Self-Editing: Best practices and processes for fiction writers with editor Marci Clark

Course Description:

Every writer needs to know the basics of self-editing to present clean and visually appealing manuscripts to editors, agents, and publishers.

This class will start with a quick lesson on using Track Changes, teach basic content editing for grammar, and broader editing suggestions for finding and resolving plot holes so the author have a better chance at success.

Bullet list of objectives:
• Learn the basics of Track Changes
• Understand the importance of self-editing
• Learn basic formatting
• Learn the basics of self-editing including:
o Filter words
o Action tags
o Fact checking
o Plot Holes
o Clichés and common mistakes
• Understand the importance of a copy editor

Who needs to know this?

Authors who are serious about presenting their best work to editors and agents.
Break down into teachable concepts with descriptive statements and give time to teach and with information:
Why edit if an editor will read my manuscript?
Even editors need editors. Why? Because the human brain is a magnificent thing. The efficiency of our minds can sometimes sabotage our ability to edit our own work. The brain knows what you meant, therefore, your eyes “see” what your mean. Having an additional set of eyes—or several sets!—is crucial to fining errors that have slipped through the self-editing process.

Before you begin:
The first rule of editing? Never edit your original! Make a copy so that you always have a backup copy of your document. Other suggestions. Save a copy to a cloud drive.

Formatting: The basics
Some houses provide a style guide. Double check for any submission rules before sending your book and risking a default rejection. If the house is relaxed on their formatting, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother cleaning up the formatting any less than you’d bother cleaning up the content. We’ll cover basic formatting to offer a clean, easy to read manuscript for submissions.

What is Track Changes?
Learn the basics on using the most commonly used editing program.

Self-Editing:
The basics if grammar, punctuation, and structure. Also to include:
• Filter words:
• Action tags vs Dialogue tags:
• Fact checking:
• Plot Holes:
• Cliché conundrum:

Why get a copy editor?
Even if you self-edit, there is no way that you will catch every single error or bump in your plot. Your brain is too familiar, and your heart is too close to the content to be objective. Before submitting to an editor, agent, or publisher have a professional review your work. This is just as crucial if you are self-publishing. The odds of producing and error-free work are low, but do everything you can to get as close as possible. Learn what to do look for in an editor and what you should expect to pay.