I find revelation and prophecy to be extremely literal. The main reason that it is often drifts into symbolic interpretation is an attempt to make it fit a theme instead of letting it be what it is, exegesis vs isogeses.
In the case of preterism, having to fit it in the past puts a strong bias into finding symbolism to make it fit. An indication that you have drifted in an incorrect direction is when some parts fit, while others remain disconnected. When you are getting close is when all parts fit within an over all poetrey. When the understanding cross computes on many layers within the theme. God tends to speak on many levels at once.
Another good concept to apply is that prophecy is not doctrinal, and should never be used as such. Wandering there is a real Red flag. The Gospels are for doctrine, not prophecy. False prophets use prophecy for doctrine quite often.
Prophecy is a warning on what is coming down now, in your lifetime, if it is about another timeline it is not prophecy, its history. It was prophecy for someone else. So to really study prophecy you must be willing to freely apply it to your own timeline to see if it truely fits. In most timelines it will partially fit. Only in the correct timeline will the fit fully fit like a key in the lock.
Lucky for us, currently we are in such a time line.
One last observation, most prophecy is given from the perspective of Israel vs the world at large, if you tend to study from an Israel centered perspective it helps.
After much study, I have discovered the book is about the last days and the final consummation. It doesn’t fit neatly into our human concepts; so it is a story retold several times in the book (progressive recapitulation) to elicit a specific response if studied correctly. National Israel was a picture of the people of God. The saved have always look to Christ, even in the days of the picture we call national Israel and despite their having mostly types and shadows to guide them. They and we have to have divine revelation to see Him. God painted the picture, national Israel, in real human history because He is sovereign and He is glorious. He was showing what His election of a people and their perseverance looks like. The symbolism of Revelation can be used to deceive people, but it points to real spiritual warfare. This warfare is “more real” than our conceptions of the present world around us. Hebrews shows His final victory and so is very comforting. Last days and final consummation. Current (last days) and future (final judgement). That is the real timeline and anything else is for a devious purpose.