Edit like an Editor: A Wattpad Featured Guide ✔

Part v. Editing

When you've made the major revisions to your novel and you are satisfied with the way the plot flows and twists, with the climax and resolution, and when the characters and settings feel as vibrant and believable as you can make them, it's time to sweat the small stuff. You'll need to polish every scene, every paragraph, every sentence so your manuscript will be as perfect as it has to be in order to pass with an agent or professional editor.

Fine Tuning

When you've addressed all the big issues in your manuscript, given it to still another batch of advanced readers to confirm that your plot and characters are working, then it's time to pull out the microscope and examine it up close.

First step: Print out the manuscript. While some final polishing can be done on-screen, reading and editing directly in the digital file, there's no substitute for the perspective that printed pages give you. Somehow, errors that slip past on the computer screen seem to pop off the printed pages.

Expect to go through your manuscript at least three times to get the job done.

Strong Starts and Finishes

First impressions and final impressions are what readers notice most. So lavish some special editing attention on all these starts and finishes in your manuscript:

• Make the first line, the first paragraph, and the first scene as strong as you can make them.

• Introduce each setting vividly.

• Make each main character's first appearance memorable, establishing that character's physical presence with a few telling details as well as the character's voice.

• Pay special attention to the first and last paragraphs of each scene.

• Make the last page, the last paragraph, and the last line as strong as it can be; leave the reader with something to think about.

Tighten Each Scene

Read each scene through and assess whether it delivers everything that a scene should. A flabby beginning should be tightened. If it starts too early, cut to where things get interesting. Floating characters need to be anchored in time and place. An ending that dribbles off should be trimmed. If there's no conflict in the scene, look for opportunities to insert some.

And most of all, make sure that your novel needs every single scene that's in it. If you can cut a scene and the story won't suffer, cut it!

Here's a checklist of things to look for in each scene:

• Strong start: Does it engage the reader right away; are you starting it as late as possible?

• Clear orientation: Is it clear to the reader, within a paragraph or two, where and when the scene takes place and who is there?

• Conflict: Every scene should have some tension or conflict; at least one character should feel off balance.

• Arc: From beginning to end, something should change in the course of each scene, even if it's nothing more than a character's emotional state.

• Strong finish: Does it end strong and as early as possible, or does it just dribble off?

Tweak the Chapter Breaks

When your scenes are as tight and compelling as you can make them, then examine how you've grouped them into chapters. Chapters can be long or short. Use the placement of chapter breaks to add to the momentum you are trying to create in the story.