{"id":1143,"date":"2023-07-26T18:16:15","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T18:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elainevickers.com\/?p=1143"},"modified":"2023-07-26T18:21:27","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T18:21:27","slug":"the-first-rule-of-improv-revision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elainevickers.com\/blog\/the-first-rule-of-improv-revision\/","title":{"rendered":"The First Rule of\u00a0Improv\/Revision"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The title of this post comes from Tina Fey\u2019s hilarious and smart book, Bossypants<\/a><\/em>. The whole book is excellent, but my very favorite part begins on page 83, where Fey outlines her \u201cRules of Improvisation That Will Change Your Life and Reduce Belly Fat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cThe first rule of improvisation is AGREE\u2026Start with a YES and see where that takes you.\u201d ~Tina Fey, Bossypants<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In terms of improv, this means that if your partner says, \u201cIt sure is stinky in here,\u201d and you say, \u201cNah, it smells fine to me,\u201d then the scene is over and it wasn\u2019t funny. But if you take what they say and run with it\u2013\u201cYes, I\u2019m filling the whoopee cushions. Want to help?\u201d or \u201cYes, I notice you\u2019re wearing your cheese hat again.\u201d\u2013then you\u2019re getting somewhere. Then the magic can happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This idea of starting with YES has all sorts of implications in all areas of life, but what does it mean in terms of revision? Should you make every change suggested, even by the most trusted editor or critique partner? Absolutely not. But if you approach every critique with the attitude of \u201cYes\u201d\u2013as in \u201cYes, that might work\u201d or \u201cYes, I see why you\u2019d feel that way as a reader\u201d or \u201cYes, I\u2019ll at least give it a try\u201d, then you\u2019ll really get somewhere. Then the magic can happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be hard to lean toward YES, especially with the big stuff. \u201cTake this plotline back and bring the other one forward. That\u2019s <\/em>your story.\u201d \u201cThese characters need to meet sooner and share the page more often.\u201d \u201cI know this story all started with the doll, but\u2026can you get rid of the doll?\u201d (Best advice ever.) You can resist these kinds of suggestions flat-out, or do a half-hearted move-the-food-around-your-plate attempt until it looks like you\u2019ve done what you were supposed to do\u2013or you can say YES and see where it takes you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My most recent experience with the power of YES happened when I sold my first foreign rights for my debut novel (!!!) on the condition that I cut the word count by 20% (?!?). I\u2019ll admit, there was a part of me that wondered if it would be too much of a compromise, whether I could kill quite so many darlings and still be true to my story. But I said yes, and I tried it. And it totally worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beauty of computers is that you can save a new copy of your manuscript and try anything <\/em>on it, and if your YES crashes and burns, there is literally no harm done to your story. It\u2019s still there in its original form! A wise author clued me into this trick. \u201cYes. I\u2019ll try this thing my editor\/agent\/critique partner said, just so I can tell her\/him I tried it. I can always go back to the old version.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you want to know the best part? When it comes to the big stuff, I have only ever once gone back to the old version. Saying YES in myriad ways has made my stories infinitely better. I have never once regretted an answer of \u201cYes, I\u2019ll give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P.S. HUGE thanks to Erin \u201cCheese Hat\u201d Shakespear<\/a> and Helen \u201cWhoopee Cushion\u201d Boswell<\/a> for their excellent improv lines above!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Originally published January 12, 2017)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The title of this post comes from Tina Fey\u2019s hilarious and smart book, Bossypants. The whole book is excellent, but my very favorite part begins on page 83, where Fey outlines her \u201cRules of Improvisation That Will Change Your Life and Reduce Belly Fat.\u201d \u201cThe first rule of improvisation is AGREE\u2026Start with a YES and see […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe First Rule of\u00a0Improv\/Revision - Elaine Vickers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.elainevickers.com\/blog\/the-first-rule-of-improv-revision\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The First Rule of\u00a0Improv\/Revision - Elaine Vickers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The title of this post comes from Tina Fey\u2019s hilarious and smart book, Bossypants. 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