Writers' Treasure Editing and Proof Reading,Magnetic Writing How to professionally edit your book

How to professionally edit your book

This is a guest article by Jennifer Scott. If you are interested in submitting a guest article of your own, be sure to read the guest article guidelines.

Writing and completing a book is a process filled with seemingly infinite milestones. So, you’ve just finished writing out your first draft and a smile breaks across your face. Box ticked. However, an impending feeling then dawns on you that you’ve now got the laborious task editing your book to perfection.

One option would be to get an editor but if you’re on a budget, getting a good one is nearly impossible, so you’re going to need to do it yourself. To help you get started, here’s everything you need to know.

Take a break

The first thing you don’t want to do is jump straight into editing after you’ve just finished your first draft. Now is the time to rest and refresh your brain.

And this doesn’t just mean for an hour. This means leaving your manuscript aside for a couple of days, so you can clear your mind for productive editing.

Read aloud

It’s nice in thought to sit somewhere you find comfortable and read through your content in your head while watching the world go past. However, this is an extremely inefficient way to edit, and you’ll be prone to making mistakes.

“Instead, sit somewhere quiet but read your first draft aloud. Mistakes and problems in your work will become so much more obvious when you hear them aloud, especially for the first time,” shares Darren Lambert, a proofreader for Essay Writing Service.

Look for common mistakes

There is a tonne of common mistakes out there that you’ll potentially fall into the trap of getting wrong so make sure you keep a special eye out for these problems since even the most seasoned writers can make them.

For example, ‘a lot’ and ‘alot’ is a common mix up writers make. The same can be said for ‘affect’ and ‘effect’, ‘less’ and ‘fewer’, ‘who’ and ‘whom’. The list goes on and on so make sure you’re keeping your eyes open for these little issues.

Using online tools

Although you’re an aspiring or professional writer, working on the same piece of text day in, day out can take its toll on your brain, especially when it feels like you’re mindlessly editing.

However, there are multiple tools and resources out there on the internet that can help, such as Easy Word Count, Cite It In and Grammarix, which can help you set editing goals or make the process easier.

Additionally, blogs like Via Writing and Academadvisor are ideal since they contain multiple editing guides you can follow to make your editing process for effective.

Using proofreading services

As you draw to the close of your editing process, you might want to begin your proofreading process. This means scanning through your content to make sure it’s free from spelling mistakes and typos.

For this, you can do it yourself, hire a professional or use a proofreading service such as Best British Essays or UK Service Reviews. This can help you see the final copy of your book more clearly, helping you finalise the editing process.

About the authorJennifer works as online editor at Top Canadian Writers. Also, she is a business developer that works in different areas of education, technology, security and various types of online marketing. Prior to business developing Jennifer was consultant at Deloitte, and managed security services provider and developer of a wide range of security solutions.

 

6 thoughts on “How to professionally edit your book”

  1. You provided useful self-editing tips. I generally wait at least a day before proofreading my latest book. I take my time and usually proofread then make necessary edits to two or three pages a day.

Leave a Reply to Raza Hasan Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Post

No Method? No Problem!No Method? No Problem!

[Note: The title of this post has been inspired from one writing book, No Plot? No Problem! I haven’t read it though.]

Let’s say you’re writing a first draft of a novel. The dreaded first draft. And of course you are writing it very slowly — unless you are an exceptional writer. Then you read it again… and scream “There’s no method in it! No organizing at all! What have I been doing? This isn’t worthy of my time.” And then you close the book snap shut and don’t work on it anymore. Sad.

Many great ‘novel’ ideas have never made it into paper because of this.
(more…)

Write it the right way: Grab people’s attention to read your contentWrite it the right way: Grab people’s attention to read your content

This is a guest article by Patrick Panuncillon. If you are interested in submitting a guest article of your own, be sure to read the guest article guidelines.

Content lies in the heart of a successful marketing strategy. In the realm of digital marketing, it isn’t just enough to have a high number of followers or subscribers. Without having an arsenal of carefully crafted content, you will render your efforts useless.

Undoubtedly, this problem is one a lot of web writers face. There is a significant difference between print and web writing, and content creators must know how to maneuver their way through the throes of the internet.

Let’s face it: things are easier said than done. There’s a long, tough road to being a good content writer and being able to write quality posts.

The good news is, it’s not entirely impossible. Aside from schooling yourself on grammar and punctuation, you also need to learn about the context of the Internet, and the strategies that you can use to work around the issues that you might face.

Now let’s take a look at the reasons why nobody is reading your content and what you can do to change that fact.

(more…)

How to market yourself as a freelance writerHow to market yourself as a freelance writer

This is a guest article by Indiana Lee. If you want to submit a guest article of your own, be sure to read the guest article guidelines.

As a freelance writer, you’re essentially a one-person business. It might not feel that way, especially if you’re just starting out. However, it’s essential to market yourself the right way so you can stand out against competitors. It’s estimated that there are over one billion freelancers across the globe, and the freelance writing market makes up about 204 million of that. Knowing how to market yourself will not only help you find a niche audience but will also build your portfolio and help you find consistent work.

Chances are, however, that you didn’t want to become a writer because you have great marketing skills. If you do, you’re already one step ahead. If not, it’s never too late to learn how to market yourself and your services.

Let’s look at a few ways you can effectively market yourself so you can grow your client base, further your career, and find success as a writer.

(more…)