While editing may be one of the last things you'll do in your writing process, it is no less important than any other step you take on the road from idea to publication. Even if you are self-publishing, you still should edit. After all, you want to present your best, most polished work.
Below are 10 tips to keep in mind while you are in editing mode:
1. Why edit your writing?
You want to edit your writing because editors and agents are looking for a reason to say no! They are overworked and underpaid, there is sheer volume of manuscripts, and there are fewer editors editing than ever before.
For self-publishers, keep your audience in mind. You want to give them your best work.
2. What are you looking for?
There are many things to look for when line and copy editing, such as:
· Loose ends, plot points
· Characters that are introduced, then never heard from again.
· Sentence beginnings/endings, random words
· Bad math
· Sudden name changes and descriptions
This is not a complete list, but some of the most common items to look out for.
3. Show, don’t tell
Be descriptive and show emotion. Use body language to advance the story. Having said that, avoid non-specific words: beautiful, attractive, powerful. Describe how the person displays these qualities.
4. Clichés
Watch out for overused clichés. They are lazy, bad writing. This includes descriptions and metaphors but are also characters and situations.
5. Empty Adverbs
These are adverbs that contribute nothing to the writing. Adverbs such as actually, totally, completely, literally, suddenly, and absolutely are empty adverbs.
Example: He was totally miserable without her.
Well, yeah. If he's miserable, it's a given that it is total misery. No need to point that out.
6. Monotonous Rhythm
Look out for ABC, XYZ patterns. Clap each beat (syllable) of the sentence You want to have a variety in the rhythm of your sentences. Do this by varying the length and cadence of your sentences.
Example: Jane hated school but liked her friends. She got dressed then went outside. She met her friends and went to school.
In this example, there are three consecutive sentences what all have the same rhythm. You want to try to avoid that. Your audience can get bored.
7. Attend to word swaps/misspellings
Spell check does a good job but can’t catch everything. There are words that will go through because they are spelled correctly but will not be the correct word for the situation.
Keep an eye out for:
There/they’re/their
Its/it’s
Then/than
Your/you’re
Too/to/two
8. Contractions
Don’t be afraid of contractions. They’re your friends. Contractions are used a lot in commercial writing and they sound more natural. Keep in mind, however, your characters. If you have a character who doesn’t use contractions, don’t force it on them. Let your characters speak in the way that is natural to them.
9. Print it out
When you are ready to start editing, print out your document, especially if you are of a certain age. Holding the paper in your hand is a more tactile way to read your work than reading it on screen. This may help you to find errors that you may not otherwise find.
10. Get Alpha and Beta Readers
Don’t be afraid to let outside folks read your drafts. Start with Alpha and Beta readers:
Alpha: Writing buddies and freelance editors from which you will get critical feedback. If you are in school, the school writing center is a good source for alpha readers.
Beta: Readers that represent your core audience. How well is your work landing with this group? What can you learn from them?
This is not a comprehensive list, but it is a good starting point for the biggest and most common editing practices. What are your editing best practices? Let's talk about them below in the comments.
Need an Alpha reader? Contact me and let's set something up!
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