I see it every day. Writers celebrating finishing the draft of their manuscript, then confessing that they’re dreading the editing and revision process. I’ve found one of the reasons that writers often struggle is that they’re 1) unsure of the strength of their story and 2) unsure of where to begin editing.
If you’re unsure if your story has what it takes to connect with the reader, I highly recommend considering hiring an editor to do an overall assessment of your manuscript before you jump into the revision process. It’ll cost you a little bit of money, yes, but it’ll save you time and frustration trying to figure out what may or may not be missing in your story.
If you’re comfortable with your story but are just in need of a little help streamlining a few steps in the self-editing process, read on for three simple tips that will speed you on your way!
Create a Cheat Sheet
Also known as an editorial style sheet, a cheat sheet can be started as early as the initial brainstorming sessions while you’re exploring the initial plot concepts and focusing on character development and world building. Keep it handy as you write, adding new information as it comes into play. Some things to add to this “cheat sheet” include:
Character names, nicknames, and specific attributes or ticks. Having this list to refer back to will help you keep track of what you’ve established for your character so that you (and your future editor) can quickly verify this information is consistent throughout the manuscript. This is especially important if you’re using a unique spelling for any of your characters’ names.
Names of cities, towns, and places in your book. Adding in their geographical settings or comments about commerce, language, or specific cultural events that are relevant to your story will help you keep your facts straight. This is especially true for stories in which characters are traveling to multiple locations throughout the course of the book.
Non-standard (or foreign) words that you use in your book. If it’s a word of your own creation, give a brief definition or description for context. If you’re pulling this word from another language, cite the source where you found the spelling and definition for the word. This will help ensure that the spelling and usage is consistent throughout the manuscript. It will also be beneficial for your future copy editor when they’re double checking the accuracy of the spelling and usage. This list can also be used to create a glossary (if needed) for the back of the book.
Use Standard Formatting Styles
If you’re using Word or another word processor to draft your story (as opposed to a drafting software like Scrivener) there are a few things you can be doing to ensure that your manuscript looks as clean and professional as possible, which will also make life easier when it’s time to self-edit the manuscript or send it off to your editor.
Insert a page break between chapters. Each chapter should begin on its own page, but using the return key to separate the last sentence of the previous chapter from the start of a new chapter is a big no-no! Not only will it affect your “chapter breaks” as you go through the revision process, it can create a potential headache when you or your future editor does a “Search and Replace” for double returns during the editing phase. If using MS Word, click on “Insert” in the Home Tool Bar, then select “Page Break” to give you a fresh page to begin each chapter.
Use a set indent at the start of paragraphs. The days of using the “tab” key when starting a new paragraph have come and gone. Instead, when starting your new manuscript in MS Word, click on “Layout” in the Home Tool Bar, then set your Left Indent for .25″ or .5″ (depending on your personal preference or the style guide recommendation for any of the agents or editors you’re planning on submitting to). Now, when you hit return to start a new paragraph, it will automatically intent the paragraph based on your specification. Bonus: there’s one less pinky stretch for your left hand to remember!
Use Search & Replace
Search and replace can be a major time saver when it comes to looking for a specific error. The first thing I do when I receive a manuscript from a client (and one of the last things I do before returning it) is search for double spaces. Sometimes they’re inadvertently inserted at the end of sentences, sometimes an extra space finds its way into the document when deleting and revising sentences. Sometimes the search turns up a handful. Other times it turns up more than I want to count. By doing a search and replace, I save myself the headache of asking myself if the spacing between words and sentences is correct when reading off the printed page or digital screen.
Other things you can do with Search & Replace:
Easily find and change/correct the spelling of a character’s name (especially if you’ve made a change to it mid-way through a manuscript). You’ll still want to leave a note to yourself on the editorial style sheet so that anyone editing the manuscript is aware of the change.
Look for punctuation outside of the quotations marks. With the exception of the question mark (which can appear inside or outside of the quote marks, depending on the situation), all other punctuation marks should be on the inside of the end quote when writing for U.S. publication.
Look for spaces around the Em and En dash. The Chicago Manual of Style, which is the standard for most general market publications, advocates no spaces around dashes. Speaking of dashes, the Em dash is used in dialogue to indicate a break or a call out. The En Dash is used when indicating a range of numbers or dates.
Other resources
You can find some of my go-to resources on my Writing Resources page. These books, websites, and blogs have all been helpful for me in different aspects of my writing and editing journey thus far.
Now go make those pages shine!
—Jen
Your turn! Got any other quick and easy self-editing tips you’d like to share? Drop them in the comments below!