A guest post submitted by Jennifer Harshman from Harshman Services.
While editing and revising are not easy, they are necessary, and it would help you if you could learn to enjoy them. Editing and revision are the parts of the writing process where your thoughts, words, and manuscript become art.
Many writers are nervous about sending their work to someone else to read. They feel as if the editor will judge them. Let me put your mind at ease. That’s not the case at all with a real editor. A real editor will admire you for having written something (more than 80% just think about it and never do it) and for being brave enough to send it to them for review.
Every writer and author needs a good editor. Even the most famous authors need editors. In fact, they have entire teams of them.
Our job is to make you shine, not to make you feel bad about your writing. You write the magic and we, editors, polish it and help you make it even better. We are here to make you look good. That’s why we do what we do.
Editing while you write
Some say that one of the biggest ways to set yourself up for failure is editing while you write. I don’t preach against it because it works for some people. I am one of those who often edits while writing (my Backspace key is always the first to wear out on my keyboards). All through school, my first draft was pretty much my final draft, and I wrote my first several books that way, too. But I have learned over the years. Now, I can also turn off the internal editor and simply dump the words on the page and clean it up later.
Why is editing while you write such a problem? That answer is twofold.
If you are constantly looking for problems in your writing while you are creating it, you will never hit your writing groove. It’s hard to fall into the beauty of your message if you’re critiquing it in your head at the same time you’re trying to craft it. Focusing on the negative will cause you to miss the positive.
Editing while you write will slow you down. You’ll also be more prone to delete everything you’ve written. Please always cut and paste anything you don’t want in your current piece into your Spare Parts/Parking Lot/Idea Cellar document instead.
Remember, you can’t edit a blank page. Write those words! Edit them later.
Revising and editing
The terms revising and editing often get interchanged, but they shouldn’t. They are two different activities that should be done at two different times, sometimes multiple times. This is why you should learn to love the revision and editing process, as you’ll be doing a lot of it if you want to serve well.
Revision: When you revise, you are only paying attention to larger issues within the body of the text. You are reading to make sure everything you wrote makes sense, that you wrote clearly, and you have no plot holes, or missing points. You are looking for readability and accessibility here. You should ignore grammatical issues and typos at this stage. I realize this sounds counterintuitive, but during the revision stage, you will be doing a lot of rewriting. It would be a waste of time to worry about typos, because chances are, you’ll be rewriting those sections anyway.
Editing: Editing is the process of locating and fixing content, grammar, and syntax within a written piece. Editors are skilled at seeing issues that will hinder fluid reading for your reader. They are so skilled in finding these problems. Those issues jump out at them. Whether it’s verb tense or commas, they have you covered.
How to self-revise
Here are some steps to help with self-revision:
Put your manuscript down and walk away. This may seem counterproductive, but trust me. You are too close to your own writing to be able to see issues until you’ve had some rest from it. You need to put a degree of separation between you and your work. Put it in a drawer or close the file on your desktop. Put it away for a while. How long is a while? Try one week for every 10,000 words, and see how that does for you.
Print out your manuscript, make some tea or coffee, and read with a highlighter in hand. Assign a colored highlighter to each of the elements in the list below. When you find a problem, highlight it using the color assigned to that issue. That way, as you sit down to revise, you can go through and work on one problem type at a time, and you will find them easily. Using a highlighter will save you time. Don’t be surprised if you cut 10% of your writing during revision. That is perfectly normal. Here’s what you should look for while revising:
Questions to guide you in revision
Are you clear: Are your sentences clear? Do they make sense?
Citations: Did you cite sources?
Backing up: Did you back up your points fully?
Reaching your audience: Will your writing reach the group you are writing for? Will your style resonate with your reader? Will it be accessible in a way that will make the most impact?
Add or take away: Did you spend too much time one specific elements, while ignoring others? Do you need to work more on certain chapters? Do you need to cut information anywhere?
Is your writing too clunky? Rewrite anything that might get too dense. Are you using large words unnecessarily?
Revising questions specifically for fiction writers
Timeline. Does the story flow in the way you need it to, in regard to periods of time? Is your timeline clear?
Pacing. Do you vary the pacing in your writing? Do high-tension scenes read quickly? Do you vary the sentence length?
Characters. Are your characters completely fleshed out? Are they believable? Do they come alive?
Dialogue. Is your dialogue believable? Does it push the plot? Do the characters sound authentic?
