Let me be up front with something. I have a really hard time editing my work. I tend to swing in extreme directions, either self critiquing way too much while I’m in the middle of what should be writing time, or else not wanting to get rid of really pointless self aggrandizement because I like it so damn much. In order to overcome these two tendencies, I have combed over a TON of advice on editing and come up with this list of what seems to work for me. Some of it is old news, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
Show, don’t tell. While this old saw has been oft repeated, it is still one of the best pieces of advice. Don’t ignore it just because you have heard it before.
Don’t forget the small stuff. Typos and misspellings are distracting.
Eliminate “said” wherever possible. Use the name of the speaker in connection with an action if you can.
Work descriptions into the narrative instead of indulging in long, detailed descriptive paragraphs. While some writers can use description to enhance a piece, more often than not the results are boring and readers skim them.
Use body language to show feelings when possible. Nothing sounds more like an amateur than a lot of declarations like: "She was angry. He was sad. They were both tired." Stop it!
Be invisible! Readers don’t want you, they want story.
Use normal words, but not boring words.
Use sharp verbs instead of soft verbs with modifiers. “She ran quickly” becomes “she sprinted“.
Use precise nouns instead of vague nouns with adjectives. “The tall, breezy, elegant tree” becomes “the Willow”.
Specify nouns and verbs. “She ate dinner” can also be “She savored the green curry”.
Eliminate all clichés. I wish I could underline this, put it in caps, and make it bold. If I could shout it, I would.
Eliminate as many adverbs as possible. The definition of an adverb is a word that tells when, why, what, or how something happened. This automatically conflicts with the "show, don't tell" rule, and it's no coincidence I made that first on my list. Adverbs are pointless words, get rid of them.
Eliminate as many pronouns as possible. He said. She went. We ran. Not very interesting, is it?
Kill your darlings. Another oldie, but goodie. Take a second look at any passages you are particularly proud of. They are probably the ones you should cut. (This may be the one I have the hardest time with!)
Is the back story interesting, germane, brief? Then get rid of it.
Does each paragraph compel you to read the next? Each chapter? Make it so.
Use the P.O.V. to maximize suspense. Think like a movie director. (A brief side note: Don’t be afraid to change your perspective! This isn’t as hard as you may think, and I have had WIP that simply didn’t work until I changed the POV. Try it!)
Teach, but don’t preach. Learning a few new things when I read a book is cool. Suddenly feeling like I'm attending a lecture isn't.
Trust your readers. Don't talk down to them, and certainly let them figure things out for themselves.
Avoid passive tense. Make it so characters and objects do things, instead of things being done to them.
Characters are not interesting because of who they are. They are interesting because of what they do. Who they are may effect what they do, but back story and exposition are poor ways to describe characters. Action and dialog are much better. And these actions and dialogs should be revealed through the plot.
Note: Average novel length is 80,000 to 120,000 words. There are exceptions, but epics aren’t particularly welcome. So try to get your final draft down in that range.
My process now means editing nothing until the project is done (other than typos & misspellings), then going over the first draft with this list and a fine toothed comb. My goal is to cut at least 10% off of my first draft. I then hand it over to my trusted readers (along with a nifty little worksheet of their own to fill out). Finally, I go over it one last time, keeping their input in mind and tweaking the little stuff. Only at this point does it get sent out. So here it is, I hope it helps!
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