How to Set Goals for Revision Success

The shimmering, elusive promise of a polished manuscript often feels like a distant star. You’ve poured yourself onto the page, wrestled with unruly narratives, and finally typed “The End.” But the journey isn’t over. It’s only just begun. Revision, that often-dreaded yet absolutely critical phase, stands between your raw creation and a captivating work. And the key to navigating this complex terrain isn’t simply rereading; it’s strategic rereading, guided by clear, actionable goals.

Many writers approach revision like an endless ocean, dipping their toes in haphazardly, hoping to stumble upon improvements. This unfocused method leads to burnout, frustration, and ultimately, an underserviced manuscript. The truth is, revision is a skill, a craft in itself, and like any craft, it demands precision, planning, and purpose. This comprehensive guide will equip you with the definitive framework for setting revision goals that move your manuscript from good to exceptional, transforming the daunting into the doable.

The Foundation: Why Goals Are Non-Negotiable for Revision

Imagine building a house without blueprints. You might lay some bricks, pour some concrete, but the result would be a chaotic, unstable structure. Revision without goals is exactly that: chaotic and ultimately unstable. Your manuscript, your literary edifice, deserves better.

Goals provide:

• Clarity of Purpose: You stop asking, “What should I do?” and start asking, “How do I achieve X?” This shifts your mindset from reactive to proactive.
• Targeted Effort: Instead of aimless scrolling, you zero in on specific areas, maximizing your revision time and energy.
• Measurable Progress: Each completed goal becomes a tangible victory, fostering motivation and preventing revision fatigue.
• Reduced Overwhelm: Breaking down the monumental task of “revising a novel” into smaller, manageable chunks makes it seem less daunting.
• Improved Efficiency: You won’t waste time fixing what isn’t broken or endlessly tweaking minor phrasing when major structural issues loom.

Without a well-defined set of revision goals, you risk getting lost in the weeds, overlooking critical flaws, or simply endlessly polishing without true improvement. Let’s build your revision blueprint.

Phase 1: The Macro-Level Assessment – Big Picture Goals

Before you dive into sentence-level tweaks, step back. Way back. Your initial revision pass should focus on the forest, not individual trees. These are your macro goals, the foundational elements upon which everything else rests.

Goal Category 1.1: Plot and Pacing – Is the Story Working?

This is where you determine if your narrative spine is strong, compelling, and free of kinks.

Identifying Your Goal Gaps:

• Boredom Audit: Where do you, the author, even skim? Where do you feel the narrative drag? Mark these sections.
• Plot Hole Hunt: Does the cause-and-effect chain make sense? Are there unexplained leaps or forgotten elements? List them.
• Inciting Incident Impact: Is the event that kicks off the story strong enough? Does it genuinely launch the plot?
• Rising Action Tension: Does the tension escalate organically? Are there enough complications and obstacles for the protagonist?
• Climax Effectiveness: Is the crescendo impactful? Does it deliver on the promises made throughout the story?
• Falling Action Resolution: Does the story wind down satisfyingly? Are loose ends tied up without feeling rushed or prolonged?

Crafting Concrete Goals (with examples):

• Goal: Strengthen the inciting incident in Chapter 3.
  • Actionable Step: Brainstorm three specific, active choices the protagonist can make that directly propel them into the conflict.
  • Measurable Metric: The protagonist’s new choice must directly lead to a new complication introduced within the next two pages.
• Goal: Increase narrative tension in Chapters 7-9.
  • Actionable Step: Identify three scenes currently lacking strong conflict. Introduce a new external obstacle or internal dilemma for the POV character in each.
  • Measurable Metric: Each of these three scenes must end on a cliffhanger, a new unanswered question, or a heightened sense of urgency.
• Goal: Address pacing lags in the middle third (Chapters 10-18).
  • Actionable Step: For each marked slow section, identify exposition dumps or repetitive introspection. Condense or reframe them as active scenes or dialogue.
  • Measurable Metric: Cut 10-15% of the word count in these chapters without removing critical plot points.
• Goal: Ensure all major subplots are resolved by the end.
  • Actionable Step: Create a list of every subplot introduced. For each, map out its concluding scene or implication. If missing, draft a scene to resolve it.
  • Measurable Metric: Every subplot on your list must have a clear resolution (positive, negative, or ambiguous) by the novel’s end, demonstrable on the page.

Goal Category 1.2: Character Arcs – Are Your People Evolving?

Characters are the heart of your story. Without believable, evolving characters, your plot becomes a series of disconnected events.

