SELF EDITING ESSENTIALS

Edit Like an Author, Think Like an Editor

A step-by-step guide to tightening prose, fixing structure, and polishing your manuscript to shine

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You've typed "The End." You've sworn at your characters. You've survived the act of creation.

Congratulations — now the real work begins.

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Self-editing isn't about becoming a substitute editor. It's about becoming a sharper writer. An intentional storyteller. And someone who doesn't hand their editor a first draft that still smells of adrenaline and caffeine.

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Whether you're planning to query (see the Publishing Timeline guide), self-publish (see eBook Publishing Essentials), or hire an editor (hello, Elevate Editing), this guide will walk you through the process from your very first read-through to your very last typo.

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Take a breath.
Get a notebook.
Hide your ego in a drawer.

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Let's begin.

 

Before You Edit: Setting Yourself Up for Success

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Editing your own book is like performing delicate surgery with a butter knife unless you prepare properly. There are a few things you should do before you touch a single comma.

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Step Away From the Manuscript

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Let it cool. Like soup. Or molten lava.

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Give it:

• A few days (minimum)
• A few weeks (ideal)
• A month (chef’s kiss for perspective)

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Distance gives you clarity you cannot manufacture.

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Create a Clean Master Copy

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Duplicate your file.

Name one the "OFFICIAL SELF-EDIT COPY."

Name the other one "FOR WHEN I INEVITABLY BREAK SOMETHING" copy.

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Because you will. And that's okay.

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Print It (Or Fake-Print It)

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Whether it's actual paper or an eReader file, changing the medium lets your brain catch things it ignored before.

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If you have accessibility needs (or even if you don't), reading aloud or using text-to-speech is brilliant — and legitimately catches things your eyes miss. If it sounds clunky and doesn't roll off your tongue, or you're gasping for breath by the end of the sentence — you've found an area that needs work.

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Revisit Your Intentions

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Ask yourself:

• What kind of book did I set out to write?
• What emotional experience do I want the reader to have?
• What themes am I exploring? (See Plot Diagnostics & Revision for theme autopsies.)

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If you don't know the destination, you can't tell whether your story is wandering the woods unsupervised.

 

The Big Picture Edit: Developmental Self-Editing

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This is where you evaluate the story — not the sentences. Not the commas. Not the metaphors you got a little too excited about.

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Plot Structure

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Ask:

• Does the story make sense?
• Does it escalate with each scene?
• Does it drag in the middle?
• Does the ending actually resolve the premise you introduced at the beginning?

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Use tools like:

• Beat sheets
• Story grids
• Scene cards
• The "One Sentence Test" — can you summarise your story in one breath?

(If not, you have plot scoliosis — see the Plot Diagnostics guide.)

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Character Arcs

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Your characters should:

• Want something
• Struggle to get it
• Fail a few times
• Change meaningfully (unless the point is that they don't)

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If they finish the book unchanged, ask yourself whether that's deliberate or accidental laziness.

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Conflict and Stakes

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Every scene needs:

• A desire
• An obstacle
• A consequence

Otherwise you're just writing very pretty nothingness.

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Themes (The Quiet Puppeteers)

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Every story has a theme, even if you didn't choose it.

Themes sneak in uninvited, like seagulls in a chip shop bin.

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Ask:

• What emotional truth keeps recurring?
• Is it intentional?
• Do I want to strengthen or redirect it?

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See the Plot Diagnostics guide for identifying and wrangling themes before they bite.

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Scene-Level Checks

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Scene by scene, ask:

• Does this move the plot?
• Does it reveal character?
• Does it escalate tension?
• Can it be merged with another scene?

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If the answer to all is "no," cut the scene. Or set it on fire. Your call.

 

The Middle Layer: Line Editing Yourself Like a Pro

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This stage focuses on the craft of the writing — clarity, flow, emotion, voice, rhythm.

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A good line edit makes your prose feel intentional and alive.

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Clarity Is King

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Ask:

• Is the meaning clear?
• Could a reader misinterpret this?
• Is this the simplest way to say something without losing tone?

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If your sentence requires a map to follow, simplify it.

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Voice Consistency

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Your narrative voice should sound like you — not your favourite author, unless you are in fact your favourite author, in which case congratulations.

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If the tone shifts halfway through the draft, identify why:

• Mood changes?
• Fatigue writing?
• Drafting at different life phases?

