Finishing your first draft is a huge accomplishment—but it's only the beginning. The real magic happens during revision, where you transform your rough diamond into a polished gem. Here's how to edit your own work with the skills of a professional.
The Mindset Shift: From Writer to Editor
When editing, you must change hats entirely:
This requires emotional distance from your work. You're not destroying your baby—you're helping it grow up.
The Multi-Pass Editing System
Never try to fix everything at once. Professional editors work in passes, focusing on different elements each time:
Pass 1: The Story Edit (Big Picture)
Focus on:
Questions to ask:
Pass 2: The Scene Edit (Medium Picture)
Focus on:
Questions to ask:
Pass 3: The Line Edit (Small Picture)
Focus on:
Pass 4: The Copy Edit (Details)
Focus on:
The "Kill Your Darlings" Philosophy
Sometimes your most beautiful writing serves the author more than the story. Learn to cut:
Beautiful but irrelevant descriptions
Clever dialogue that doesn't advance plot
Scenes you love but the story doesn't need
Characters who don't serve a purpose
Pro tip: Save deleted scenes in a separate document. Sometimes they work better elsewhere.
Story-Level Editing Techniques
The Chapter Summary Method
Write a one-sentence summary for each chapter:
Look for:
The Character Tracking Method
Create a timeline for each major character:
Check for:
The Stakes Audit
List what's at stake in each chapter:
If any chapter lacks clear stakes, revise or cut it.
Dialogue Revision Strategies
Read It Aloud
This is non-negotiable. If you can't say it naturally, readers won't believe it.
The Attribution Check
Look at your dialogue tags:
The Subtext Test
Great dialogue works on two levels:
Example:
"How was work?" (Surface: Polite interest)
"Fine." (Subtext: I don't want to talk about it)
Pacing and Structure Revision
The Scene Analysis
For each scene, ask:
The Chapter Hook Method
Every chapter should end with something that makes readers want to continue:
The Momentum Check
Look for pace-killers:
Common Self-Editing Mistakes
Editing Too Soon
Problem: Trying to perfect each chapter before moving on
Solution: Finish the full draft first, then edit
Focusing Only on Grammar
Problem: Polishing prose while ignoring story problems
Solution: Fix big issues first, then move to smaller ones
Not Taking Breaks
Problem: Being too close to your work to see problems
Solution: Put the manuscript away for at least a week between drafts
Over-Editing
Problem: Changing things that were already working
Solution: Set a limit on revision passes (usually 3-5 is enough)
Advanced Editing Techniques
The Emotion Check
Every scene should have emotional content:
The Sensory Audit
Good writing engages all five senses:
The Clarity Test
Every sentence should be immediately clear:
If readers have to reread a sentence, revise it.
Tools for Self-Editing
Text-to-Speech Software
Hearing your work read aloud reveals:
The Print Test
Print your manuscript and read it on paper:
The Search Function
Use Find/Replace to locate:
Professional Editor Secrets
The First Line Test
Every chapter's first line should:
The Last Line Test
Every chapter's last line should:
The Transition Audit
Check how you move between:
Smooth transitions keep readers immersed.
When to Stop Editing
You're done when:
Remember: Perfect is the enemy of published. At some point, you need to let your story go into the world.
The Professional Path
Consider hiring professional editors for:
But first, make your manuscript as strong as possible through self-editing. Professional editors work best when they're polishing, not reconstructing.
Your Editing Checklist
Before calling your manuscript finished:
Self-editing is a skill that improves with practice. Be patient with yourself, be ruthless with your prose, and remember: every professional writer has been where you are now.
Your story deserves to be told well. Take the time to tell it right.