Many writers tend to write first and edit later. Which can work fine for short pieces. But when writing an entire book-length manuscript this can land you in trouble. You may end up feeling overwhelmed, overburdened and out of time. But by incorporating some effective self-editing tactics as you go, and editing in an efficient order, you’ll save yourself a lot of strife in the end.
Why Self-Edit as You Go?
When you’re writing a book, if you wait until your manuscript is finished before editing anything, you may get overwhelmed and it could slow your progress on actually publishing it. Writing a book is a huge feat, and the work isn’t over when you write that final word of the final chapter. That’s actually when the hardest work begins. By self-editing as you go you can catch mistakes before they snowball. Consistently reading what you’ve written helps keep everything on track, and allows you to adjust and adapt as the big picture comes together.
Of course, this as-you-go self-editing won’t take the place of a final, full edit but it will save you time and money on editing services in the end. This will matter whether you are self-publishing or submitting your manuscript to a publisher. If you don’t have the budget for a professional editor, this process is crucial, and a final, full self-edit even more so. But more on that later.
If you need to know how to prepare your manuscript for an editor you can read about that here.
Which Self-Editing Tactics Will Work for You?
Writing and editing are two very distinct processes and they both require a different mindset and energy level. So, you’ll need to find the self-editing tactics that work best for you. Some writers think editing as you go disrupts their flow of creativity. On the opposite end, other writers get so bogged down by the idea of writing so perfectly that they end up losing their momentum because they are trying to write and edit at the same time. But these self-editing tactics aren’t meant to actually take place AS you write.
There is no single, correct self-editing tactic that works for everyone. But below are some you can try, depending on how you write, and the energy you have for editing. I’ll cover these below, and then explain how doing different types of editing in a specific order is more efficient and effective.
There are a lot of self-editing tactics you can try, it just depends on what works best for you.
Here are four commonly used tactics for editing as you go.
- End-of-day
- End-of-chapter
- At a specific page count
- At big plot points
1. End-of-Day Style Self-Editing Tactics
If you’re someone who likes setting a time limit for your writing or uses daily word count goals to drive you, you may prefer this type of self-editing method. It works just like it sounds. Write until your chosen goal point, word count, or time limit, then edit.
This editing method is also great for catching mistakes before they get overwhelming. For instance, you may notice you’re overusing a specific word, or continuously using an incorrect verb tense, or your plot is quickly falling apart. This method gives you the chance to nip those issues in the bud.
Note that this method may add a significant amount of time to your writing schedule that day, so factor this in beforehand. If you find yourself burnt out, try another method that doesn’t require the extra time and energy after writing. I should also note, this tactic is probably not great for perfectionists. It could bog you down so much that your story never comes to fruition.
2. End of the Chapter Editing
This self-editing tactic is preferred by many. Because the end of a chapter is a transition point and it’s not too much work to edit at once. End of chapter self-editing is great for catching inconsistencies and ensuring the pacing and flow of the story are where you want it to be. But if you find yourself catching so many errors that everything seems to be going off the rails you may want to try editing more often by using the end-of-day tactic.
3. Self-Editing Your Work at a Specific Word Count
This self-editing tactic works really well for writers who are sticking to word count goals and are driven by keeping on schedule. Unlike editing at the end of your writing day, you can walk away from it and let it sit. Then come back to it when you’re motivated. Maybe you’ll have a breakthrough or some ideas, or catch some mistakes. Make notes on these and use them to guide you as you work through it. You can also use this method as a way to limit your editing time so you don’t get overwhelmed. If you have 5,000 words to edit, maybe only edit 1,000 at a time, for instance.
4. Waiting to Edit Until Reaching a Big Plot Point
If your book is plot-driven and complicated, or your story sprawling, this self-editing method may work for you. If the plot is complex, waiting until you’re at a big plot point to edit can be beneficial because you can step back and then make sure everything is lining up, staying consistent and making sense. It allows you to connect the dots before you move the story along too fast and potentially get lost.
The Best Timing for Implementing these Self-Editing Tactics
Unless you’re choosing the end-of-day self-editing tactic, you’ll also need to consider when you will do your editing. Is there a day of the week where you have more free time? A time of day when you’re more focused? Maybe you like clear end dates for projects, so choosing a date on the calendar will work for you?
Whatever it is, edit then so it will seem less like a chore and you’ll get more out of your efforts. Speaking of efficiency… That editing order I mentioned. It’s time to talk about that.
In What Order Should You Self-Edit Your Manuscript?
Whether you choose to incorporate any of the particular self-editing tactics covered above and edit your manuscript as you go, or you already have a full manuscript that has not been edited at all, you can use this order as a guide for your final, full self-edit.
