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The ultimate guide to editing, revising and re-writing

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Editing, revising, and re-writing is the holy trinity of writing. They're the difference between a draft and a masterpiece, and your secret weapon in the battle against confusion, ambiguity, and those pesky plot holes that sneak into your manuscript when you're not looking (how very dare they).

What's the difference between editing and revising?

The process of improving a manuscript usually involves two important steps: editing and revising. While many use these terms interchangeably, there's a distinct difference between revising and editing.

Revising means looking at larger parts of your manuscript and adding content, moving paragraphs around, cutting large sections or making changes that improve the quality of the writing.
Editing is about looking at the smaller details. This includes checking the language, grammar, punctuation, and making sure everything is consistent.

Knowing the difference between these steps helps writers to work on their manuscript in an organized way. They can start by changing the main parts of the story to make it flow better and make more sense, and then focus on fixing smaller errors and making the language clear. This careful approach makes sure every part of the manuscript is checked and improved, making the whole story better and easier to read.

What is a rewrite?

Rewriting involves making significant changes to a manuscript to make it clearer, smoother to read, more engaging, and of higher quality overall. This process goes beyond just fixing grammar and punctuation, which are considered minor edits or revisions. Instead, rewriting means closely examining the entire piece and possibly changing its content and how it's organized from the beginning.

Changes can include altering the way the story unfolds, updating the development of characters, making adjustments to the storyline, or changing the writing style. The purpose of rewriting is to make the manuscript match what the writer intends, solve any big problems identified through feedback, and make sure the final version is well-organized and interesting to readers.

It's a daunting prospect, but sometimes it's necessary. Re-writing can breathe new life into your manuscript. It's a chance to take what you've learned and apply it to a new draft. It's not a sign of failure, but a testament to your commitment to craft the best story possible.

Why editing, revision, and re-writing matter

Editing, revision, and re-writing are essential processes in writing because they ensure the accuracy, clarity, and coherence of the text. They play a critical role in identifying and correcting errors, inconsistencies, and areas that may confuse or disengage the reader.

If a character's name changes unexpectedly in the middle of a story without explanation, it can disrupt the reader's engagement and understanding of the narrative. Editing, revision, and re-writing address these issues by allowing the writer to systematically go through the text, refine the content, fix mistakes, and enhance the overall quality of the writing, ensuring that it communicates the intended message effectively and provides a seamless reading experience.

When to edit and revise

Start editing and revising your work after you finish the first draft and have taken a break from it. This break can be a few days to several weeks long and helps you look at your work more clearly and objectively.

First, revise your draft by looking at and improving big parts like the story's structure, how the characters grow, and how clear its themes are. When you're happy with how these big parts are and the story is consistent and well-developed, start editing.

In the editing phase, fix any spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, and work on making your word choices and sentence structures better. By doing these steps one after another, you will thoroughly check and enhance both the big picture and small details of your writing, making the final product of higher quality.

The three stages of editing and revising

Each stage of the revision and editing process takes you closer to a polished, publishable manuscript.

The journey begins with developmental editing, the first stage. This is where you look at the 'big picture' of your story. You're looking at plot structure, character development, pacing, and other overarching elements. It's like looking at your story from a bird's eye view, seeing where it starts, where it ends, and how it gets there.
Next, you descend closer to the ground with line editing, the second stage. Now you're looking at the finer details of your story – the flow of sentences, the choice of words, the tone of your narrative.
Finally, you arrive at the ground level with proofreading, the final stage. This is where you comb through your manuscript with a fine-tooth comb, looking for any minor mistakes or inconsistencies that may have slipped through the cracks. It's the last check before your story is ready for the world.

The art of self-editing

Self-editing is a skill that every writer needs to master. It requires a level of detachment from your work, and a willingness to look at it with a critical eye. It means being prepared to cut, change, and sometimes completely rewrite parts of your manuscript that aren't working. It's a hard skill to master, but an essential one. Remember, every word, every sentence, every paragraph should serve a purpose. If it doesn't, it might be time to bid it goodbye.

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Working with beta readers and professional editors

Bringing others into your editing process can be a game-changer. Beta readers provide fresh eyes and a reader’s perspective, which can highlight areas of confusion or inconsistency that you may have overlooked. They can give you an idea of how your audience might react to your story.

Professional editors, on the other hand, bring industry experience and expert knowledge to the table. They can help refine your manuscript to a publishable standard, focusing not just on grammar and punctuation, but also on aspects like pacing, character development, and narrative structure.

Don't be disheartened by the feedback; instead, use it as a tool to improve. Every piece of critique is a step towards making your story better.

💡 Read more about:

‍Questions to ask as you edit your story
‍Deciding when to work with an editor
‍Understanding what editors charge (and why it costs that much)
‍What to do if you can't afford an editor
‍Everything you need to know about working with beta readers

Genre-specific editing considerations

Editing doesn't come in a one-size-fits-all package. Depending on the genre – whether it's children's books, romance, crime fiction, mystery, action/adventure, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, war, horror, or non-fiction – each comes with its own set of considerations.

Children's book manuscripts, for instance, require an understanding of age-appropriate language and content, while a crime fiction manuscript needs a keen eye for plot holes – you can't afford to leave any loose ends in a whodunit! Likewise, ensuring consistency within the created world is key for genres like science fiction and fantasy.

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