In an age when everyone with a laptop thinks they are destined for literary stardom, the art of self-editing remains the secret weapon that separates the amateurs from the pros. Think of it as the literary equivalent of mixing a song: you’ve got the rough recording, but now it’s time to clean up those frequencies and make them sing.
The first version is just the beginning. The real magic happens during the overhaul. But how do you go about editing your own work when you’re too close to see its flaws? Here’s our greatest hits compilation of editing techniques that actually work.
Kill Your Darlings (No Really, Do It)
Writers inevitably falling in love with their more purple passages. But if that beautifully crafted paragraph doesn’t move the story forward, it has to go. Create a “darlings” document where you can paste your treasured deleted sections. Think of it like having a B-sides album – those cuts could work elsewhere.
The cold storage method
After you complete your first draft, put it away for at least six weeks. When you return to it, you’ll see it with fresh eyes: all the plot holes and character inconsistencies will strike you like bad notes in a guitar solo.
Read it out loud (yes, the whole thing)
This tip comes up so often that it is almost a writing imperative. Your ears catch what your eyes miss. Read your entire manuscript out loud, even if you think it’s ridiculous to do it. Clumsy dialogue, awkward transitions, repetitive words: they all become obvious when you hear them.
The Reverse Engineering technique
Print out your manuscript and read it backwards, starting with the last chapter. This forces you to focus on the writing itself rather than getting caught up in the story. You’ll notice overused words, consistency issues, and places where the pacing drags.
Track your characters like album credits
Create a “story bible” that tracks every character detail, from eye color to favorite curse words. Think of it as liner notes for your novel. Readers notice everything – even a character’s eyes change color halfway through the book.
Editor’s Choices
The three-course system
Perform three different editing passes:
• Structure and story (the broad outlines)
• Character and Dialogue (the emotional core)
• Line editing (the technical refinement)
Don’t try to solve everything at once. It’s like trying to record, mix and master a song at the same time. Concentrate on one aspect at a time.
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Cut the fat, keep the flavor
In journalism, shorter is usually better. In fiction that’s not always true, but the principle of economics still applies. Try to subtract 10 percent from your total word count. It’s amazing how much stronger most manuscripts become when they’re forced to lose their bloat.
Technical aids: your backup tire
While nothing replaces good old-fashioned editing skills, some digital tools can help:
• ProWritingAid, for technical problems
• Grammarly, for cleaning up basic grammar
• Hemingway App, for recognizing complex sentences
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• AutoCrit, for genre-specific analysis
The final mix
For the final finishing touch: read your manuscript one last time as a reader, not as a writer. If something takes you out of the story, fix it.
The bottom line
Self-editing is not about achieving perfection; it’s about making your work the best it can be before anyone else sees it. Like any skill, it gets easier with practice. Start with these techniques, develop your own system and trust your instincts.
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Don’t get stuck in an endless editing loop. At some point you have to call it done and send your work out into the world. Your manuscript, like a perfectly mixed album, tells you when it’s ready.
Now get started and edit like a rock star.
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