When the story is flowing, it’s best to just write… and write. Don’t break the spell by checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, just write. Okay, the words flowed and you managed to get them all down – now you’ve come to the end of the story and you know it is just great.
Before you prepare to send your fantastic manuscript to your publisher, though, you will have to edit. Walk away from your manuscript for several hours or even a day or two so that you will come back feeling fresh. Read the manuscript and look for misspellings, check the meanings of words that you aren’t 110-prcent sure of. Try reading your words out loud and listen to the way they flow. Do they sound awkward, disjointed or dull? Look for the glaring errors. One writer friend says start from the back so you won’t miss words just because you are expecting them.
If you find that you are using the same word(s) over and over, use a thesaurus, but be careful to sound natural. Most real people do not talk like dictionaries; using too long words just for effect also increases the possibility of definition problems. Perform a line edit, do each sentence individually, break up run-on sentences, remove unnecessary words, and make sure your meaning is clear. Keep sentences simple where possible – subject verb object. Use action verbs instead of merely describing a setting or emotion. Don’t rely on punctuation for emphasis.
Keep in mind that most writing styles are personal preference and there is no implicit right or wrong. Obviously poor spelling, awkward or misplaced use of adverbs and adjectives, and obvious grammatical errors need correcting. Maintain the author’s (your) voice.. It is a good idea to read through the entire manuscript just as a reader before doing serious content editing. Run a spell check if available, but do NOT auto-correct. Look at each instance of spelling “error” found and correct it manually. Depending on your style, using more than one point of view may or may not sound right, but make sure that changes are not too abrupt or confusing. Ask yourself if your message is clear and if the order of events is clear.
After you have self-edited your work, it doesn’t hurt to have another pair of uninvolved eyes look at it. If you really feel confident in the editing job you’ve done, it isn’t necessary to use a professional editor, just “fresh eyes”.
Writing exercise: Flip through the pages of a dictionary and choose between five to ten words that simply “catch your eye”. Copy each word with a brief definition; use it in a sentence; and use a thesaurus to substitute the word with a synonym in the sentence.
Writing prompt: Pretend that you just heard a dispatch for an ambulance call, “respond to (any location) for a male complaining of severe back pain.” Make a list of as many possibilities for this emergency call as you can think of; you do not have to be a medical professional for this. (ie: kidney stones, fall, etc)
