Every author expects to experience a sense of achievement unlike any other when they complete their manuscript. However, some authors agree that they do not feel fully satisfied looking back at the achievement that may have taken them months to complete.
Of course, a little bit of self-doubt is never a bad idea, as there is always some room for you to improve your manuscript. Editing tips to improve a manuscript can often be very confusing to follow through.
Before you wallow in self-doubt, here are some of the simplest tips you can follow to boost the potential of your manuscript.
1. Take A Break
One of the most common mistakes authors make while editing their manuscript is avoiding their need for a break. Writing a book is not a small achievement. Acknowledge your accomplishment and take some time off to celebrate. With a fresh mind, you can carefully proofread it for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
This break can not only motivate you to continue improving your manuscript but also let you look at it with fresh eyes. This approach can help you see issues that you may not have noticed before, make improvements, and make a fresh start.
2. Try Different Aspects
If you want to protect yourself from being overwhelmed on your editing journey, you must take it one step at a time. Instead of trying to improve your manuscript holistically, focus on different aspects of your manuscript every time you read.
For example, you can start by looking for grammatical mistakes such as spelling mistakes and punctuation errors. The next time you read your manuscript, you can focus on tightening the plot and strengthening the character arcs.
Editing your work several times with different perspectives can bring out the best in your work without overwhelming you.
3. Ask A Professional
Many authors seek a professional novel editor for hire not only because of the convenience they offer but also because to benefit from their feedback. A professional editor’s feedback and insights can help you significantly improve your work.
In addition to hiring an editor, you can also consider the services of beta readers or writing groups to help you with their constructive feedback. Integrate research seamlessly into finding the right professionals to help you boost the readability of your story.
The smartest thing to do is not let any opportunity for feedback pass by. Everyone spending their time and energy on your manuscript will have something valuable to offer. Of course, it is up to use the feedback to improve your work or not.
4. Revisit The Structure
The structure of any manuscript can greatly affect its overall quality. Therefore, improving your manuscript is not only about correcting grammatical mistakes. It also means that you must focus on important foundational elements, such as the structure of your manuscript.
From the plot arc to the narrative flow, make sure that the beginning, middle, and ending of your book unfold logically and engagingly.
A professional editor can help you by pointing out potential inconsistencies that may risk the integrity of your manuscript’s structure and readability. Of course, it is better to hire someone to help in time rather than letting your readers point out small structural mistakes.
5. Strengthen Your Characters
Characters are the lifeline of any brilliant manuscript. They are the entities that the readers connect with, root for, and follow throughout the character. In order to engage the reader, you must develop strong characters for them to resonate with.
You can continue to improve your characters till the manuscript is finalised and ready to be published. Do not hold back from digging deeper into their backgrounds, emotions, challenges, and personal motivations.
Once you develop strong characters, pairing them with a refined plotline can make things progress seamlessly for the character to meet the fate you have determined.
6. Refine Your Dialogue
Most authors are taught to show, not tell. If you follow this approach, you may find it hard to incorporate on-the-nose dialogues that spell out information for the reader. However, that does not make dialogues useless altogether.
Using well-constructed dialogues to build tension, reveal useful information, and advance the plots can bring out the best in your work. This way, you can also keep your promise of showing your readers instead of explicitly telling them what is happening.
7. Root For Consistency
Consistency is the key to winning over the reader’s heart. A book with consistency can keep them engaged from cover to cover. Without it, your reader may feel disconnected from your book and may get bored very quickly.
Beta readers and book editors can significantly help ensure consistency throughout your book. They examine every aspect, such as character traits, settings, and timelines, to avoid continuity errors. In addition, one of the best approaches to ensuring the success of your manuscript is to read it out loud.
Reading your manuscript aloud or having someone else read it to you can help you identify awkward phrasing, grammatical errors, and pacing issues such as the following.
- Missing words
- Repeated words or phrases
- Unexpected colour changes
- Unanticipated speech patterns
- Character name changes and errors
- Unnecessary speech tags
- Awkward phrases and descriptions
- Time shifts
8. Eliminate Unnecessary Details
Trimming excess words should be the least of your concerns while writing the first drafts of your manuscript. When an author is immersed in the writing process, they may not pay any attention to the excess words they may have written.
While you do not have to care about the extra words while writing, editing your manuscript is an opportunity to increase its engagement by cutting unnecessary details. Yes, it can be a challenge to be ruthless with your own manuscript, but it is a sacrifice you must make to ensure the readability and success of your book.
Whether you see a single line talking unnecessarily about the backstory or a whole paragraph that slows down the pacing of your novel, do not hesitate to cut any useless details.
