Editing – On Your Mark, Get Set, Wait!

Most, if not all, authors can’t wait for their manuscript to be done. It really is an ‘on your mark, get set, go’ mentality.

Unfortunately, some of those authors, in their excitement to get their book published, jump the gun.

Here are a few steps to take before you submit your manuscript or self-publish it.

1. Be sure your beginning does what it should.

You’ve read it over and over but before submitting go over the beginning of your story again.

This is where the main character should be introduced. It’s important that the readers quickly know who’s point-of-view the story is being told from – who’s steering the ship.

The beginning should also be in the present. It’s not the place for backstory or information dumping.

Next, is action. It’s the action that will give the reader the interest needed grab on. It doesn’t have to be drastic, but it needs to be action-packed enough to peak the reader’s attention. 

Finally, the conflict should be introduced. The story beginning is where the reader should find out the WHY or purpose of the story, that’s where conflict comes in. 

2. You should proofread carefully.

I just finished editing and proofing a 20,000-word simple middle-grade manuscript that I ghostwrote. And I even use Grammarly and ProWritingAid, two editing programs. I’m sure it’s good to go, but can I say it is with 100% certainty? Not really.

Editing programs are great and catch a lot of mistakes, but they miss some also. So you can’t rely on them for a good-to-go manuscript.

So, even when you think your story is perfect, it’s a good idea to proofread it again. And if your budget allows, hire a professional proofreader. 

I do this on longer manuscripts, like middle grade and young adult. Even on longer chapter books. While it’s an added cost, it’s worth it.

Tips to proofread effectively:

A. Print your manuscript if it’s a short story. 

There’s no way of getting around it; reading a hard copy of your story will help you to see it differently.

If it’s a longer story, and you want to save paper like me, there are other steps to take.

B. Change the font of the manuscript.

Surprisingly, you will spot errors you just glazed over before. You won’t run through it the same way you did with the original font.

You can even change the margins; it all helps you to see the manuscript in a new light, fresh.

C. Read the manuscript out loud.

You’ll catch places that cause you to pause and where you change your inflection.

Does it need a comma? Does it need an exclamation mark? These and many other things can be picked up on when reading out loud.

D. I’ve even played around with turning a manuscript into a PDF. It makes a difference in spotting errors, and it saves paper.

3. It’s a good idea to let your manuscript sit for a while.

Have you let your manuscript sit for one to two weeks before doing a final read? A final edit and proof?

It’s something else that makes a big difference. 

If you continually work on a manuscript, you become biased and probably a little weary. The break gives you needed rest from it so you can see it fresh when you return to it.

I’ve worked on manuscripts and thought I had caught everything there was to catch, but then I let it sit. I don’t read those manuscripts or even think about them while they’re sitting.

Once I go back to the manuscript, it’s inevitable that I’ll find a number of errors I didn’t catch before. This can happen in a picture book too.
 
4. The rest of the stuff.

Now’s the time to do a once over for all the other elements of the final run-through. 

Check for overused words, weak verbs, sentence and paragraph beginnings, “ing” and “ly’ words, and so on.

Want a comprehensive list of editing and proofreading tips?
Get EDITING BOOKS LIKE A PRO. It’s 22 pages and only $1.97 and sure to help with your editing.

I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, editor, and coach. I can help turn your story into a book you’ll be proud to be author of, one that’s publishable and marketable.

Or maybe you’d rather do-it-yourself. Check out my book, How to Write a Children’s Fiction Book.

If your children’s manuscript is already done and you need help self-publishing, check out Writers on the Move Publishing.

You can contact me at: kcioffiventrice@gmail.com. Or, you can give me a call at 834---347---6700. (Please leave a message - I'll get back to you as soon as I can.)