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Writing takes time and is often the most fun part of the journey. Then you rewrite and revise and revise again. Before you send your manuscript to an editor, make sure you’ve done as much as you can to clean it up.
Be aware of:
Formatting, hooking the reader, character development, story arcs, consistency of narrative, consistency of voice, differentiation of characters’ voices, typos, grammatical errors, plot logic, plot holes, pacing, three-act structure, rising action, scene length, passive voice, telling instead of showing
(gasp!)
…the list goes on and on, but you get the idea.
Make it as good as you are capable.
Once you’ve gone through however many revisions you must endure (maybe two, maybe dozens) to write your story, go through one more time.
How will you know when you’re ready to send it off to an editor for new input?
You’ll be sick of your manuscript. (And if you have been holding on to a manuscript too long, let go of your perfectionism and the manuscript. It’s a torturous form of self-hatred.)
A manuscript is never truly finished. You could polish forever. However, when your editing goes sideways, meaning it’s not better but merely different, it’s time to send it off.
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Filed under: Editing, Editors, getting it done, publishing, Writers, writing tips, editing, Manuscript, Passive voice, Publish, writer, writing, Writing & Editing
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