How to Edit Your Novel
Leave your novel for a while., Read it through., Go back to everything that you have highlighted and change it., Leave it again., Read it again., Change it again., Get some beta readers., Use the feedback., Read it., Send it off to an editor once...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Leave your novel for a while.
One or two weeks minimum, but not much more than a month.
You want to go back to it with a fresh mind. -
Step 2: Read it through.
As you go through, highlight and mark on changes that you want to make.
Don't change anything yet or get carried away with rewriting. , This part will take the longest.
You will be writing and deleting long chunks of your writing at this point. , This time, only for a few days, no more than a week. , Mark on changes. , Although this shouldn't really take as long as it did before, take your time and make sure you make it as good as it can be. , Give out copies to your friends and family.
Get feedback from them. , But keep in mind that you should do what you think is best and don't try to please everyone.
Please yourself and do what the book needs. , Unless something really doesn't fit in well, resist the temptation to change everything all over again.
The chances are, it is probably good but you are just a bit bored of reading it so many times. , Make the margin large so that the editor can make notes. , Several publishers.
Not everyone will like it, guaranteed, so be prepared for rejection.
Send it to as many publishers you can find who will take it. , Whether you have published your novel or not- you have finished it, which is an accomplishment not many people have.
Well done. -
Step 3: Go back to everything that you have highlighted and change it.
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Step 4: Leave it again.
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Step 5: Read it again.
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Step 6: Change it again.
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Step 7: Get some beta readers.
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Step 8: Use the feedback.
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Step 9: Read it.
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Step 10: Send it off to an editor once you have run a spell check through it and formatted it correctly.
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Step 11: If your editor gives you the go ahead
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Step 12: send it to a publisher.
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Step 13: Congratulate yourself.
Detailed Guide
One or two weeks minimum, but not much more than a month.
You want to go back to it with a fresh mind.
As you go through, highlight and mark on changes that you want to make.
Don't change anything yet or get carried away with rewriting. , This part will take the longest.
You will be writing and deleting long chunks of your writing at this point. , This time, only for a few days, no more than a week. , Mark on changes. , Although this shouldn't really take as long as it did before, take your time and make sure you make it as good as it can be. , Give out copies to your friends and family.
Get feedback from them. , But keep in mind that you should do what you think is best and don't try to please everyone.
Please yourself and do what the book needs. , Unless something really doesn't fit in well, resist the temptation to change everything all over again.
The chances are, it is probably good but you are just a bit bored of reading it so many times. , Make the margin large so that the editor can make notes. , Several publishers.
Not everyone will like it, guaranteed, so be prepared for rejection.
Send it to as many publishers you can find who will take it. , Whether you have published your novel or not- you have finished it, which is an accomplishment not many people have.
Well done.
About the Author
John Hernandez
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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