You’ve written a short story or you’ve finished a chapter of a book you’re writing or an entire manuscript. Well, you’ve got it down on paper or it’s on your computer but it doesn’t stop there - a complete edit is required.
Getting your writing proofread or copy-edited by someone else can be an expensive process, and if you’re in the habit of self-correcting, you’ll still want to make adjustments once you get your writing back after spending all that money. I know I would.
Editing’s about spot-checking, cutting, and rearranging.
So, what’s my approach?
I save what I’ve written and leave it aside for awhile
I open it and read through it to see if there are any inconsistencies
I re-open it and fix (cut) redundant wording
I change words
I open it again and rearrange it (if an opening to a story or chapter isn’t effective, I write an incident in or replace it with another paragraph). looking for inspiration or examples from other writers is a bonus.
Keep on looking with fresh eyes.
And that’s it!
I find there’s much BS out there when it comes to writing. Doing it yourself speaks volumes!