The Spit Shine: Things to Check Before You Submit (or Publish) Your Novel

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

There's a lot to remember when revising a novel, so here's a list of words to check before you declare that novel "finished." 

I love checklists, especially ones that I can use to easily improve my manuscript. My master editing list is always a favorite, and I like to bring it out at least once a year for the new readers. For long-time readers, I've added a few new words as well.

One of the last things I do with a novel before I call it "done," is to go through a list of words I know I overuse (or misuse), words I shouldn't use many of, words that often spell trouble, and words to avoid. I search for each one and decide if I really need it, or if the sentence would be better without it. It's boring and tedious, but it does force me to focus on those little edits that can really tighten a manuscript.

I call it the spit shine.

This long list has developed over years from various books, posts, conferences, etc. on how to write and edit. I've found it very helpful in cleaning up stragglers and tightening the prose.

Even better, after you've done this a few times, you'll stop using a lot of these words, because you've trained yourself out of it. Your early drafts will be tighter and need less editing.
Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com