You’ve typed “The End.” You’ve celebrated with a glass of something nice, and you’re ready to take the next big step: hiring a professional editor. But before you hit “send” on that email to a prospective editor, there is one final stage of the journey that many indie authors overlook.
I can’t show people my house like this, even if they are professional cleaners! If you hired a cleaner for your house, you might want to do a tidy up first. But you don’t need to do the deep scrubbing – that’s what you’re paying them for – but picking up the clutter allows the professional to focus on the heavy lifting. Similarly, by doing a quick self-edit, you ensure your editor can focus on the nuance, voice and structure of your story rather than being distracted by “the small stuff.”
Here are five essential steps to take before your manuscript leaves your desktop.
1. Do some weeding
We all have them. For some, it’s “just” or “very.” For others, it’s a specific physical action like “nodding” or “shrugging.” Use the Find function in Word to search for your known crutch words. If you find you’ve used the word “suddenly” 42 times in a thriller, try to delete at least half of them.
Look out for “filter words” (saw, felt, heard, noticed). Instead of “He felt the cold wind,” try “The cold wind bit at his cheeks.” It brings the reader closer to the character immediately.
2. The Consistency Check
Nothing pulls an editor out of a story faster than a character whose eyes change from blue to green between chapters, or a side character whose name is “Marc” on page 10 and “Mark” on page 200.
Check the spelling of your character names.
Verify your timeline (did the sun set twice in one afternoon?).
Keep a simple “Style Sheet” or “Story Bible” to track these details as you go.
3. Formatting for Professionalism
While every editor has their own preferences, standard industry formatting is the safest bet. It makes the manuscript easier to read and ensures there’s plenty of white space for comments:
- Font: Times New Roman, 12pt.
- Spacing: Double-spaced.
- Alignment: Left-aligned (not justified).
- Paragraphs: Use the ruler to set a 0.5″ first-line indent rather than using the Tab key.
4. Close the Obvious Plot Holes
If you know deep down that Chapter 4 makes no sense because a character magically knows information they haven’t learned yet, don’t wait for your editor to point it out. Fix the “low-hanging fruit” yourself. If you address the structural issues you already know about, your editor can spend their energy finding the issues you didn’t see.
5. Define Your Vision (and Your “Comps”)
My job isn’t to change your story; it’s to help you tell your version of it as effectively as possible. Before you reach out, be ready to answer some questions, including:
What is the “vibe” or tone of the book?
Who is the target audience? (e.g., “Queer Cozy Mystery readers” or “Fans of gritty historical fiction”).
What are your “Comp Titles”? (e.g., “It’s Red, White & Royal Blue meets Knives Out“).
This helps your editor align their feedback with your specific creative goals from page one.
Ready for the next step?
Once you’ve ticked these five boxes, your manuscript is in the best possible shape for a professional pair of eyes. If you’re looking for a specialist editor for your LGBTQ+ fiction, crime, or historical novel, I’d love to help you cross the finish line.
Nick (he/him) is an experienced, professional editor and proofreader, specialising in LGBTQ+ writing. Use this form to get in touch right now!
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