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Unify it.

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Rhythm and Pacing

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Again, read aloud.

Your tongue will betray clunky phrasing faster than your eyes.

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Ask:

• Are sentences all the same length?
• Is the cadence boring?
• Does the tension vary?

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Vary structure for emotional effect:

Short sentences punch.

Long sentences soothe.

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Cut Weasel Words

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Almost every writer relies on the same unnecessary fillers.

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Look for:

• Just
• That
• Even
• Really
• Very
• Suddenly
• Seemed
• Felt
• Began to

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Cut 80% of them. Your prose will become instantly sharper.

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Show vs Tell

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You do not need to show everything.

But you do need to show emotions.

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Tell the boring stuff.

Show the meaningful stuff.

And for the love of narrative structure, don't describe every sip of tea.

 

The Technical Pass: Copyediting Yourself

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This is where you tame the language beasts: grammar, syntax, terminology, continuity, and formatting.

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You are not expected to do this perfectly — that's literally what editors train for — but you can tidy your manuscript so it's not a huge mess. (This will literally save you money when hiring an editor).

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Continuity

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Check:

• Character names
• Ages
• Eye colours
• Place names
• Timelines
• Distances
• Weather (yes, people notice)

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One change early in the draft ripples unexpectedly — hunt for the ripples.

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Grammar & Punctuation

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No need to be perfect, but be consistent.

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Pick a style:

• British English (–ise spellings)
• American English (–ize spellings)
 

Stick to it relentlessly.

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Check:

• Dialogue punctuation
• Capitalisation
• Hyphens vs en-dashes vs em-dashes ( - / – / — )
• Serial commas (choose a side)

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Terminology

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Make a style sheet (or download our template)

Track:

• Spelling decisions
• Capitalisation
• Worldbuilding terms
• Titles (King vs king)
• Hyphenated words
• Proper nouns

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This is crucial for fantasy writers. Your worlds breed inconsistencies like rabbits.

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Search & Destroy

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Use Ctrl + F to catch common issues:

• Double spaces
• "??"
• "[insert something later]"
• Echoed words
• Repeated gestures (far too many sighs, nods, eyebrow raises)

 

Proofreading: The Final Surface Polish

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Proofreading should be done after all other edits.

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Check for:

• Typos
• Missing words
• Extra words
• Incorrect homophones
• Repeated lines
• Formatting errors
• Incorrect chapter numbering

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The brain auto-corrects familiar text, so use:

• Text-to-speech
• Printing
• Changing font type/size
• Slow reading
• Reading backwards (yes, really)

 

Tools to Help You Self-Edit Without Losing Your Sanity

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Software

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• Word — Track Changes, commenting, navigation pane
• Google Docs — collaboration and read-aloud
• Scrivener — drafting & structuring
• ProWritingAid — grammar, clarity, style
• Hemingway App — sentence simplification
• PerfectIt — consistency checker
• NovelPad / Atticus — formatting + drafting

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Accessibility Tools

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• Text-to-speech
• Dictation
• Dyslexia-friendly fonts
• Dark mode or inverted colour viewers

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(Yes, this all counts as professional practice.)

 

When to Stop Editing (The Question Everyone Fears)

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You stop when:

• You're only rearranging punctuation
• You're changing things back to previous versions
• You no longer know if the sentence is good or not
• You've reached the point of diminishing returns

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Then it's time for:

• A professional editor (see the Editing Stages guide)
• Or beta readers (see Working With Beta Readers)

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Self-editing is preparation — not the final stage.

 

Final Thoughts

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Self-editing is the refinement before the polishing. The sharpening before the cut. The rehearsal before opening night.

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You don't need perfection. You need clarity, intention, and a manuscript you're proud to hand to an editor or load into your publishing dashboard.

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You've built the story.

Now shape it into its best version.

Nothing says "I'm taking my writing seriously" quite like confronting your manuscript with a clipboard and a mild existential crisis. Grab the worksheet below — your future chapters will thank you, even if your ego won't.

And if your draft currently resembles a maze built by a drunk architect, the worksheet contains a handy tracker which will help you map your escape. Download it and finally figure out what happens in each chapter… preferably before your editor asks.

Finally, we believe your sentences deserve to sparkle — or at least stop tripping over themselves like newborn deer. Snag the line-editing guide and turn your prose from "eh" to "editor-approved." No glitter required. Probably.

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