How to Edit a Novel Manuscript

To start editing your novel, you need to take one chapter at a time. As you read, you can check for typing, spelling, punctuation, and English Grammar mistakes.  

You can also use the spell check and grammar check if you have Microsoft Word. However, that doesn't catch everything.

After you have checked for the mistakes, you are ready to check the elements of fiction.

As you start to edit your novel, let's first look at the setting. Think about the following questions as you read through chapter one of your novel.

What kind of setting did you choose?

There are various settings such as house, church, building, courtroom, hospital, city, somewhere in the country, an island, their neighborhood, school, shopping center, castle, mansion, or other places.

Did you describe the outward appearance of the setting?

What does the outside look like? Are there trees, bushes, or what? If it's a house, what style is it? What does the back yard look like?  Is it in the city or the country?

Did you describe the interior of the building?

If your setting is in a building, you need to describe the interior so readers can familiarize themselves with what the interior looks like as the characters move about from room to room.

For example, when a character enters his or her apartment, did you describe what the  main character sees, which is usually the living room area. What about the other rooms? What is the color scheme, furniture? How is the furniture arranged? Is the house organized, or disorganized?

Did you use more than one setting?

If you did, what kind of setting did you use?  Did you describe that setting?

After you have edited the first chapter as far as the setting, you can continue with the other chapters.

The easiest way to make your characters realistic is to outline their personalities.

Did you describe your main character's outward appearance? For example: What does your character look like? What kind of clothes does he or she wear?

Did you describe your main character's inward personality? For example: Does your character have a temper? Is he or she calm and patient most of the time? What does he or she like to do? What about his or her spiritual life? What are your character's beliefs?

You can go through each chapter and look at how you described your character's appearance and inward personality.

Characters can be described through narration and dialogue. How did you describe your character?

As you read through each chapter, you can think about the questions.  If there is anything you want to change, you can do it this time, or you can write notes on Post-It Notes and place them throughout your novel to remind you what you want to change.

When you have corrected the errors, you can focus on the plot. As you read through your novel, you need to focus on the action of each chapter.

Did you begin your novel with a scene that will grab the reader's attention? The beginning of the book is important because you want readers to continue reading until the end of the book. Did you end each chapter so that readers want to turn the page to continue reading?

Are you satisfied with the narration and dialogue? Have you revealed the settings and the characters inward characteristics and their outward appearance?

Are you satisfied with the climax and the end of the book? Did you tie everything together, or did you leave something out?

As you read, you can use Post-It Notes for anything that comes to your mind and place the notes on that particular page or pages.

When you have completed your book, you might want to pass it on to a friend to have him or her read it and get his or her opinion.

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