Category: Sharing Ideas

The End! A joyous moment in finishing a novel after many months or years of getting up at the crack of dawn or staying up late into the night, writing the story that has burned within, but, it is only finished after the professional edit.

A product in hand created from the imagination in a fictional story is a proud moment. Now the editing process looms. No book ever goes out into the world without this step or rather several takes of this step.

I’ll share a few pointers that might be what you’re looking for, or perhaps you have another way of approaching the first round of editing.

Let the manuscript sit for a week before you look at it. Some say leave it for a longer period, perhaps six weeks before revisiting the composition with new eyes.  Whatever works for you, ensure you have somewhat removed yourself from the emotional hooks of the work – this break allows the gaps, errors and omissions to come to light.

Print out the draft and run through the hard copy with several sharpened pencils, an eraser, and highlighter while correcting or adding in notes for a reconsideration of scenes etc. Scanning through a few chapters a day, when most energetic and lucid, perhaps over a two-week period, is an initial step towards removing redundancies, adding in omissions and checking spelling and other inconsistencies that arose during the feverish days of writing.

The second step is to read the draft out loud and record the reading. This highlights the flow or lack of it in dialogue and the unfolding of the story arc.  This is followed by revisiting what needs to be rectified on pace, plot and character. Often at this stage, while characters might be developed, plot holes might be discovered.

After this is cleaned up, I usually format the draft as an Ebook and copy it to Kindle or iBooks and read it again on my device. Things that were missed in the last round of checks,  pop in this new format and so the next round of corrections begin. This takes two rounds of  Ebook checks. Reading chapters backwards has the benefit of noting errors that slip past the eye, as the mind sees and reads what is not there when following the sequence and ‘sense’ of the story.

Then a proof-reader is engaged for what the emotionally-hooked eye might have missed during the abovementioned process. All this occurs before the professional edit –  a positive step towards getting advanced feedback on what could be improved upon to make the story sing. Ultimately, it’s up to the writer in what is accepted or rejected as plot, pace or character change.

Let the manuscript rest before revisiting it with ‘new eyes’ 

Some suggested pointers on key areas to work through during the self-editing of a manuscript.

Astound the Reader

Think about what intrigue is set up. How will the reader be surprised by an event or situation?  Will there be a sudden revelation that the reader did not anticipate? The trick is to keep the reader turning every page in expectation of the next scene. Astounding the reader improves with each book written. The imagination is like a muscle, once taken to uncharted waters, it grows and develops. How is this achieved?  ‘Read, read, read,’ the works of other successful writers,  or be curious by turning to non-fiction books on the craft of writing. Become a life-long student of the craft.

Cut-out excess

In this fast-paced existence we lead, being superfluous kills the reader’s interest. In composing the first draft, write as much as possible – get all the ideas down in whatever fashion they emerge but be prepared to cull a lot during the editing phase.

Become a surgeon or a skilled chef of words, cutting away the disease or layers of fat that serve no purpose other than to make the story sluggish. This is referred to as ‘killing your darlings’  – the crutch words that we depend on are the unconscious gremlins that creep in.

Try not to include a back-story or contextual details that serve no purpose to the story – this is info-dumping that fills white space on the page to no effect in engaging the reader. Here, reading the manuscript out loud assists with discerning where the info-dump might be sitting with unnecessary details that steal from creating a more in-depth representation of an idea/character. Don’t give it all away too soon.

Make the Prose Sing

Style – choice of language and the general flow of the narration is an ongoing development of the writer’s craft that is enhanced with every piece written. The reader wants to see, feel, and be moved by the story. The use of metaphors, symbolism, imagery etc – bring music to the language of the story. This is what it means to ‘show, don’t tell.’

Additionally, look at how chapters end, are they leaving the reader with something that makes it difficult to put the book down? Keep it subtle and suggestive leaving the reader craving for more.

‘… emotional rawness in unadorned simplicity’ is indicative that the prose is appreciated for the meaning created, as is, ‘another engaging and addictive tale…’ Read your work as a reader, to feel, find, enjoy and connect to the story,  then go back to the drawing board if something is not ‘singing,’ to polish the prose for a timeless read.

Create Characters with Emotional Depth

‘No tears in the writer,

No tears in the reader,

No surprise for the writer,

No surprise for the reader.

~ Robert Frost

If a writer does not feel it, how will the reader feel it? Invite the reader into the character’s head- what do they think, feel,  see, and believe?  How do they demonstrate this through their words, deeds and actions? Reading a review that states,  ‘…brought tears to my eyes…’ is an indication that emotional triggers achieved the desired effect.  Hearing a reader say, ‘I want a character like that in my life…’ signifies that a character has the effective emotional depth to elicit such a reader response. Reader reactions in, ‘… the characters had depth and charm…’ reveals a connection with the reader.

Creating believable characters with everyday concerns allows the reader to step into a character’s life to experience their foibles, vulnerabilities, strengths and challenges.

What are your thoughts on editing the first draft before the professional edit?

Please add your comments in the box below to share your views.

Happy Writing, Careful Editing, Enjoyable Reading!