Bogged down in Revisions

Wow, I can't believe it's almost the end of April. I know I haven't been around here much (and I promise that is changing), but I have had a lot of things on my plate. This includes completing university courses and working.

I guess that's not the most exciting things that I've got going on at the moment though. I'm currently in the revision stage for my YA horror Shinigami Eyes, and planning to start subbing it to agents very shortly. I'm also writing another YA horror and am absolutely loving writing all of these creepy scenes. I've also been told that I'm good at writing the creepy scenes (which is good since I have absolutely no idea whether I am being scary enough when I write).

So what has everyone else been up to?

The dreaded revisions

I'm about to start the revisions for the novel I completed for last year's NanoWriMo, and now it feels as though I'm staring down the barrel of a gun. Yeah, I have a manuscript, but after giving it to my first reader (believe it or not my harshest critique... my brother), I know there's a lot of work to do and I have absolutely no idea where to start.

I guess it would be common sense to start at the beginning. And with that, I have to completely re-write the first chapter because I realise that the first chapter there's not really much happening because all of the action happens off screen... which I even know doesn't make for a very successful opening chapter.

I guess after I flip through the 50 odd pages of notes my brother left me about my story about not only characters that are missing for three quarters of the story (seriously, they didn't want to show up), teachers that I need to introduce (I don't even have any teachers for my classroom scenes... whoops), and lots of notes on what not to write about Japanese culture because that's totally wrong (yeah, he's very harsh), I guess I'll start my revisions.

So, how do you handle revisions? Do you have any readers who give you feedback before you start the editing process?

When revisions are due?

I just received some very helpful criticism about the beginning chapters of my novel which is making me think a revision of the start is beyond due before I submit to any more agents. How do you know, or can judge, whether a comment or suggestion should be taken?

I have made mistakes when I was starting out with my crit group where I took everyone's advice (that's definitely not to be advised)... I then had to learn the hard lesson that no matter how hard you try, you can't please everyone.

I have decided that the beginning of Haven needs to be altered. A few people have pointed this out to me, so since there's more than one I know there's a problem... and it's hard for me to admit it. I know changing it will be good for the story as a whole.

So, how does everyone know when it's time to make some changes? Or, when it's time to make changes based on some critique you've received?