What to do with your messy draft: The post-November reset
Bonus support for Novel November writers.
November is over.
You have a draft. Maybe it’s 50k words. Maybe it’s 35k words. Maybe it’s complete, maybe it ends mid-scene with a note that says “[FIGURE THIS OUT LATER].”
Whatever you have, it’s messy. It’s rough. It’s probably not what you envisioned when you started.
And now you’re wondering: what the hell do I do with this?
Let me tell you what NOT to do.
Do Not Start Revising Immediately
I know the impulse is strong.
You just spent 30 days writing at high speed. You can see all the problems. The plot holes. The inconsistent characterization. The scenes that don’t work. The dialogue that feels flat.
You want to fix it RIGHT NOW while it’s fresh.
Don’t.
Here’s why:
You’re exhausted. Your creative well is depleted. You’re too close to the work to see it objectively.
When you revise from exhaustion, you make decisions from scarcity instead of abundance. You cut things that actually work because you can’t see their value. You add things that don’t serve the story because you’re trying to force solutions instead of discovering them.
Revision requires different energy than drafting. Drafting is discovery. Revision is refinement. You can’t do both from the same depleted state.
You need rest first.
Not a day. Not a weekend. Actual rest. Two to four weeks minimum of not looking at this draft.
I know that feels impossible. I know you’re afraid if you step away you’ll lose momentum or forget important details or never come back to it.
But trust me: the time you invest in rest will save you months of ineffective revision.
Side note: When reading the scrolls of the Temple — and by “scrolls” I mean articles, essays, posts, whatever you want to call them — please keep in mind that yes, I am a priestess. But I’m also a PROFESSIONAL EDITOR. This is my actual job. That I studied and trained for. The guidance I give comes from both perspectives.
What Rest Really Looks Like
Rest doesn’t mean doing nothing.
It means not actively working on THIS draft. It means giving your brain space to process what you learned without trying to fix anything yet.
Here’s what to do during your rest period:
Week 1-2: Complete Disconnect
Don’t open the file. Don’t read what you wrote. Don’t look at your notes. Don’t think about revision.
Do other things. Read books in your genre. Watch movies/shows. Take walks. Sleep. Spend time with people. Live your life. Let your creative well refill.
Your subconscious is processing everything you wrote. Let it work without interference. It doesn’t need your help.
Week 3-4: Gentle Reflection
Now you can start thinking about the draft again. But not from a “how do I fix this” place. From a “what did I learn” place.
Reflection questions to journal about:
What surprised me about this story?
What did I learn about my writing process?
Which scenes felt alive when I was writing them?
Which scenes felt forced or dead?
What themes emerged that I didn’t plan?
What does this story want to be underneath what I thought I was writing?
These questions help you see what you actually created instead of judging it against what you planned to create.
After 4 Weeks: Assessment Phase
NOW you’re ready to look at the draft with some objectivity.
Again, not to revise yet. To assess. To understand what you have and what it needs.
This is where elemental framework becomes essential.
Assessing What You Wrote
When you’re ready to look at your draft again, you need a systematic way to evaluate it.
Not “is this good or bad?” That’s not useful information. You need to know: what’s working, what’s not and what needs attention first.
This is where the four elements come in.
Air Element Assessment: Vision & Purpose
Questions to ask:
Can I articulate what this story is about in one sentence?
Do I have clear criteria for what belongs in this story and what doesn’t?
What are the deeper themes underneath the plot events?
Does my premise feel unique or generic?
If someone else had my basic idea, would they write essentially the same story?
What you’re looking for: Conceptual clarity. The “true north” of your work.
If Air is weak: Your revision will wander. You’ll make changes without clear direction. You’ll second-guess every choice because you don’t know what your story is about.
If Air is strong: You have a compass for all other revision decisions. You know what serves your vision and what doesn’t.
Fire Element Assessment: Movement & Transformation
Questions to ask:
Does this draft have forward momentum or does it stagnate?
Where does the pacing drag despite me cutting words?
What transforms by the end? (Characters, reader understanding, situation)
Do the stakes escalate or stay flat?
Can I identify the key turning points?
What you’re looking for: Energy and progression. The force that pulls readers through.
If Fire is weak: Readers will put your book down even if the writing is beautiful. Nothing compels them to continue reading.
If Fire is strong: The story has undeniable pull. People want to know what happens next.
Water Element Assessment: Emotion & Connection
Questions to ask:
Do I care what happens to these characters? (If YOU don’t, readers won’t)
Do the emotional moments land or fall flat?