What if you’re planning on hiring a professional editor? Well, you should still do at least one full and final self-edit of your manuscript. But if you do a final and full self-edit in the following order you’ll stay focused and edit more thoroughly and efficiently.
Why? Because doing a full, final manuscript self-edit before handing it over to an editor will:
1.Give you a clearer idea of where your book stands and the type of editing help you’ll need.
2.Save money. Because the more polished the manuscript the less time and effort required of a professional editor.
3. Make you a better writer. Rereading and correcting mistakes boosts your writing skills.
Edit More Efficiently by Starting with the Big Picture
Of course, you can choose not to use any of the self-editing tactics mentioned above and wait to work with a professional editor. Though, if that’s the case, you’ll need to plan on spending the time, effort and money that will require.
Note, this self-editing tactic will require more than one single pass through your manuscript. It’s going to take three. A full edit means ALL types of editing are completed. You can read more about the types of editing and what they entail here.
Although it may seem counterintuitive that editing your manuscript three separate times would be LESS time consuming, self-editing in the following order keeps you focused and the editing process becomes more thorough and efficient. It helps break down the work into targeted, manageable processes so you can still see the forest for the trees. Also, the more times you go over your manuscript the better. It SHOULD be read multiple times, and this way you ensure your eyes have been on it, and critically, at least three times.
Step One: The Big Picture, AKA, Developmental Editing
The first step is to read your manuscript critically while paying attention to, and correcting if needed, the following:
- Plot
- Themes
- Character and story arcs
- Pacing
In other words, is your tone and theme consistent? Is your story well-paced and fleshed-out? Do the characters seem alive and believable, and do their actions and reactions have reasons and motivations? Note the plot points. Are they pivotal and is there anything missing? Is there enough action and emotion and would these actions and emotions be satisfying to readers in your genre? Is there fluff there just to fill space?
This is probably the most critical self-editing process to cover. A professional developmental edit is also costly. So, take notes as you go, and go back to anything you can’t remedy on the spot. Ignore other issues in this stage of editing and focus on the big picture.
The Important Details: Line Editing
This second step in the self-editing process improves the writing itself, and sometimes the story. You’ll be checking for:
- Language usage
- Consistency in style
- Appropriate and consistent tone
- Sentence structure
How can you make your words more powerful and engaging? Is there a better description available? Does the sentence structure flow well? Are you using a consistent tone, are your characters speaking in their true voice? Is dialogue natural and believable? Are you starting to notice tics in your writing style or grammar issues that repeat themselves?
During this step in the self-editing process, read your manuscript out loud. This will bring all of the above issues to light. It really does make a difference, especially with dialogue.
Catching Easily Fixable Mistakes: Copy Editing
Copy editing is, in my opinion, the least essential part of the self-editing process. Why? Because spell-check is widely available to catch many of the glaring errors, and formatting can be set as a template. It’s also the least costly type of editing done by professional editors. These mistakes are also the easiest to fix without changing anything else in the manuscript. Lastly, copy-editing will not make your story or writing better or more appealing. But it will ensure your manuscript does not look unprofessional, or your writing sloppy or hasty.
Although, it’s worth it to be familiar with punctuation, grammar, and usage rules and to be a strong speller, none of this is necessary to tell a good story. Yet these skills are all very necessary if you don’t want to hire a copy editor.
In this final stage of the self-editing process you’ll be checking for:
- Spelling errors
- Correct usage
- Grammar errors
- Formatting errors: paragraphs, line breaks, etc.
- Fact checking, if necessary
- Punctuation
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not dismissing the importance of copy editing, because it IS important. But it’s also the easiest, though most tedious, editing type and usually requires multiple passes to get right. Though, unfortunately, many new writers think it’s the ONLY type of editing required. And it definitely is not because it does the least to improve your book. So, I just want to make it clear that if you become burnt out by this type of self-editing or struggle with its components, simply pay a good copy editor to do it for you and save yourself the trouble.
I do, however, have some books to recommend if you want to brush up on your copy editing AND writing skills. I recommend every writer, new and experienced, keep these books on their desk.
These Self-Editing Tactics and Processes Will Make Your Book Better
I’ll mention again, even if you’ve done all of the above, you should still seek the right type of professional editor if you have the budget. You should also get other eyes on it, like beta readers for instance, because it’s extremely difficult to distance yourself from your own writing, especially when you’re new to it.
Don’t doubt yourself but be honest with yourself. You can do this. Use the self-editing tactics that work best for you. Take your time. Do the three step process. Walk away if you’re overwhelmed. But take notes! Be patient and be prepared to do some hard work. You really won’t regret putting in this time and effort because, whether you decide to hire professional editors or not, your book will still be so much better than if you didn’t.
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