Identifying Your Goal Gaps:

• Protagonist’s Journey: Does your main character undergo a meaningful internal and/or external transformation from beginning to end? What is it?
• Antagonist’s Motivation: Is the antagonist’s purpose clear and compelling, even if not overtly sympathetic? Do they present a genuine foil?
• Supporting Character Purpose: Does every significant supporting character serve a distinct purpose (advance plot, reveal character, provide comic relief)? Are any superfluous?
• Consistency Check: Do characters behave consistently with their established personalities, motivations, and backstories? Where do they act out of character?
• Show, Don’t Tell (Character Edition): Are their traits revealed through action, dialogue, and internal thought, or merely stated by the narrator?

Crafting Concrete Goals:

• Goal: Deepen the protagonist’s internal conflict regarding their fear of failure.
  • Actionable Step: Introduce three new scenes where the protagonist’s fear directly influences a decision or creates an external obstacle.
  • Measurable Metric: In each of these scenes, include two distinct internal thoughts or dialogue tags that explicitly convey their struggle with this fear, leading to a demonstrable choice or consequence.
• Goal: Develop a clearer character arc for the secondary antagonist.
  • Actionable Step: Establish a specific, believable motivation for their actions beyond simple villainy. Show glimpses of their past or rationale.
  • Measurable Metric: Two new scenes must be added or revised where the antagonist’s internal motivation is revealed through their actions or a brief moment of vulnerability, making their choices comprehensible, if not forgivable.
• Goal: Eliminate redundant supporting characters.
  • Actionable Step: Review each significant supporting character. If a character’s role can be absorbed by another, or if they contribute nothing unique, cut them.
  • Measurable Metric: Reduce the number of named supporting characters with speaking roles by one or more, reassigning essential plot functions where necessary.
• Goal: Show, don’t tell, the protagonist’s kindness.
  • Actionable Step: Remove instances where the narrator states the protagonist is “kind.” Replace them with scenes demonstrating acts of kindness, however small.
  • Measurable Metric: Identify three scenes where kindness is stated. Rewrite them to include a specific action or line of dialogue that shows kindness.

Goal Category 1.3: Theme and Message – What Are You Really Saying?

Beyond the plot, a strong story resonates because it explores deeper truths. This is your thematic backbone.

Identifying Your Goal Gaps:

• Core Message Clarity: If someone asked you what your story is about (beyond the plot), what would you say? Is that message consistently woven through the narrative?
• Thematic Resonance: Do key scenes, character choices, and narrative events reinforce your chosen themes? Or do they contradict them?
• Subtlety vs. Overtness: Are you hitting readers over the head with your theme, or is it too subtle to grasp?
• Opposing Viewpoints: Are various perspectives on your theme presented, or is it a one-sided exploration?

Crafting Concrete Goals:

• Goal: Strengthen the theme of redemption throughout the narrative.
  • Actionable Step: Identify three pivotal moments in the protagonist’s journey. Revise them to include a demonstrable shift in action or thought that directly relates to their pursuit (or denial) of redemption.
  • Measurable Metric: In each of these three scenes, the protagonist must make a choice that sacrifices something personal for the benefit of another, or confronts a past mistake head-on.
• Goal: Introduce nuance to the theme of justice, showing its complexities.
  • Actionable Step: Add or expand a scene featuring a character who holds a differing, but equally valid, perspective on justice than the protagonist.
  • Measurable Metric: This scene must include at least two contrasting viewpoints debated through dialogue or demonstrated through conflicting actions, without explicitly stating the theme.
• Goal: Make the central theme of loss and grief more emotionally impactful.
  • Actionable Step: Pinpoint two scenes where a character experiences loss. Expand on the physical manifestations and internal monologue of grief, using sensory details.
  • Measurable Metric: These two scenes must evoke a stronger emotional response in a beta reader, confirmed through specific feedback, leading to a sense of deeper empathy for the character’s pain.
• Goal: Ensure the thematic question posed at the beginning is explored, not explicitly answered.
  • Actionable Step: Review the ending. Does it resolve the plot but leave the thematic question for the reader to ponder? If it gives a definitive answer, soften it.
  • Measurable Metric: The final two chapters should contain at least one dialogue exchange or internal reflection that subtly re-emphasizes the thematic ambiguity, leaving room for interpretation.

Phase 2: The Micro-Level Polish – Fine-Tuning the Language

Once your structural integrity is sound, you can zoom in. This phase focuses on the individual words, sentences, and paragraphs that make up your narrative.

Goal Category 2.1: Voice and Style – Does It Sound Like You (Or Your Character)?

Your unique fingerprint on the page. This is what distinguishes your writing.