Does my voice feel authentic or am I performing?
What relationships drive this story forward?
Where do I feel genuine emotion vs where am I manufacturing it?
What you’re looking for: Authentic resonance. The beating heart of your work.
If Water is weak: Characters feel hollow. Emotional scenes don’t land. Readers observe but never invest.
If Water is strong: People remember your characters long after finishing. They FEEL the story.
Earth Element Assessment: Structure & Craft
Questions to ask:
Does my structure support my vision or work against it?
Where do readers stumble over awkward sentences or unclear organization?
Are there technical errors undermining my authority?
Do my scenes have solid architecture or do they meander?
What craft-level “speed bumps” are preventing flow?
What you’re looking for: The foundation that holds everything together.
If Earth is weak: Brilliant ideas get lost in poor execution. Structure undermines vision instead of supporting it.
If Earth is strong: The craft disappears so the story can shine.
Creating Your Revision Roadmap
Once you’ve assessed all four elements, you need to prioritize.
You can’t fix everything at once. Trying to revise Air, Fire, Water and Earth simultaneously will overwhelm you and produce mediocre results.
Here’s the strategic order:
First Pass: Air Element
Get conceptually clear BEFORE you revise anything else.
If you don’t know what your story is about, you can’t make good decisions about what stays and what goes. You’ll waste time fixing scenes that don’t serve your vision.
Air work includes:
Clarifying your premise
Identifying your core themes
Determining your unique angle
Creating decision-making criteria for revision
Time investment: 1-2 weeks of thinking, journaling, clarity work
Outcome: You have a compass for all other revision decisions
Need help? Get your hands on my Air Element Workbooks. I have two versions: the 3-Level Story Concept workbook (fiction) and the 3-Level Content Clarity workbook (nonfiction). The cost is $37 each. If you can’t answer the Air assessment questions, do this work first.
Second Pass: Fire Element
Once you know what your story is about (Air), strengthen the momentum.
Fire work includes:
Mapping energy through the manuscript
Identifying where pacing drags or rushes
Strengthening transformation arcs
Building escalation and stakes
Cutting or condensing scenes that kill momentum
Time investment: 2-4 weeks depending on manuscript length
Outcome: Your story has undeniable forward pull
Third Pass: Water Element
Now that you have clear vision (Air) and strong momentum (Fire), deepen the emotional resonance.
Water work includes:
Strengthening character authenticity
Deepening emotional arcs
Finding your true voice (removing performance)
Enhancing relationships and connection
Making emotional moments land with impact
Time investment: 2-4 weeks
Outcome: Readers care deeply about what happens
Fourth Pass: Earth Element
Finally, with the vision clear (Air), the momentum strong (Fire) and the emotion resonant (Water), you polish the craft.
Earth work includes:
Refining structure
Sentence-level polish
Eliminating speed bumps
Tightening organization
Technical precision
Time investment: 2-4 weeks
Outcome: Professional execution that lets your vision shine
Integration Pass: All Elements Together
One final read-through checking that all four elements work in harmony.
Time investment: 1-2 weeks
Outcome: A manuscript that’s ready for outside feedback
When to Get Outside Eyes
Not yet.
Seriously. Not after your first pass. Not even after your second.
Get outside feedback AFTER you’ve done at least Air and Fire revision work.
Why? Because if your premise is muddy (Air) or your pacing is off (Fire), beta readers will tell you things you already know. You’ll waste their time and yours getting feedback on problems you could have solved yourself. And if you decide to not bother with beta readers and go straight to an editor, not only will you waste your time, you’ll also waste your money.
The right time for outside feedback:
After you have conceptual clarity (Air is strong)
After you’ve fixed obvious momentum issues (Fire is functional)
Before you spend months on line-level polish (Earth refinement)
What kind of feedback to get:
Developmental feedback: For big-picture issues. Story structure, character arcs, thematic resonance. This is what my Elemental Audit provides - elemental diagnosis of what your manuscript needs most.
Beta readers: For reader experience. Does this land? Is this compelling? Where did you lose interest?
Line editing: LAST. After everything else is working. Don’t polish sentences in scenes you might cut entirely.
Still not sure what feedback to get? Read: What Type of Editing Do You Actually Need? It will get you all the way together.
What If You Don’t Want to Revise This Draft?
Maybe you finished Novel November and realized: this isn’t the story I want to spend the next six months revising.
