Micro Manage Your Book: How to Self-Edit
As a writer, there's nothing quite like the feeling of typing ‘The End’ on your manuscript. However, the work doesn't stop there. In fact, the real work begins when it's time to edit and revise your work. Self-editing is a crucial step in the writing process, but it can be daunting to know where to start. In this post, we'll explore some tips and tricks for self-editing, so you can turn your rough draft into a polished masterpiece.
Take a break before editing
After finishing your manuscript, take a break before diving into the editing process. This advice is often trotted out, but it really does work. It will allow you to approach your work with fresh eyes, which is crucial for spotting errors and inconsistencies. Also, you might find that your subconscious brain will have been working certain things out in the background, and you’ll wake up in the middle of the night with a ‘eureka’ moment; perhaps the realisation of a glaring plot hole or improvement. Set aside your manuscript for at least a few days, or longer if possible, before starting your big self-edit.
2. Focus on one thing at a time
It can be overwhelming to try to tackle every aspect of your manuscript at once. Instead, focus on one thing at a time. For example, start by checking for spelling and grammar errors, then move on to checking for inconsistencies in your plot or character development. By breaking down the editing process into smaller, manageable tasks, you'll be able to catch more errors and make more effective revisions. When editing my own books, I first run a search on my list of ‘crutch words’, which I tend to overuse. Words like: just, look, that, well, see, saw, to name a few! I will try and swap out as many as I can. With words like ‘just’ and ‘that’, you will realise that you hardly need them, they just serve to clog up the prose and make your word count overly long (and with middle grade writing especially, I am always trying to keep the word count down!). Keep a list of words that you lean on and run searches on them. I also run searches on exclamation marks, as I tend to overuse those in dialogue. (You should hardly ever be using exclamation marks outside of dialogue). When I edit for clients I will highlight when the same word has cropped up close together; ‘nodded’ and ‘turned’ are ones I see an awful lot, so be mindful of those crutch words!
3. Read your work out loud or print out.
One of the best ways to catch errors in your writing is to read your work out loud. This will help you to identify awkward phrasing, run-on sentences, and other issues that may not be apparent when reading silently. Plus, it will give you a better sense of how your writing flows and sounds, which is essential for creating an engaging reading experience. On Word there is an audio option, the downside being that it reads it back to you in a very robotic voice! I find that the best way of catching errors is to print out and go through with a good old fashioned pen. I also catch lots of errors by sending documents to my Kindle, or even by reading them on my phone.
4. Use editing tools
There are a variety of editing tools available that can help you to catch errors in your writing. For example, Grammarly is a popular tool that can help you to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Hemingway Editor is another great tool that can help you to simplify your writing and make it more readable. While these tools aren't perfect, they can be a helpful supplement to your own editing process. I’m a big fan of Hemingway, especially for third person narratives. It shows you exactly where you are being long-winded and gives you a score for readability.
5. Get feedback from others
Finally, don't be afraid to get feedback from others. Share your work with trusted friends, family members, or writing groups, and ask for honest feedback. This can be a great way to catch errors or inconsistencies that you may have missed, as well as to get an outside perspective on your writing.
By following these tips and tricks for self-editing, you can turn your rough draft into a polished, publishable manuscript. Remember, the editing process is just as important as the writing process, so take the time to give your manuscript the attention it deserves.
And if all that fails, consider hiring an editor to do the hard work for you!
Happy editing!
