Editing. Just Editing.

Editing. Just editing.

Lately I’ve been editing my first novel, A Silence in the Shadows. How fun! Actually no, I’m being sarcastic. Editing is just the worst. I hate it. It is by far my least favorite thing about writing. So today I’m going to share some tips that I have found helpful for when you are editing.

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Tip #1: Keep At It

The first and probably the best tip is to simply keep at it. Your never going to get through your novel if you don’t keep at it.

I know that sometimes it is hard, especially if it’s an 80,000 word novel like A Silence in the Shadows is, but you just have to walk to your room, shut the door, eat a piece of chocolate, and work.

It’s simple, but it works.

Tip #2: Include Other People

You can’t do everything by yourself, and you totally can’t edit your own story by yourself. I mean, think about it. If you just edit with all you know, it’s not going to be perfect, because you and I as the authors want to keep things or understand things that our reader’s won’t want or won’t understand.

So a good way to get through editing is to give it to a friend, a fellow writer, your siblings, or someone that will give you feedback honestly and truthfully. If you think that a person you want to give it too will just say it’s good so they won’t hurt your feelings, then it’s still okay to give it to them, but it’s really helpful when it’s someone you know will actually give you good feedback.

Tip #3: Give Yourself Clear Goals

On the journey of editing, you want to have clear goals and checkpoints set up along the way. You don’t just want to trudge through the process without knowing where the end will be or how far your getting along or what’s next.

Set up clear, realistic goals, deadlines, and checkpoints for yourself along the way, so that you have a much clearer path to walk on. Give yourself treats, or take a break when you hit a checkpoint. This tip keeps the journey fun, exciting, and clear for you travel toward the finish line!

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Enjoyed this post? Helpful? Not helpful? Are you editing your novel or short story? Are you finished editing or just about to begin? Please talk and tell me what you think about this post and where you are in your writing journey. I would love to know!

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