Setting and worldbuilding. Does your setting make reading the story feel like a movie? Did you use all the senses? Did you make sure your characters are never stuck in a “white room,” which is a place where you described nothing in the setting. Do your characters interact with the setting? Does the setting interact with your characters?
Pushing the plot: Does everything in the book push the plot forward in some way? If it doesn’t, it goes.
How to self-edit
Just because you plan on hiring an editor, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t edit before sending it off. The cleaner the copy you hand your editor, the more quickly it will come back to you, and if you have a lower error rate, you might be able to negotiate with your editor for a lower price. Here are some tips to help you:
Start with a style guide. You can find more information about that in this blog post.
Read out loud. Chances are you’ll find a lot of errors just by reading it out loud. Yes, read the whole thing, out loud.
Be sure to use active voice and passive voice effectively. Both are needed at times. Active voice means that the subject in your sentence places action in the verb. Passive voice means that the verb is done to the subject. You can find more information about that here.
Do your sentences make sense?
Eliminate run-on sentences and fragments.
Don’t be repetitive. Do not use the same word more than once in one sentence if you can avoid it. If you just can’t think of another word, go to the Ribbon in MS Word and make a comment to the editor telling them that, and they’ll fix it for you.
Delete fluff. If something doesn’t add to or change the meaning of a sentence, it shouldn’t be there. If a sentence doesn’t add meaning to the paragraph, cut it from your current document, and paste it into your Spare Parts document. You never know when it will come in handy.
Check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Every writer should have a few guides on hand for this. The Merriam Webster Dictionary online is a great tool. If you want to use things like Grammarly, go ahead, but know that it is often wrong. You’ll find some recommended books for writers here.
Working with an editor
There are many different types of editors, so it’s important for you to know what type you are looking for. Below is a list of types of editors and what they do. If you have any questions about what your manuscript needs, contact Harshman Services. They will be happy to answer any questions you may have and to point you to resources.
Developmental Editor – A developmental editor reads your manuscript, focusing on larger issues such as style, structure, plot, character development, organization, and content. They will also pay special consideration to inconsistencies, pacing, and genre-related problems. You can begin working with a developmental editor from the very first moments of the writing process. They can even help you outline your book. If you’ve already started your project or are finished, they can also be of help. They will suggest changes and work with you as you make them.
Line Editor – A line editor will focus on how each sentence flows and the language used in it. Reading level and how applicable it is to the target audience are the focus here. Each sentence is examined for fit within its paragraph, and each paragraph is examined for fit within its section or chapter.
Copy Editor – This type of editor is what most people think of when they hear or say “editor.” A copy editor focuses more on grammar, spelling, and punctuation. They will also pay attention to clarity, transitions, flow, pacing, and will even do a bit of light fact-checking.
Proofreader – A proofreader will be the last person to read your work before publishing. Their goal is to find any typos, misspellings, and punctuation issues. A proofreader will also make sure all spacing is correct, and check for odd line breaks. They will not be reading for other, larger issues. A proofreader is your last set of eyes.
Packages – Many editing agencies will offer bundles of services they call a package. That way, you can be sure the same group of people will be working on your project from conception to completion. They will know your work intimately and will have the same style throughout. Going with a one-stop shop saves you time, money, and headache because you will not have to research, hire, and manage several different providers. You just pick the agency that can serve your needs, and sit back while they handle everything for you.
What if you can’t afford an editor?
Look, we understand reality. Hiring an editor can be a substantial investment. If you are a first-time author who plans on self-publishing, you may not have the money to hire an editor. You are not completely out in the cold. Here are some suggestions for you:
Contact the editor you are most interested in working with – They may have payment plans or run specials from time to time. Some even barter! It’s always worth reaching out.
Beta Readers – You should choose strong beta readers, people who are readers and love to give feedback. They will not be able to edit your book, but they will give you strong advice for larger issues.
Critique/Coaching Groups – I highly suggest finding a writing group. Meeting with other writers is not only motivating but also extremely helpful. They will give you invaluable insight into your writing. To find a local group, ask your librarian. You could join Page by Page, a group that meets on Zoom (on or off camera) to help you with your writing. Contact Jennifer Harshman to get a free sneak peek.
Ask an English teacher – You might be able to pay an English teacher a small rate to go through your work. This person is not an editor, but they will probably give you good advice on grammar and sentence structure.
Contact Harshman Services if you have questions, and click here to get your copy of her free book, Find a Real Editor: Avoiding the posers and scammers.
