If you're editing a book for someone else, you want to do it in stages.Ask questions and take notes while reading the text.Make sure the editing you do is appropriate to the stage of the manuscript.Ensure that the manuscript is formatted correctly.
Step 1: As you write, make edits.
Re-read what you have written before you write.There are obvious mistakes in the language.If you see something that needs to be re-written or fact-checked, mark it.The first draft will be in good shape by the time you finish it.You can avoid inconsistencies in storyline and style by going back and editing what you have written.When you are editing, don't re- write.You should mark it so that you can come back later.It's important that you don't getbogged down second-guessing yourself when you're trying to generate a first draft.If you can't make marks without also re-writing, then skip the proofread and marking.
Step 2: You can modify each quarter.
Break the first draft into sections.Unless you have long chapters, these sections should not be your chapters.Divide your manuscript into quarters, fifty-page units, or 20,000 word units.You should be able to edit one section at a time.You should fact-check the sections you have marked.Revise for speed and coherence.Do the sections of the book do what you want them to do?
Step 3: If you want to read the whole thing, print it.
You should read the whole manuscript after you have edited the quarters.Make notes on the printed manuscript when you print it.Do the story happen at the right pace?Is the next section set up by each section?You can remove paragraphs or chapters that aren't contributing to the whole.Anything that feels repetitive should be cut.Make changes to your document.If you want to revisit it later, keep the manuscript with you.It's not the time to polish everything.At this point, you're trying to build the foundation.
Step 4: Let it cook.
Let the second draft sit.Try not to think about it for a while.The amount of time is up to you.Return to the time when it feels right.Look at the manuscript if you're not sure.You aren't ready if you start to rewrite it immediately.Some authors take six months while others only take a few weeks.By the time you return, you should have some emotional distance.This will allow you to spot and excise weaknesses in your prose, and to have a clearer vision of the work as a whole.If you have people in your life who are willing to read early drafts, you can send them your draft while you wait.Explain what kind of feedback you want.Don't let it go for too long.A year or more might distance you from your original ideas.
Step 5: A second draft should be written.
The edit should be done on your computer.Take notes as you read through the manuscript.When you're done, put the new notes in the chronological order of the other notes you have, as well as the ones you got from other readers.Your manuscript should be revised according to the notes.Make the changes in your notes after this initial read-through.For the first draft, you went through it in sections.Depending on the level of change your book needs, this stage can take weeks or months.
Step 6: Get feedback from outside.
Get a few readers together when your manuscript is readable, free of typos and inconsistencies, and has been edited twice.It is possible to get friends, colleagues, and professional editors to read your manuscript.Tell them exactly what you are going to do with their feedback.For a first or second draft, you might ask for advice on plot, characters, research, or sequence.Is this believable for a later draft?Is it original?Does it make sense?Were you surprised by the end?Professional editors can give you feedback on your manuscript.Look online for "manuscript editors" or call up editing agencies and ask for someone who knows what they're doing.Professional readers and editors can make a huge difference if you have friends who are willing to look at your manuscript.
Step 7: It's a good idea to read it aloud.
When you have edited your book many times and you can't hear it anymore, you should print it out and read it aloud.You will learn what parts are not working when you read it aloud.It's natural to dislike your manuscript after a lot of editing.If you get bored by any section, you may want to change it.After you've read the whole book, do a read-through.Go through and read the first sentence.The first and last sentences of each section are what you should read.If you find echoes but not repetition, your book is coherence.
Step 8: Go to the level of the line.
Look through your manuscript for sentences and paragraphs that are long, choppy, fragmented or run-on.The action in your opening paragraph will pull your reader in.If you wrote a book of poems, you should read each line separately.If you wrote a play, you should change the dialogue for flow, characterization, and style.Do your characters all talk the same way?Do they use a lot of repetitive language?Is the language consistent with the time and station they live in?
Step 9: Make sure the finishing touches are done.
One final time to proofread and revise.Depending on the book you are editing, this is a good time to format your manuscript.You should format your book according to the guidelines of your agent or press.If you haven't titled your book, now is the time.It is important to write a title that will catch the attention of your readers.To come up with a title, pull language from the book that is representative of the main themes.This could be dialogue, description, a symbolic object, or even proper names.Your "working title" is the title you give to your draft.The best title may be seen by several publishers or editors.
Step 10: Determine what kind of feedback you are giving.
It's important to know the sort of information that will be helpful when giving feedback to an author.An author who is in the early stages of a project might need some basic concerns about plot, characters, and concept, while an author in later stages might be more interested in line edits and proofreading.What kind of feedback would you like to get from the author?You can request a list of general or specific questions from the author.Do the order of the essays communicate a larger message?"Am I insane to have written this?"You can think about what you need from this round of edits if you are the editor who is publishing a work.Write questions for yourself and make notes to answer them.
Step 11: It's best to read it straight through.
You should read the entire book before you start making notes and edits.Important elements of the composition may be things that seem problematic at first.You don't have to address the notes to the author in your first read.
Step 12: Make notes after reading it again.
Pick out the main themes.There are moments of striking parallelism.Write down your initial thoughts on the structure of the book.Depending on the amount of feedback you get, you can either mark up the manuscript or write a page of notes.If you write your notes on a separate page, be sure to include the page numbers.
Step 13: Major edits are available.
Don't try to attack everything in a manuscript.Unless you're a professional editor, you should ignore small details.The elements of the manuscript that need the most work are the ones you should concentrate on.Ignore spelling errors if you are reading a first or second draft.If you notice that some of the characters seem to disappear, that the main character never goes through any substantial change, and that not all the jokes are that funny, just give feedback on the character.When you're done with your notes, look at the questions the author asked you.Do so now if you haven't answered them yet.
Step 14: Read thoroughly.
You can use spellcheck to fix your spelling.To make sure you are spelling correctly, use a dictionary and the internet.There is only one space after the period if you change each sentence.You can do a find-replace search.Consistency should be edited for.Check for a consistent tense and point of view.No facts or plot points can be changed without explanation across the manuscript.A character who has died should not come back to life.
Step 15: Do a word search.
Use a website to find out which words you use the most.It's a good idea to look for overused language.Do you use a lot of words?Is there a lot of abstract nouns?Look for the words you use frequently and see if they are applied to the same thing.Be sure to review your descriptions.Different characters are introduced.It's a good idea to check for bias.Do you describe your female characters in terms of looks?Do you always say "glinting" or "bright"?Repetitive language should be edited to keep it fresh.
Step 16: The format is based on recommendations.
Are you ready to submit your manuscript?You can make a list of presses and agents.Your agent will help you format your manuscript if you already have an agent.You should follow the guidelines of the presses you are interested in.You may have to format your manuscript differently.Check the spacing of the presses.Some prefer single-spaced manuscripts, while others prefer double or 1.5.What kind of margins are allowed?How long should the indentations be?Is there any guidelines for section headings?Where should page numbers go?It's a good idea to check that your style of writing is acceptable.Your citations should be formatted according to the publisher's preference.Check to see if your manuscript is anonymous if you are submitting to a contest.Remove your name from the text if it's true.Look at the format.Is the right place for all the titles?Is dialogue formatted in a consistent way?Is the page numbers in place?Should your document be a word document?A book?According to the guidelines, submit.This could be over a press's website or via mail.