That’s valid.
Not every draft deserves extensive revision. Some drafts taught you what you needed to learn and that’s enough.
Questions to ask yourself:
Do I still care about this story? Not “should I care” - do you ACTUALLY care what happens to these characters?
Is this worth the time and money investment? Revision takes months. Maybe longer. Is this story worth that to you?
Am I avoiding revision because it’s hard or because the story isn’t right? There’s a difference between resistance (normal) and knowing this isn’t the project (also normal).
If the answer is “I don’t want to revise this”:
That’s okay. You can:
Set it aside and start something new
Mine it for parts (save scenes/characters you love for another project)
Treat it as a learning draft (you discovered what doesn’t work)
Come back to it later with fresh eyes
November’s goal was discovery. You discovered this might not be YOUR story. That’s valuable information.
The December Workshop: Reflection Before Revision
If you want guided support through this post-draft assessment phase, that’s what my December workshop is for.
The Post-Draft Reset: Reflection Before Revision - Friday, December 12 at 1pm ET with ProWritingAid
We’ll work through:
Why rest before revision changes everything (and how long you really need)
Elemental reflection practices to assess what you wrote
Creating your strategic revision roadmap
Knowing when to get outside feedback vs trust your own vision
Using the post-draft period as creative renewal instead of punishment
The replay will be available in the Novel November Events space through December 31st, then moves to ProWritingAid’s Premium Library for continued access.
This workshop is for everyone - whether you “finished” November with 50k words or 30k. Whatever you created, this helps you figure out what to do with it.
If You Want Expert Elemental Assessment
When you’re ready for outside eyes (after you’ve rested and done your initial reflection), my Elemental Audit can tell you what each element needs most.
What you get:
Complete four-element assessment of your opening chapters (up to 10k words)
Air analysis: Is your premise clear? Does your opening establish conceptual direction?
Fire analysis: Does your opening have momentum? Are you starting in the right place?
Water analysis: Do readers care about your protag immediately? Is there authentic connection?
Earth analysis: Are craft-level issues preventing flow?
Prioritized revision guidance: Which element to strengthen first and why
Investment: $397
Understand that this is diagnostic work. I’m not pointing out spelling errors or correcting your grammar. I’m telling you what your manuscript needs most so you’re not guessing during revision.
Spots are limited. If you want feedback on the opening chapters of your November draft before the new year, get in touch with me to book your audit now.
Or: Just One Specific Question
Maybe you don’t need or want a full assessment. Maybe you just have one specific question or challenge keeping you stuck.
Manuscript Clarity Session: $147 for 45 minutes
Bring one specific problem:
Is my premise working?
Why does this scene feel off?
Should I keep this subplot or cut it?
Is this the right point of view character?
What does my opening need most?
I apply my elemental framework and editorial wisdom to your specific challenge. You leave with clear direction.
You get the recorded session plus a follow-up email with key points.
Book a clarity session. Once you’ve booked your session, I will update the meeting invitation with a zoom link. Me and google meet do not get along.
Re: Messy Drafts…
Every published book you’ve ever loved was once a messy draft.
Every author you admire went through this exact phase - staring at a rough manuscript wondering if it would ever work.
They all finished the messy draft. Then at some point they rested. Then they assessed. Then they revised strategically.
That’s the process. There’s no shortcut. Sorry not sorry.
Your Novel November draft is what it’s supposed to be: raw material containing the bones of your story.
Now you rest. Then you reflect. Then you revise.
In that order. Without skipping steps.
You did the hard part. You created something from nothing. You showed up for 30 days and wrote.
Now honor that work by giving it the rest and reflection it deserves before you try to fix anything.
Your story will still be there in January. And you’ll be able to see it clearly by then.
Rest first. Revise later.
Where are you in the post-draft process? Still resting? Starting to reflect? Ready for assessment? Share in the comments.
“Every published book you’ve ever loved was once a messy draft.
Every author you admire went through this exact phase - staring at a rough manuscript wondering if it would ever work.”
This I needed to hear today.
Also I love avatar so this strategy has been intrigued
I've never approached revision like this before, and I love it. I love that it isn't at a frenetic pace, the mulling and journaling so your bossy conscious mind lets your unconscious mind, the dreamer and creator, speak. I didn't participate in Novel November. I was already too busy, but then my husband passed away in the middle of the month and I've been completely overwhelmed and scatter-brained since then. Writing and revision have to wait. But when I get to is, this method is what I want to use.