Living Revision

Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew teaches memoir, essay and journal writing at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is a recipient of a Minneapolis State Arts Board artists' fellowship and the Loft Career Initiative Grant and a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. Elizabeth is, also, the author of Writing the Sacred Journey and On the Threshold, as well as the novel, Hannah, Delivered.

“In Living Revision, award-winning author and beloved teacher Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew demystifies the writing and revision process. I love this book. It’s full of inspiration but also practical tips and exercises to guide any writer into deep revision. With this book as their roadmap, countless writers will learn to open their hearts and transform their writing and, in the process, themselves through revision. It is a must-read for any writer serious about her craft. I know I will turn to it again and again.” —Kate Hopper, editor, teacher, and author of Ready for Air and Use Your Words: A Writing Guide for Mothers“How does a writer use the fertile space between drafts to engage mystery, shape a manuscript, and produce a strong revision? Revision is born of questions, not corrections, says Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew, and her excellent book shows us how to ask good ones.” —Mary Carroll Moore, author of Qualities of Light and Your Book Starts Here“As I read Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew’s Living Revision, I found myself breathing a sigh of relief. Here, finally, someone has articulated both the struggles and joy of revision, in a way that makes me eager to dive back into the projects that have stymied me. In addition to using examples and wise advice from other writers, Andrew gives us practical exercises that enable us to truly invigorate our work and revive its elusive heartbeat.” —Brenda Miller, author of Tell It Slant: Creating, Refining, and Publishing Creative Nonfiction and The Pen and the Bell: Mindful Writing in a Busy World“Good writing comes from rewriting. Unfortunately, many beginning and intermediate writers lack the skills and inclination to go beyond mere copyediting and proofreading to explore the full creative potential deep revision can offer. Even experienced writers want to shy away from the love-hate relationship we have with the effort, agony and commitment revision requires. Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew’s honest revelations of her students’ and her own struggles and successes offer solace. Her straight-forward discussions of the theory and application of revision will inspire and motivate emerging and experienced writers alike. Living Revision’s practical techniques and pragmatic tools are a valuable addition to every writer’s skill set. Don’t just buy this book to adorn your bookshelf—keep it on your desk and use it!” —Rosanne Bane, creativity coach and author of Around the Writer’s Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance

• Foreword by Brenda MillerIntroductionRevising Our Ideas about RevisionStarting RoughThe Long Lovely JourneySo What?Becoming an AuthorDeep ListeningSeeing with Others' EyesEarly Revisions and the Big ChangesReframingPracticing PresenceStrengthening MovementFinding FormLate Revisions and CompletionAdding by SubtractionLanguageThe Word, the Self, and the WorldSelected Bibliography