scholarship are available.

Hope to see you in group this summer! Happy writing,