Updated May 2025
Many beginning writers mistakenly believe that the first draft of their book is also their finished book. Nothing could be farther from the truth!
Your draft is not even something you want to send to a professional editor—a writing coach, yes, but not a professional editor.
After the draft comes self-editing, but many writers seem confused (and overwhelmed) about what this involves. It’s so much more than fixing punctuation, grammar, and typos. In fact, those are the last items you want to correct.
Self-editing Basics
I recommend letting your book sit for a month so you can come back to it with fresh eyes. We know the elements of our story in our head as we are writing, but we don’t always communicate those details as clearly as we think we are. A month allows your mind to forget those details and see your story as though for the first time.
Examine the big picture aspects first.
Yes, this will take time. I print out my manuscript when I start the self-edit because I see things on the page differently than on the screen. I can make all kinds of notes, deletions, and additions as I read. And turning those pages helps me know I’m making progress.
The printed document also gives me a good idea of how many pages are between each plot point. I get a better feel for the pacing of the story when I read it as I would any other book.
You’ll want to examine each of the areas below, which means you’re going to make more than one pass through your manuscript.
The Specifics
Plot. How does each scene contribute to the story? Does it move the plot forward? Reveal something new about your character? Add tension or conflict? If not, then it needs to go.
Characters. Does your protagonist have a goal? Meeting with enough conflict? Solving his/her problems too easily? Your antagonist needs the same. Are your characters well-rounded, flat, stereotypical, too perfect?
Point of view. Are you head hopping? Would first-person be a better option than third-person? Have you chosen the correct POV character?
Show versus tell. There’s a correct time for each. Are you using strong active verbs? Appealing to the senses? I highly recommend Show, Don’t Tell by Sandra Gerth (the ebook is free).
Pacing. Does your story read at one pace or does it vary throughout? Read this post for help on pacing.
Dialog. Is it realistic? Does it contribute to story development? For more on dialog, read this.
Setting and description. Does your reader know when and where your story is taking place? Does description contribute to story development, mood, and action or just add fluff?
Every word must earn its place on the page.
Examine those words. Do they communicate exactly what you want to say? Add to the mood or tone of your story? Move the story forward?
Once I’m done with the hard copy, I transfer my edits to my digital file, and read through the story again. (I also read through the proof copy I get from Amazon, and yes, I always find errors.)
I highly recommend enlisting the aid of beta readers. They’ll give you the kind of feedback you need for most of the elements listed above.
It’s a Process
How you self-edit is a process that needs to fit how you work. It might mean listing the basics of every scene (setting, characters, conflict, resolution), taking notes about your main characters, outlining your plot development and character arc as you read through the manuscript. Your style of writing—pantster, plotter, or combination—will affect how you self-edit.
When you’re done revising big picture items, then go line by line to look for punctuation errors, incorrect syntax, crutch words, misplaced modifiers, homonym errors (auto-correct does make mistakes), formatting, and typos.
Finally, after you’ve done your best to ensure your story is as strong and compelling as you can make it, then it’s ready for a professional editor. It’s also at this point where I will send my manuscript to my beta readers.
Books I Recommend
James Scott Bell’s Revision and Self-Editing for Publication and Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King.
My book Self-Editing & Publishing Tips for the Indie Author covers POV, plot, pacing, show vs. tell, common punctuation issues, and a whole lot more. (Also available on Amazon.)
Don’t let self-editing confuse or overwhelm you. Use this list to help you. If you subscribed to my blog, you have my 10 Basic Steps for Self-Editing Fiction. Use it. If you haven’t subscribed, no time like the present! You’ll find the sign-up form at the top right of this page.
What aspect of self-editing do you struggle with?
Leave your comments or questions below.
My hardest part of self-editing is trusting myself not to take out essentials. I got the Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne and King like you suggested and have the book you wrote and have told myself I’m not going to quit. I will keep getting resources, and learning from everyone I can learn from, and improve my time management and someday I’ll have a book ready to be edited.
Vicki, I hope rather than saying to yourself “I will not quit” you are saying “I am so excited to have my book finished.” Envision and speak the end result.
I have often struggled with trusting myself, too. When I worked in MS Word, I saved any edits as a new file so I could always go back to the original if I didn’t like my edits. Now that I work in Scrivener, I just take a snapshot and go on my merry way editing.
Perhaps if you create a process where you can revert back to previous versions it will allow you to relax and not worry about what you take out; you’ll feel more comfortable. Being part of a critique group or having beta readers might help as well.