{"id":598010,"date":"2023-08-03T16:45:42","date_gmt":"2023-08-03T15:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/?p=598010"},"modified":"2023-08-16T12:18:20","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T11:18:20","slug":"questions-to-ask-yourself-when-self-editing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/questions-to-ask-yourself-when-self-editing\/","title":{"rendered":"Questions To Ask Yourself When Self-Editing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A messy first draft might sound like a problem, but it\u2019s actually a beautiful thing. Trying too hard to get things \u2018right\u2019 the first time stilts your ability to immerse yourself in your work and gives undue weight to your inner critic\u2019s disapproval. Completing a chaotic<\/em> first draft, on the other hand, means that you\u2019ve allowed yourself to write freely and without self-judgement, in spontaneous pursuit of the right next words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your next step will be to revise your manuscript to improve it and take it closer to the final version you envisioned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-editing can be tough, forcing you to reckon with everything that\u2019s \u2018wrong\u2019 with your manuscript. The more awareness you have of your work\u2019s flaws, the better equipped you\u2019ll be to work through them. The key is to self-edit thoroughly, patiently, and with equal amounts of mercilessness and self-compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But let\u2019s start from the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Exactly Is Self-Editing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Self-editing is the type of editing<\/a> you do yourself, without the assistance of anyone else. These will be the first changes you make to your novel\u2019s first draft<\/a>, so the self-editing stage will typically involve radical edits. Expect to erase or rewrite entire chapters or scenes, insert additional scenes where necessary, change the subject matter or tone of particular dialogues, and generally work on exercising greater control over your writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much like working with professional editors<\/a>, a thorough self-edit will begin with big-picture elements and gradually focus on more minor details. Typically, writers perform at least three rounds of revisions, with some projects taking as many as nine or ten rounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to spurring specific changes, self-editing works as an exercise in reflection. After re-reading your manuscript (ideally after a little time away from it), you\u2019ll encounter the words you actually <\/em>wrote. This is the moment to bridge the gap between the book you wrote and the book you want to write. (Note that it\u2019s completely fine if the book you ended up writing isn\u2019t the one you set out to write \u2014 plans change.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you haven\u2019t ever had to edit a manuscript-length project before, the many moving parts involved may end up overwhelming you. Some degree of frustration is probably inevitable, but by self-editing in an organised, strategic, and methodical way, you can prevent panic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below, I\u2019m listing seven important questions you should ask yourself while you edit you<\/a>r own writing<\/a> \u2014 the idea is that these questions can help you stay focused on one thing for each editing iteration while ensuring you do a thorough job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. What Do I Honestly Think Is Wrong With This Manuscript?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To embark on this process with a sense of control, take stock of where you are right now. Begin by reading through your work one more time, and making a note (but stopping yourself from editing on the go) of everything you aren\u2019t happy with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe a certain plot point comes too abruptly \u2014 note that down. Maybe a character\u2019s development<\/a> feels too slow and elaborate, and you\u2019d like to include another scene, where change is more decisive. Maybe the opening doesn\u2019t feel like it\u2019s highlighting the right things anymore. Maybe the middle is too slow, or a specific scene needs rewriting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019ve got a big list of everything you\u2019d like to improve, you can use it to decide what to edit next \u2014 and writing things down will help quieten down your mind, helping you feel less overwhelmed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, start by looking at your plot\u2019s major arc. If there are truly fundamental plot points you aren\u2019t sure about (e.g. \u201cthe protagonist should not have ended up with character A, character B was the right one for them\u201d), start there, because those adjustments will bring about a series of changes throughout the rest of the book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Which Element Of The Manuscript Will This Editing Round Focus On?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before you begin each round of edits, identify what your focus will be. Making a plan can help you resist the temptation to multi-task editing several things at once, and trace throughlines to ensure satisfying big-picture arcs for your characters or overall plot. There\u2019s always time to return to a specific scene to improve the minutiae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A disclaimer here: there isn\u2019t really a right and wrong way to self-edit, so if multi-tasking is the path that feels right, feel free to change up several things at once. Just make sure you return to check that arcs or plot points add up to a bigger structure that helps your story make an impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"open-book-self-editing\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Is This Paragraph, Scene, Or Chapter Necessary?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Part of the fun of first drafts is the freedom you have to write without restraint. At this stage, asides, tangential jokes, and elaborate descriptions are all allowed \u2014 but that doesn\u2019t mean they get to stay in your manuscript for eternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every part of your manuscript should be contributing something. If it isn\u2019t, you\u2019ll either have to figure out how to make it contribute, or get rid of it. Either way, your manuscript will be more focused or more concise, and stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s an exercise to help you identify redundant chapters: when you\u2019re working on your big-picture structural edit, spend some time listing out every chapter \u2014 either in a numbered list or in a spreadsheet. Try to summarise each one in a few words (e.g., \u201cKeiko locates the murder weapon,\u201d \u201cJon begins to doubt the loyalty of the AI bot\u201d), then read through your summaries and try to determine whether each chapter contributes something of value in the form of character development, theme exploration, or plot progression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, when you\u2019re editing each chapter with more detail, do the same for the scenes comprising a given chapter. Ask yourself if you\u2019re slipping into accidental script writing, narrating every single action your character takes. Contrast these two examples: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen she got downstairs, Cathy opened the cupboard, drawing out a jar of rolled oats. She measured the right amount of oats and then gathered the rest of the ingredients she needed to make her porridge. As always, she topped her breakfast with cinnamon. Then she opened the curtains and sat down to eat her breakfast, before phoning her sister.