Identifying Your Goal Gaps:

• Consistency: Is your narrative voice consistent throughout, or does it waver?
• Distinctiveness: Is your voice bland or vibrant? Does it stand out, or could it be anyone’s writing?
• Character Voice: Does each character sound distinct in their dialogue and internal thought? Would a reader know who is speaking without a tag?
• Word Choice & Imagery: Are you using precise, evocative language? Are your metaphors fresh or cliché? Are sensory details vivid?

Crafting Concrete Goals:

• Goal: Strengthen distinctiveness of the primary narrator’s voice.
  • Actionable Step: Identify 5-7 unique verbal tics, preferred sentence structures, or specific observational tendencies for the narrator. Weave these into appropriate scenes where the narrator’s perspective is dominant.
  • Measurable Metric: Within the first three chapters, ensure at least two instances of these identified stylistic elements appear, making the narrator’s presence undeniable.
• Goal: Differentiate character voices for X, Y, and Z.
  • Actionable Step: For each character, list three specific word choices, sentence lengths, or dialogue patterns they would always or never use. Apply these rules to their dialogue.
  • Measurable Metric: In a scene with all three characters, a reader should be able to identify who is speaking 80% of the time based purely on dialogue, even without tags.
• Goal: Eliminate passive voice.
  • Actionable Step: Conduct a search for common passive constructions (“was done,” “were seen”). Rewrite each instance to use active verbs.
  • Measurable Metric: Reduce passive voice usage by 50% in three target chapters (e.g., Chapter 1, a middle chapter, and an end chapter).
• Goal: Inject more vivid sensory details into action scenes.
  • Actionable Step: For three key action sequences, review them sentence by sentence. Add details related to sound, smell, touch, and specific visual textures.
  • Measurable Metric: Each of the targeted action scenes must include at least one new descriptive phrase for each of the five senses (where appropriate).

Goal Category 2.2: Punctuation and Grammar – The Unsung Heroes of Clarity

Often overlooked, these elements are the invisible scaffolding that supports your words, preventing reader confusion and lending professionalism.

Identifying Your Goal Gaps:

• Comma Usage: Are you using commas correctly for clauses, lists, and dialogue?
• Apostrophes: Possessives vs. contractions – a common stumbling block.
• Quotation Marks: Dialogue punctuation, especially with tags.
• Sentence Structure Errors: Run-ons, fragments (unless intentional for effect), comma splices.
• Homophones: Their, there, they’re; to, too, two, etc.

Crafting Concrete Goals:

• Goal: Master comma placement for introductory clauses and compound sentences.
  • Actionable Step: Review every paragraph in 5 target chapters. For each introductory clause, ensure a comma follows. For compound sentences, ensure a comma precedes the coordinating conjunction.
  • Measurable Metric: Zero errors in these specific comma usages within the target chapters.
• Goal: Correct all instances of incorrect apostrophe usage.
  • Actionable Step: Perform a targeted search for “‘s” and “s’.” For each, verify it’s correctly used for possession or contraction.
  • Measurable Metric: Eliminate 100% of apostrophe errors in chapters 1-5.
• Goal: Eliminate repetitive sentence beginnings.
  • Actionable Step: Identify five common sentence starting words (e.g., “The,” “He,” “She,” “It was”). For every third instance, rewrite the sentence to start differently, perhaps with a participial phrase or an adjectival clause.
  • Measurable Metric: In a target chapter, ensure no more than two consecutive sentences begin with the same word, and no single common starter appears more than three times consecutively.
• Goal: Refine dialogue punctuation and formatting.
  • Actionable Step: Review every dialogue exchange. Ensure correct placement of commas, periods, and question marks inside quotation marks, and proper capitalization of dialogue tags.
  • Measurable Metric: 100% adherence to standard dialogue punctuation rules across all first-pass dialogue scenes.

Goal Category 2.3: Word Economy and Impact – Every Word Earned

Conciseness is king. Unnecessary words dilute impact and bore readers.

Identifying Your Goal Gaps:

• Redundancy: Are you saying the same thing multiple ways? (“He nodded his head.”)
• Filter Words: Are you telling what characters perceive (“She saw him walk,” “He felt the heat”) instead of just showing it?
• Weak Verbs/Adverbs: Are you relying on weak verbs propped up by adverbs (“walked quickly” vs. “hurried,” “scurried”)?
• Crutch Words: Do you have words you overuse unconsciously (e.g., “just,” “that,” “very,” “almost”)?
• Show, Don’t Tell: Are you explaining emotions, weather, or settings instead of dramatizing them?

