"When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done." ~ Stephen King
The first round of self-editing is to look at your overall story. Here, you'll focus on the major components of the story, paying no attention to individual words, or else you risk being distracted—in terms of a common expression, you won't see the forest through the trees.
While content editing performed by a developmental editor is much more immersive than what I propose, covering the 3Ps (plot, people, and pacing) will allow you to address the most common story problems quickly without making the first round feel like an overwhelming chore. Depending on what you find in your story, Round 1 can be the fastest or the most time-consuming of the three rounds of self-editing.
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The Tidy Guide to Writing, Editing, and Publishing Your Novel
Non-FictionDo you dream of writing a novel, but not sure where to start? Have you been working on a book for ages but feel stuck? Despite all your best efforts, do you feel overwhelmed? Here's a clutter-free guide for planning and writing your novel right the...
