Editing

This is how I feel right now. I'm editing. Da Da DA (with menacing music in the background.) I have yet to figure out the editing process that works for me, but I think I'm close to that point.

I really like the deep editing EDITS system. But I only feel that is beneficial once my draft is somewhat clean (i.e. all the plot stuff is fine and I'm just making it sound pretty). Getting from my horrid first draft to the point where I can use the EDITS system is what makes me want to rip my hair out.

I feel overwhelmed, like I don't know where to begin. But I've read what a lot of other people do and thought about what works best for me and I think I've figure out something that may work.

Lisa's Ten Steps of Editing Hell©

Step one: Make sure there are no places where I left a comment to myself of "add more description" or things like that. I need to be working from a complete draft for a good edit.

Step two: Make sure each scene has in it what it should. I refer to the list I make for each scene during the plotting proces, which has things like a piece of backstory or moving along the heroine's character arc, or adding another twist to the plot.

Step three: Go through and highlight various components a certain color. That way I can just focus on dialogue or setting on a read-through.

Step four: Try and leave the book alone for at least a week. If you can, don't think about it either. Start thinking about your next book. That way when you return you are looking at it with a fresher mind and sharper eye.

Step five: Read the manuscript line by line, making sure each one is in top shape.

Step six: Read and analyze each paragraph, making sure you are packing a punch with each one.

Step seven: Analyze each page, making sure I get the most from the spacing, etc.

Step eight: Read each chapter, making sure it has everything you want in it and makes you want to continue reading to the next one.

Step nine: Read through the whole book and look for grammar, punctuation, typos, etc. It's best to wait until you're basically done changing text around.

Step ten: Save the book as a new file and format it to print like an actual book. When reading it like it would be in a paperback, you may catch things you didn't before and see spacing problems that you otherwise wouldn't have seen until the copyedits stage. Here is how to print it like a paperback: Open up the page setup menu in Microsoft Word (under the file menu). In the margins tab, make it 0.39" all around. The gutter should be 0.16" and gutter position as "left." Under the paper tab, select "custom" as the paper size and manually put in 4.25" x 6.89". Under the layout tab have the section start at "odd page." Select the box that says "different odd and even." Make the header and footer each 0.2". Click ok.

What is your editing process?