Crafting Concrete Goals:

• Goal: Eliminate 90% of filter words.
  • Actionable Step: Search for common filter words (saw, heard, felt, realized, knew, seemed). Rewrite sentences to directly convey the experience without the filter.
  • Measurable Metric: Reduce the total count of identified filter words by at least 90% in two arbitrary chapters and one action sequence.
• Goal: Replace weak verbs and adverbs with stronger, more precise verbs.
  • Actionable Step: Underline every adverb ending in -ly. For 70% of these, find a single, more powerful verb that encompasses both the action and the manner (e.g., “walked slowly” becomes “sauntered”).
  • Measurable Metric: Decrease the total adverb count in three chosen chapters by 50% or more, resulting in more impactful verb choices.
• Goal: Ruthlessly cut redundant phrases and unnecessary words.
  • Actionable Step: Read sentences aloud, listening for wordiness. Look for phrases like “in order to,” “the fact that,” “due to the fact that.” Condense or remove.
  • Measurable Metric: Reduce the overall word count of the manuscript by 5-10% without losing any essential information or plot points.
• Goal: Transform three “telling” paragraphs into “showing” scenes.
  • Actionable Step: Identify paragraphs describing a character’s emotion or a setting. Rewrite them as active scenes where the emotion is dramatized through action or dialogue, or the setting is revealed through character interaction with it.
  • Measurable Metric: Each rewritten paragraph must now include at least three specific sensory details related to the emotion or setting, evidenced by the absence of the previous “telling” statements.

Phase 3: Strategic Implementation – The How-To of Goal Setting

Defining goals is just the beginning. The real magic happens in their strategic implementation.

3.1: Chunking Your Manuscript – The Power of the Divide and Conquer

Don’t try to revise 100,000 words at once. It’s a recipe for instant overwhelm.

Strategy: Divide your manuscript into manageable chunks. This could be by:

• Chapters: 3-5 chapters per revision block.
• Word Count: 5,000-10,000 words per block.
• Acts: If your story follows a three-act structure, tackle one act at a time.

Actionable Steps:

1. Map it out: Physically list your chapters/sections.
2. Assign goals: For each chunk, decide which specific macro and micro goals you’ll focus on. You might do a macro pass on the whole, then break it down for micro passes.
3. Schedule: Allocate specific time slots for each chunk and its associated goals.

Example: Instead of “Revise Novel,” your task becomes: “Revision Pass 2: Chapters 1-5, Focus: Protagonist Arc & Passive Voice.”

3.2: One Pass, One Purpose – The Focused Approach

Multitasking is a myth, especially in revision. Trying to fix plot holes, commas, and character voice all at once ensures nothing gets the full attention it deserves.

Strategy: For each pass through your manuscript (or section), focus on one primary goal category.

• Pass 1 (Macro): Plot, Pacing, Character Arcs (e.g., “Is the story structurally sound?”)
• Pass 2 (Macro/Hybrid): Theme, World-Building Consistency, Internal Logic (“Does it make sense and resonate?”)
• Pass 3 (Micro): Voice and Style, Dialogue (“Does it sound good and distinctive?”)
• Pass 4 (Micro): Word Economy, Show-Don’t-Tell (“Is every word earning its keep?”)
• Pass 5 (Line-by-Line): Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling (“Is it technically flawless?”)

Actionable Steps:

1. Prioritize: After your initial macro-assessment, determine your absolute top-priority revision goal. This will be your first dedicated pass.
2. Dedicated Run: During this pass, only focus on that goal. If you spot a typo, make a quick note, but don’t stop your flow to fix it.
3. Repeat: Once that pass is complete, move on to the next prioritized goal.

Example: If your primary macro goal is “Strengthen protagonist arc,” your first full read-through is only to track that. You’re tracing their emotional journey, marking inconsistencies, and brainstorming new scenes for their growth. You’re not looking at comma splices yet.

3.3: Leveraging Tools – Technology as Your Ally

While the human eye is paramount, don’t shy away from tools that can assist in identifying patterns and specific errors.

Strategy: Use word processors and dedicated software for targeted searches.

Actionable Steps:

• Search Function: Use Ctrl+F (Cmd+F) for:
  • Filter words: “saw,” “felt,” “heard,” “realized,” “knew.”
  • Crutch words: “just,” “very,” “that,” “almost.”
  • Passive voice indicators: “was,” “were,” “is being.”
  • Overused adverbs: “-ly” endings.
  • Specific character names: To map their presence.
• Read Aloud: Use your computer’s text-to-speech function. Hearing your words can reveal awkward phrasing, repetitive sentences, and unnatural dialogue that you might miss visually.
• Outlining Tools: If you don’t have a strong outline, create one post-draft to assess plot flow, character arcs, and ensure no plot threads are orphaned. This can be as simple as bullet points per chapter.

