Self-Editing/Rewrites – An Important Tool for any Author

You will find MANY articles, blogs and self-help posts on the internet regarding self-editing and rewrites.  Everyone has their own way of doing this process, and quite frankly I think it should be left up to you, the writer, to discover what works best. Some wait until they are completely done to begin the editing, others do it while they write.  Me personally, I edit as I write, and then again, and again, and again after I have completed the novel.  The same holds true if you are writing a non-fiction article.

Some despise this process, while others love it. I happen to fully enjoy editing. It gives me comfort in knowing I’m making my story that much better, and it allows me to change my mind anytime I wish. Which is what writing is all about, right?  That complete freedom to change, add, delete anything you want within your story.

I also feel that editing is the most critical part of the writing process.  There isn’t a magic number of times to re-read your story.  I also agree with the advice after you’ve re-read it until your mind squeals, put it away for a week or two and then come back to it to re-read. I like to read my story out loud to myself because when I slow down or stop when I’m speaking, that’s a sign of something being off base or not quite right.

I’m an author on a budget, so unfortunately I haven’t been able to pay for a professional editor to edit my stories.  There are many who say to join a critique group to read/edit your story, this can be okay, as long as they are genuinely sincere in your success.  For me, I use some family members.  After all, they’re readers, and are comfortable in telling me there’s either an error, typo, or something doesn’t make sense.  You have to be able to receive this constructive criticism.  We authors hold these stories close to our hearts, but you need to gain a thick skin because what I’ve discovered over the years is that most of the points my family have made…have been correct.  Or a point of view I hadn’t seen for myself.

However you choose to have your article/story edited, please do it to an inch of its life, because after all, an editor of a magazine or publishing company is going to expect it to be at that professional level.