Editing and revising are very important yet difficult aspects of writing. However, these processes are effective keys to having a finely-finished publication ready for a massive readership. To have a great piece, the words, spelling, punctuation, and overall content of your story must be well-written.
Ready to learn more? Here are some best practices necessary for editing and revising your novels.
Write Better from the Start
One of the most helpful strategies in editing and revising is having a good draft from the start. Some authors believe in writing just anyhow as ideas come to mind to gain speed. Nevertheless, it is important that you write well and correctly while writing the entire novel. When your work is not properly written from the beginning, you’ll encounter lots of mistakes and have huge trash to take out while revising and editing. Taking time to create good work helps to improve your writing skills, minimize errors in your work, and aid the correction process.
Create a Special Time for Editing and Revising
While procrastination isn’t advisable in writing, it is also important that you set out a special time to edit and revise your work after writing. Never be in a hurry to make the necessary corrections after you are done writing. Give yourself time to reboot after working on your novel. Set out a special time to carefully revise and edit your work. This will help birth fresh ideas and give you a clear mind to enable you to spot any errors in the plot or around the sentences.
Read Your Story Aloud
Another effective practice that aids the editing and revising process is your ability to read your story aloud. You can either read by yourself or use a computer-generated voice to hear your work. Reading aloud helps you to hear the words, phrasing, and transitions in your work for yourself. It helps you hear repetitive or grammar errors that may not be easily seen by merely reading silently. When you read your stories aloud, it also helps you access the tones of your characters and checkmate dialogues for proper presentation.
Get Refreshed In-between
Editing and Revising is a tedious job that could drain you. Therefore, never attempt to bury yourself in the work in a bid to finish up. Ensure you have some breaks in between to get rest and be refreshed. You may choose to sleep, bath, play some music, take a stroll, or have some snacks during your break period. Attempting to get the work done at an instance can be exhausting and could result in overlooking major errors or making bigger ones.
Revise before Editing
One basic rule in writing is to revise before editing. This might sound a little bit awkward but truthfully it makes the entire process easy. Revise your work by going through the overall content and reading through the plot to observe the characters, dialogue, and flow of the story. This will help ensure the correctness and consistency of the storyline. Afterward, look out for spelling, punctuation, grammar, style, and consistency of tone.
Opt for Feedbacks
Whether or not you’re a great writer, it is much better to opt for feedback from other editors, readers, or professional writers. These groups of people can give you a different view of your work while spotting out new mistakes. Most importantly, ensure you accept the feedback and implement the modifications where necessary.
Conclusion
The process of editing and revising your novel may seem tasking but the result can be rewarding. Hence, having outstanding and compelling writing requires a great deal of effort. You can only achieve this through patience and careful adherence to the practices mentioned in this article.