How to edit a manuscript

Where to start, what to look for and why you shouldn't ignore any niggles

Finishing a first draft is a such a great feeling. But what comes next? How do you turn that first draft into something you’re happy to share with readers, or submit to an agent or publisher?

I’ve written before about the importance of only sharing books with first readers, and querying agents when you’ve made sure your manuscript is as good as it can possibly be.

You only get one chance to make a first impression after all.

But how exactly should you do that?

I’ve had 11 books published and have been an editor for over seven years.

In today’s post I’m going to explain in detail how to edit a manuscript. I’ll explain the process I use, the things I look for and the order I do this in.

Start big

All editors work slightly differently but when I’m editing a manuscript, whether it’s mine or someone else’s, I always like to start by looking at the big picture first.