By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Writers self-edit the same way they create a manuscript. They work according to how their brain processes information. The means of perfecting a fiction or nonfiction book involves tweaking and re-tweaking methods until we have produced an outstanding manuscript.

Editing always makes our best even better, and there are ways we can ensure our efforts are effective, efficient, and professional. We’ve used the right side of our brains to develop our piece, now we use the left side to make it soar.

Through more than two decades of writing and publishing, I’ve tried various means to self-edit. It’s hard work, and I won’t lie to you that the process is easy. But the hours, sweat, and sometimes tears are worth it. The tips below work for me and may be of help to you. Although prayer is not on the list, it is encouraged through each step for wisdom and clarity.

1. Daily read and reread grammar, style, how-to techniques, and specific genre instructions. Every aspect of the publishing world is constantly changing. Keep up with the professionals.
2. Polish the manuscript before diving into self-edits. Study each word and punctuation line by line with eagle eyes. This allows the writer to work from a quality copy.
3. Study all the notes including research facts used to write the manuscript. Is the piece thorough and true to the genre?
4. Ignore the manuscript for at least two weeks. A month is preferable. No peeking. Let the book or article “cook.” When we return to edit, the content will be fresh and new.
5. Use text-to-voice software. This application is available with Word for Office 2019, Office 2021, and Microsoft 365. Scrivener and other software options are available too, including AI. Hearing a manuscript while following along, either online or hard copy, allows the writer to hear inconsistencies that might otherwise go unnoticed. I’ve found punctuation errors while using text-to-voice, redundancies, choppy prose, plot errors, etc.
6. Ask another writer or voracious reader for feedback. This is not a task for a family member or friend who believes our writing has bestselling status. Ego-building and confidence-building are essentials in the publishing business, but there is a time for applause later. Neither is this an opportunity for someone who consistently finds fault in other’s writing to ridicule our work. Writers need a sandwich approach of pointing out the good areas, suggesting improvement in confusing spots, and encouraging the writer to plod on and not give up. This valuable method helps the writer find challenges, strengths, flaws, and successes.
7. Print out the manuscript and read again line by line. Make any changes to the copy.

Congratulations! You are now ready to submit to an agent or editor.

Commit to strengthening your craft every day with an awareness of the publishing world and the world around us. I used Word’s text-to-voice twice while editing this article.

Do you have a self-editing tip?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards, the Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, BookBub, YouTube, LinkedIn. or her website: diannmills.com