\u201d<\/td>\u201cIn the morning, Cathy phoned her sister while she was having breakfast.\u201d<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unless Cathy\u2019s breakfast is about to be part of a crime scene<\/a>, there\u2019s really no need to zoom into the minutiae of her meal in that much detail. As the writer, you can fast-forward to the important part. The same applies to the beginning and ending of dialogues: there\u2019s no need for characters to engage in extended small talk. Use your novelist powers to lead the reader where they actually need to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another example, to illustrate my point:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As soon as the lab results came back, Martha picked up the phone and rang Janice, a private investigator. \u201cHi, Janice, it\u2019s Martha from Forensics. How have you been?\u201d \u201cGreat! How are you, how\u2019s Georgia?\u201d \u201cFine, thank you. We saw a fantastic play over the weekend, you should check it out. It\u2019s called Green<\/em>.\u201d<\/em> \u201cI definitely will do! Can I help you with anything?\u201d \u201cYes, I\u2019m calling about a case I\u2019m working on. The thing is, the evidence is not consistent with\u2026\u201d<\/td>As soon as the lab results came back, Martha phoned Janice, a private investigator. \u201cJanice, I\u2019m working a case, and I\u2019ve got some evidence that isn\u2019t consistent with \u2026\u201d<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before you hand your manuscript to a professional editor<\/a> or send a sample to literary agents, you\u2019ll also have to spend some time with each sentence<\/a>, dwelling on the necessity of each individual word. If there are turns of phrase you\u2019re sad to lose, by all means cut and paste them into another document, where you can return to them for other projects. Right now, focus on the needs of the manuscript at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Does The Ending Conclude The Book In A Satisfactory And Logical Way?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Often, having trouble with the ending<\/a> is a symptom of plot issues earlier on in your book. If you feel like something doesn\u2019t quite click right with your ending, try to trace it back to the rest of the book, and see where it is that the problem really begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What \u2018flavour\u2019 does your book end on? Is this consistent with what you were working towards? Have you built up to that feeling throughout? End with a feeling of regret if it makes sense given what you\u2019ve written before, but not if it\u2019s an inexplicable change in direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re choosing not to fully resolve every narrative thread and leave part of the story open-ended, try to write a few versions of the ending, each with a different degree of open-endedness. If you still feel like your original ending provided the right degree of closure and openness, that\u2019s great \u2014 if not, this exercise can help you zoom in on what isn\u2019t working in each version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This being the self-editing stage, do your best to sharpen your ending, while remembering that there may be some more changes coming to this significant part of your book once you\u2019ve heard back from beta readers and your editor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Does The Opening Hook The Reader And Emphasise The Right Themes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You probably wrote your book\u2019s opening<\/a> first or early on in the writing process, and it’s likely that your project has evolved quite dramatically since then. Re-read your first few chapters and reflect as honestly as you can on the pace of the opening \u2014 are you doing what you can to ensure your reader will keep on reading? Is your first sentence grabbing their attention? Many writers find that the real opening of their book is a few chapters into the story, as it sometimes takes a little while to find your feet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though many books open with suspenseful, highly-dramatic first sentences (e.g., \u201cThe day my life changed forever, I had forgotten to pack my torch\u201d), that level of drama is optional. Works of literary fiction in particular tend to opt for a low-key first sentence that introduces a problem, conflict, or personality, and works well without showing off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compare these two ways to open the same scene:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a Tuesday like all Tuesdays, and autumn leaves were scattered all over the pavement Robin was walking on.\u201d<\/td>\u201cWith every homeward step, Robin felt more and more like he didn\u2019t want to get back home.\u201d<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The latter example isn\u2019t about to win any Nobels, but it introduces Robin as a character, gives readers a sense of something he doesn\u2019t want to do, and tells them he\u2019s doing it anyway \u2014 whereas the former sentence is more generic and unmemorable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll also need to ask yourself whether your opening scene still embodies the themes<\/a> that have led your book to its end. If not, you may have to reconsider an altogether different opening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"person-on-laptop-and-writing-notes-on-paper-self-editing\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

6. Do The Characters Feel Like Real People Who Have Both Positive And Negative Traits, As Well As A Motivation And Backstory?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Skim through your manuscript and make a note of every major character\u2019s trajectory through the story. Is it all adding up, and does each character feel like they\u2019ve naturally arrived where they\u2019re supposed to be at the end of the book? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can\u2019t really see them as people, that\u2019s probably a sign they deserve a little bit of fleshing out. Here are a few aspects of characterisation to think about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n