Example: To achieve the goal “Eliminate 90% of filter words,” use the search function to highlight every instance of ‘saw’. Then, manually rewrite each sentence or phrase to remove the filter word, e.g., “She saw him open the door” becomes “He opened the door” or “The door creaked open.”

3.4: Fresh Eyes – The Invaluable External Perspective

You’re too close to your work. What’s crystal clear to you might be incomprehensible to a reader.

Strategy: Engage beta readers and/or professional editors.

Actionable Steps:

• Specific Questions for Beta Readers: Instead of “What do you think?”, ask targeted questions aligned with your macro goals:
  • “Were there any points where you felt bored or confused by the plot?” (Pacing/Plot Goal)
  • “Did [Character X]’s journey feel complete and believable? Were there moments where they acted out of character?” (Character Arc Goal)
  • “What do you think the story is about beyond the surface plot?” (Theme Goal)
  • “Do you hear a clear, consistent voice when you read?” (Voice Goal)
• Strategic Pauses: After completing a major revision pass (e.g., all macro goals), step away from the manuscript for a week or two. Work on something else entirely. This distance allows you to return with a fresher perspective.
• Professional Feedback (if possible): Consider a developmental editor for macro-level issues and a copyeditor for micro-level polish. This is an investment but often yields significant improvement.

Example: Before sending to beta readers, specifically list your most challenging macro goals (“Strengthen climax,” “Clarify antagonist motivation”). Ask your beta readers directly if the climax felt impactful and if they understood the antagonist’s purpose. Their answers will provide quantifiable data on your goal achievement.

Phase 4: Tracking and Adapting – Staying on Course

Revision is iterative, not linear. Your goals will sometimes shift, and progress needs to be monitored.

4.1: The Revision Log – Your Progress Tracker

Strategy: Maintain a simple log of your revision goals and your progress.

Actionable Steps:

• Document Goals: List each specific, actionable goal you’ve set.
• Record Progress: Next to each goal, note the date you started working on it, which chapters/sections it applies to, and when you consider it done.
• Track Metrics: If your goal has a measurable metric (e.g., “reduce filter words by 90%”), track your current vs. target numbers.
• Notes Field: Add observations, new ideas that arise, or challenges encountered.

Example:

Goal	Target Chapters/Section	Date Started	Action Taken	Current Progress	Status
Strengthen Inciting Incident (Ch 3)	Chapter 3	10/26	Brainstormed 3 new protag choices. Drafted 1.	Prototype draft complete	In Progress
Increase tension Chs 7-9	Chs 7, 8, 9	10/27	Identified 2 slow scenes per chapter.	Marked slow scenes	Started
Eliminate passive voice	Chs 1-5	10/28	Performed search for “was…” “were…”	50% of Ch 1-3 done	In Progress
Reduce filter words (Ch 1)	Chapter 1	10/28	Search for ‘saw’, ‘felt’, ‘knew’.	Count: 30 -> 3	Complete

4.2: Flexibility and Redefinition – The Evolving Manuscript

Your manuscript is a living thing. As you revise, new insights emerge, and some initial goals might become less critical, while others become more so.

Strategy: Be prepared to adapt.

Actionable Steps:

• Regular Review: Bi-weekly or weekly, review your revision log. Are your goals still the most impactful?
• Add New Goals: If beta reader feedback or a fresh read-through reveals an unexpected systemic issue, add it to your log as a new priority.
• Archive Completed Goals: Mark goals as “Complete” when they are done. This provides a sense of accomplishment and clears your mental plate.
• Re-prioritize: If a new, more critical issue arises, don’t be afraid to shift its priority, even if it means pausing work on a less important goal.

Example: You initially aimed to “reduce prologue length by 500 words.” After a beta reader comments that the entire prologue feels unnecessary and could be integrated into Chapter 1, your new, higher-priority goal becomes “Integrate critical prologue info into Chapter 1 and remove prologue.” The old goal is archived.

The Iterative Path to Revision Mastery

Revision isn’t a single, monolithic beast; it’s a series of manageable, purposeful steps. By setting precise, measurable goals for each stage of your revision process – from big-picture structural issues to microscopic punctuation – you transform an often overwhelming task into a strategic, achievable journey.

This systematic approach empowers you to move beyond aimless tweaking. You gain clarity, focus your efforts, and most importantly, guide your manuscript toward its fullest potential. Each completed goal, each targeted pass, brings you closer to the powerful, resonant story you set out to tell. Embrace this iterative process, and watch your raw words blossom into a captivating masterpiece.