Editing

Editing a manuscript is a big undertaking, both intellectually and emotionally. It takes time and being thorough can be difficult, but the creative story editing process always pays off.

Authors want to manipulate readers' thoughts — this is why we read, after all. We love getting swept away into new worlds, with new people and ideas. Getting a reader's thought map is a great way to hone this skill.

Within the domain of book editing, a developmental editor will assess content and story structure. Go to one when you want to see if your story "works."

This post, the third in my ongoing series about my self-publishing experience, is a deep dive into the process of book editing. But let me cut to the chase: You need to hire a professional to edit your book.

What type of editing you need and what an editor can do to improve your work depends a lot on where you are in the arc of your project. Wherever you are, a precision edit is what you want.

Scenes are a fundamental unit of fiction, and each scene has a job to do to keep the story moving forward. A scene-quality map can help you identify when and where things might not be at perfect pitch.

Transforming your work from “draft” to “done” can be daunting, and the process can differ depending on the needs of a project. Here are some strategies to consider when reviewing your text, regardless of context, when preparing your final edit.