by Kariss Lynch, @Kariss_Lynch
You’ve edited a paragraph, a chapter, maybe a few chapters, but now your manuscript is ready to go and your editor sent you back the first round of edits full of major content changes. Where do you begin?
Editing the manuscript as a whole can seem like a daunting task. Editing is a necessary evil to me. I prefer writing any day. But I’m always pleased with the end result after time spent editing. I just finished my content edit for my fourth book, Heart’s Cry. And let me tell ya…it was pretty much a rewrite. A wonderful, painful, beneficial rewrite.
The truth is that editing needs to be a matter of prayer before you feel tempted to knock your computer off the desk. (Kidding. Kind of.) Here’s the good news: If you crafted your story correctly, it should be frustrating. Content edits often include tweaking details used in major story lines. You have to track each story line down and make sure your changes are consistent. If you tweak one detail, it may cause you to slightly amend a detail in another story line. The changes multiply, and that feeling of being overwhelmed weighs heavy.
But, after four books now, I have learned what is helpful for me in the editing process. Here are some of my takeaways for a major content edit:
- Start small. Read through ALL of the suggestions from your editor. Weigh what he/she is asking. Then set the manuscript aside for a couple of days. Process the best way you can tackle the job. Pray that you will know the parts to keep and parts to cut, when to kill your darlings and when to fight.
- Make a plan. Write down a list of needed changes and cross out each item as your finish it. You will feel accomplished and know you are moving in the right direction. Even if the list is extensive, take it one step at a time. If something else comes to mind, write it down and come back to it. You can do this!
- Take your first pass. Start at the top and work through until THE END. Write down any questions you may have about research or editor comments. Make all the smaller changes you can make right away. For instance, I noticed I referred to an organization two different ways in my manuscript. For consistency sake, I used the “Find and Replace” feature in Word for an easy fix to ensure accuracy. Easy check mark on my list!
- Attack the major problems with gusto. It helped me to print my manuscript, make notes, and then get to work. My editor suggested some things that I disagreed with, but I was able to figure out how to take her suggestions and my style and make the changes something that fit the story even better than before.
- Finish strong and pray. Finish by praying that God will use this, for the process ahead and that the finished product will bring God glory. Type any notes that might be helpful for your editor to know. Take a deep breath, and click send. Your manuscript is changing, but so are you!
What lessons have you learned during editing? What process helps you?
She’s ready to leave it all behind.
Recent college graduate Kaylan Richards has spent her entire life following a plan. Go to school. Get good grades. Do what you love. Love what you do. Only what Kaylan loves requires a sought after internship. She doesn’t want to wait. She wants to help people now. And on the eve of her decision to leave her life-long plans behind, the man she wants to forget walks back into her life.
He’s ready to win her heart.
Navy SEAL Nick Carmichael never dreamed he would love a woman more than he loves serving his country. Now he’s finally ready to win her heart, but this time she’s the one who wants to leave for the most poverty-stricken country in the western hemisphere. And it’s his turn to watch her go.
Something deadly is about to strike.
It’s the worst earthquake Haiti has ever seen. Kaylan is trapped in the aftermath, and Nick is a world away on a mission to catch a terrorist. As they find their way back to one another, Kaylan and Nick must learn that love grown in the midst of tragedy can truly conquer all. But only if they have the courage to fight for it.
Kariss Lynch is the author of the Heart of a Warrior series and loves writing romance about characters with big dreams, adventurous hearts, and enduring hope. In her free time, Kariss goes on adventures with her own personal handsome hero, explores the great outdoors, and tries not to plot five stories at once. Connect with her at karisslynch.com, or on Facebook, Instagram, or Goodreads.