Three Tips for Self-Editing Your Manuscript

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. ProWritingAid, a 2022 NaNo sponsor, helps you turn your rough first draft into a clean, clear, publish-ready manuscript. Today, Hayley Milliman, Head of Education at ProWritingAid, shares some tips on how to successfully edit your own manuscript:

So you’ve finished NaNoWriMo? Congratulations! You should be proud of the hard work you did to complete your manuscript.

Now is when the fun begins: editing.

For many people, the editing process is murky and complex. Drafting is straightforward: your goal is to end up with a finished manuscript. But how do you know what to do when editing? And how do you know when editing is done?

Often, writers rely on editors for support during this stage of the drafting process. But for many, hiring an editor is prohibitively expensive.

The good news is that self-editing can be just as effective, if you know what to do. In this post, we’ll walk you through three tips for self-editing your manuscript to make your story as strong as possible.

Let’s dive in!

Tip #1: Take a Break

Our best advice for editing is to take a break after writing before you begin any edits. It’s tempting to want to start right away, but some distance from the initial draft will give you both needed rest and some perspective on the story.

When you wait for a bit before re-reading your manuscript, you’ll approach it more like a stranger. Any confusing plot holes, unrealistic settings, or clunky dialogue will stand out more than they did when you were writing. This approach will give you a clearer understanding of what to edit when it’s finally time to begin.

We recommend waiting at least one week before re-reading your manuscript and beginning your edit.

Tip #2: Edit in Stages

Editing is confusing for many people. How do you edit? What changes do you make and when?

Our best advice is to approach editing in three distinct stages where you focus on different types of edits in each. Here are our recommended stages:

Story editing

The first type of editing you’ll do is story editing. During story editing, you will evaluate your story’s structure, plot(s), characters, and world to make sure you’re telling a story that your readers will want to read. This stage is where you’ll answer big picture questions like:

Does my plot have enough conflict?Does my story start in the right place?Do my characters have believable motivations and clear goals?Is the world of my story fleshed and immersive?

It’s important to answer these questions first so that your manuscript is as complete as possible before you begin the next stage.

Line editing

Once your story is mostly set, it’s time to focus on your use of language to convey that story. During line editing, your job is to make sure that your word choice and sentence structure enable your readers to engage.

Here are the types of questions you’ll answer:

Am I using too many dialogue tags?Is my work written at any appropriate readability level?Have I overused passive voice constructions?Do I have any echoes or repeats?

Once the language of your story is clear and compelling, it’s time to proofread.

Proofreading

Proofreading isn’t actually an editing stage. During proofreading, you’re polishing your manuscript to make sure it’s ready for publication.

You shouldn’t be making any substantial changes at this point. Proofreading is all about ensuring formatting is consistent and your manuscript is ready for people to read it.

Tip #3: Use Technology

Technology can support your self-editing process by giving you a second set of eyes on potential improvements. Even the best self editors often miss mistakes in their work like repeated phrases and awkward constructions. Software can help fill those gaps.

An editing tool like ProWritingAid can help you improve the clarity and consistency of your work with the touch of a button. Over 20 different reports allow you to make changes to everything from instances of passive voice to overly sticky sentences.

Plus, technology is affordable for all budgets. ProWritingAid offers a free plan that checks 500 words at a time, plus Premium options for those looking to work with longer documents more quickly.

Self-Editing: Final Thoughts

Self-editing your manuscript can help you make needed improvements so your manuscript is ready for readers. With the tips outlined in this article, you can start self-editing today.

As Head of Education at ProWritingAid, Hayley focuses on building engaging, helpful learning content for the millions of users who rely on ProWritingAid to make their writing clear and effective. Hayley has a robust writing portfolio and has written for dozens of publications on topics related to education, marketing strategy, history, entrepreneurship, and more.

Top photo by Mitchell Luo on Unsplash.