7 Editing Tips for Authors: Perfect Your Manuscript Before You Publish

You’ve spent months (or maybe years) pouring your heart into your manuscript. The story is complete, the ideas are on the page, and you’re ready to share your work with the world. But hold on—your first draft isn’t necessarily ready for prime time.

Professional editing can transform a good manuscript into a great one. Before you hit publish or submit to agents, these seven editing strategies will help you polish your work to professional standards.

1. Let Your Manuscript Rest

Step away from your newly completed draft. Put distance between yourself and your work.

Many authors rush to publish too quickly. The excitement of finishing clouds their judgment about what needs improvement.

When you return after a week or more, you’ll spot issues that were previously invisible. Your brain will process your writing as a reader, not as its creator.

This critical distance allows you to see repetitive phrases, plot holes, character inconsistencies, and structural problems with fresh eyes. What seemed brilliant in the writing moment might actually need significant revision.

Mark Twain famously advised, “Write without pay until someone offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this as a sign that sawing wood is what he was intended for.”

While Twain’s advice may sound harsh, the principle of patience applies to editing as well as career building. Give your manuscript time to mature before deciding it’s complete.

2. Read Your Work Aloud

Your ears catch what your eyes miss.

Reading your manuscript aloud reveals awkward phrasing, run-on sentences, and unnatural dialogue. When you stumble while reading, your readers will stumble too.

Focus particularly on dialogue. Does it sound like something a real person would say? Are character voices distinct from one another?

Record yourself reading sections if you have time. Listen back while following along with the text. This technique helps identify pacing issues and sections that drag.

The rhythm of prose matters. Short sentences create urgency. Longer, more complex sentences slow the pace. Variety maintains reader interest.

Make notes whenever something sounds off. Don’t try to fix problems immediately—just mark them for your revision pass.

3. Cut Unnecessary Words

Lean writing hits harder.

Most first drafts contain 20-30% more words than necessary. Cutting this excess strengthens your prose and respects your reader’s time.

Search for these common offenders:

• Very, really, quite, basically, actually
• That, just, then, so
• Started to, began to, decided to
• Adverbs ending in -ly

Replace phrases like “she nodded her head” with “she nodded.” Remove “he thought to himself”—who else would he think to?

Stephen King advises, “Kill your darlings.” Those beautifully crafted sentences you’re most proud of? They often interrupt the flow rather than enhance it.

Every word should earn its place on the page. If removing it doesn’t change the meaning, cut it.

4. Strengthen Your Verbs

Powerful verbs energize your writing.

Replace weak verb constructions with specific, vivid alternatives. “He walked slowly” becomes “he shuffled” or “he trudged.” “She said quietly” becomes “she whispered.”

Active voice places the subject before the verb and keeps readers engaged. “The manuscript was edited by her” becomes “She edited the manuscript.”

Eliminate forms of “to be” (is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been) when possible. These verbs often signal passive construction or tell rather than show.

Compare “The room was filled with tension” to “Tension filled the room.” The second version creates a more immediate impact.

Search your manuscript for these weak verbs and transform them into powerhouse alternatives that convey precise meaning.

5. Perfect Your Opening

Your first page sells your book. Your first paragraph gets the first page read. Your first sentence determines whether readers see the first paragraph.

Many readers—including agents and publishers—make snap judgments based on your opening. Make those crucial first words count.

Avoid these opening pitfalls:

• Weather reports (“It was a dark and stormy night”)
• Alarm clocks ringing
• Character descriptions in mirrors
• Prologues that delay the real story
• Lengthy exposition or background information

Instead, start with a compelling question, conflict, or character moment that demands attention. Create a knowledge gap that readers must fill by continuing.

For nonfiction, lead with a startling fact, relevant anecdote, or thought-provoking question that establishes why your topic matters immediately.

Test your opening by asking: “Would I read the next page based on this paragraph alone?”

6. Vary Your Sentence Structure

Monotonous sentence patterns lull readers to sleep.

Mix short, punchy sentences with occasional longer ones. Vary your sentence beginnings—not everything should start with the subject.

Try these alternatives:

• Begin with a dependent clause: “Although she’d edited all night, errors remained.”
• Start with a transition: “Nevertheless, the manuscript improved dramatically.”
• Open with an adverb (sparingly): “Quietly, she marked another error.”
• Lead with a prepositional phrase: “Beyond the basics, editing requires intuition.”

Check your paragraph breaks too. Dense text walls intimidate readers. Short paragraphs create white space that makes reading easier, especially on digital devices.

When dialogue occurs, start a new paragraph with each speaker change. This visual cue helps readers follow conversation without confusion.

7. Get Outside Feedback

No writer can fully see their own blind spots.

Beta readers provide invaluable perspective on what works and what doesn’t. Choose readers who represent your target audience but will give honest feedback.

Consider joining a critique group where other writers provide specific feedback. Writer organizations like Scribophile or Critique Circle facilitate these connections.

For professional assessment, consider an automated book proofreading service to catch mechanical errors before sending your manuscript to human editors.

When receiving feedback, listen more than you defend. If multiple readers highlight the same issue, it likely needs addressing—even if you initially disagree.

Remember that feedback addresses the work, not you personally. Develop the emotional resilience to separate your identity from criticism of your writing.

Implementation Strategy: The Three-Pass System

Rather than attempting to fix everything at once, use this three-pass system:

First Pass: Structure and Content

• Evaluate overall organization
• Check plot coherence or argument flow
• Assess character development or concept clarity
• Identify sections to cut, expand, or rearrange

Second Pass: Style and Language

• Strengthen verbs
• Cut unnecessary words
• Vary sentence structures
• Enhance descriptions
• Improve dialogue

Third Pass: Mechanical Editing

• Fix grammar and punctuation
• Check spelling
• Ensure consistency in formatting
• Verify facts, names, and dates

At this stage, you’re focused on catching those final details—typos, misplaced commas, or inconsistent formatting. If you’re not sure what to look for, these tips for proofreading offer a simple, helpful starting point.

This systematic approach prevents overwhelm and ensures you don’t waste time polishing sentences that might later be cut.

The Final Step: Professional Editing

Even after applying these seven strategies, consider professional editing before publication.

Self-editing has natural limitations. A qualified editor brings fresh perspective and technical expertise that elevates your work to industry standards.

Most successful authors work with multiple editors: developmental editors for big-picture feedback, line editors for sentence-level improvement, and proofreaders for final polish.

View editing as investment rather than expense. Books compete in a crowded marketplace where quality distinguishes success from obscurity.

Your manuscript deserves the chance to shine. These seven editing strategies—resting your draft, reading aloud, cutting unnecessary words, strengthening verbs, perfecting your opening, varying sentence structure, and getting outside feedback—form the foundation of professional-quality revision. 

The difference between good and great often comes down to editing. Your readers will thank you for the effort.