If you are reading this, it means that you have achieved the significant milestone of completing your manuscript. You may feel as if a huge burden has been lifted off of your shoulders. While celebrations are in order, the next step can be equally challenging, and you must be prepared for it.
Here are some of the best tips you need to edit your fiction manuscript well.
1. Take a Step Back
One of the worst things you can do while editing your manuscript is to not take a break after writing. You may think that editing your work is best when it has just been written. However, the truth is quite contradictory.
In fact, the best thing you can do after writing a manuscript is to take a step back and relax. Give yourself some time to enjoy the achievement of completing your manuscript. You can hang out with friends, head to the fishing trip you have been postponing for so long, or do whatever brings you joy.
Spending some time between writing and editing your manuscript can help you distance yourself from your words. It can help you look at your work with a fresh perspective. This way, you will be able to take an objective look at your work when you come back.
2. Start with the Plot
Once you feel that you are ready to start editing your work and bring it to its best form, the plot is the best place for you to start. The plot lets you fix the story holistically first before you get into the nitty-gritty details. After all, it is likely the main reason why someone is reading your book in the first place.
First, you must determine if your plot is engaging and believable, considering the interests and expectations of your audience. If you find any inconsistencies or plot holes, now is the right time to get into every detail.
You may think that you have sewn every detail of your plot with care while writing. However, reading your work with the sole purpose of improving the plot can help you improve it in numerous ways. This practice helps you ensure that critics will have the least chance of pointing out issues in your work.
3. Move On to the Characters
Now that your plot is solid, it’s time to consider the next critical factor that can make or break your fiction novel: your characters. The characters in your book are its lifeline. You must ensure that your characters are developed from start to finish in your book.
While most of your focus must be on the main characters, their traits, strengths, and weaknesses at this point, do not forget about the minor characters. Make sure every character contributes to your story and plays a role in driving your plotline forward.
4. Focus on the Conflict
Now that all the details about your characters are clear, the next important step is to move on to the conflict. It is another driving force for the readers to keep reading by introducing doubt and making them question every turn.
The conflict is the challenge that the main character needs to overcome in order to achieve their goals and bring the plot to a conclusion. Without a conflict, the reader will have no reason to stick around and turn the next pages. It drives your plot forward.
One of the most important things to remember is that if your protagonist is happy, the reader may not be having a great reading experience, and vice versa. Hence, you must ensure that your conflict is clear and leads to a satisfactory resolution for the readers while editing it.
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5. Try Line Editing
Line editing is a process of editing your work on a line-by-line basis, refining sentence structure to ensure clear and concise language. This process can be a little bit trickier than often thought. If you do not have any prior experience with editing, you may want to seek the best fiction editor for you.
Line editing your book as it is important to pay equal attention to every sentence. While reading every line, you must ensure that it is clear and simple and makes a direct impact on the readers. In addition, line editing also helps you eradicate many grammatical and spelling mistakes.
It can be a very time-consuming and taxing experience, but line editing ensures that every sentence you write engages the reader more and keeps them turning pages. Hence, most authors aspiring for success agree that it is worth all the hard work and challenges.
6. Fix One Section at a Time
As mentioned above, line editing your fiction work can be very challenging, especially if you are dealing with a lengthy manuscript. Instead of letting the length of your manuscript overwhelm you, the biggest favor you can do for yourself is to break your book into smaller sections.
Start by reviewing your work chapter by chapter. You can also break it down into smaller sections. When you go section by section, you can read more closely and fix any errors effectively. Although you may feel the need to complete this task quickly, it’s always a good idea to take frequent breaks to avoid mental and physical exhaustion.
7. Read Out Loud
The best of the editors agree that reading out loud is one of the best ways to point out mistakes and fix them in a manuscript. This approach allows you to read what has actually been written rather than what you think has been written.
When you are reading to yourself, your brain may skim some information, making you miss out on any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. On the contrary, reading out loud is the only way to ensure that every word is read out.
In addition to pointing out any grammatical issues or problems with the flow, reading out loud also allows you to catch any awkward sentences or unnecessary phrases. This practice will help you not only to find your voice but also to become a better writer.
