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Effective Editing: How to Take Your Writing to the Next Level
Course Guidebook - 115 pages
Editing your own work is difficult, but it’s a crucial skill to master if you want to be a successful writer. After all, writing goes far beyond simply creating a rough draft - it’s how the work evolves from a rough draft to a finished piece that separates the good from the great. And as anyone who’s tried their hand at revising a novel or memoir can tell you, it’s all too easy to become mired in the details rather than see the bigger picture, merely focusing on the trees and forgetting the forest, until it grows unwieldy and overwhelming.
The tendency during the revision process to focus on the “little picture” versus the “big picture” can be overcome with the right tools and perspective. This is where Effective Editing: How to Take Your Writing to the Next Level comes in. Book coach and editor Molly McCowan takes you through the self-editing process in 13 detailed lessons, using a step-by-step method designed to reduce overwhelm and to structure the revision process in the most productive way possible. Working from the big to the little picture of your work, Molly shows you how to strengthen character development, find and fix plot holes, build stronger scenes, focus on smooth pacing and point-of-view issues, elevate your language, and much more.
The focus of this course is for you to improve your narrative writing skills, including fiction and nonfiction, such as memoir, autobiography, biography, and personal essays. Molly’s tips and tools throughout the course can help any writer edit their own work with skill and confidence.
Editing your own work is difficult, but it’s a crucial skill to master if you want to be a successful writer. After all, writing goes far beyond simply creating a rough draft - it’s how the work evolves from a rough draft to a finished piece that separates the good from the great. And as anyone who’s tried their hand at revising a novel or memoir can tell you, it’s all too easy to become mired in the details rather than see the bigger picture, merely focusing on the trees and forgetting the forest, until it grows unwieldy and overwhelming.
The tendency during the revision process to focus on the “little picture” versus the “big picture” can be overcome with the right tools and perspective. This is where Effective Editing: How to Take Your Writing to the Next Level comes in. Book coach and editor Molly McCowan takes you through the self-editing process in 13 detailed lessons, using a step-by-step method designed to reduce overwhelm and to structure the revision process in the most productive way possible. Working from the big to the little picture of your work, Molly shows you how to strengthen character development, find and fix plot holes, build stronger scenes, focus on smooth pacing and point-of-view issues, elevate your language, and much more.
The focus of this course is for you to improve your narrative writing skills, including fiction and nonfiction, such as memoir, autobiography, biography, and personal essays. Molly’s tips and tools throughout the course can help any writer edit their own work with skill and confidence.
115 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
9 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 23, 2022
Good stuff on how to edit (and write) a good yarn. My proper review is here: https://patricksherriff.com/2022/07/2...
March 16, 2024
This is very useful, thank you.
July 15, 2022
This was helpful for the entire editing process and I'm glad to have it as a reference guide.
April 8, 2022
Effective Editing is a good introduction. McCowan takes you step-by-step through the each level of editing and is a pleasure to listen to throughout.
I personally didn't gain new insights from this course but I recognize it's value, especially for those new to revision. If you've read a few books on editing, you can probably skip this one. But if you're new and feeling overwhelmed, unsure what to do with that rough draft, then this is a great place to learn.
I personally didn't gain new insights from this course but I recognize it's value, especially for those new to revision. If you've read a few books on editing, you can probably skip this one. But if you're new and feeling overwhelmed, unsure what to do with that rough draft, then this is a great place to learn.
June 7, 2024
Excellent clear explanations for both why and how. Really appreciate the additional advice for planning and timing to reduce rework and staying motivated.
May 11, 2023
Suddenly it felt like even I could write a book professionally. If I ever write a book, I will be sure to revisit this audio course.
May 13, 2024
A useful course. Here’s my notes:
Lesson 1 - 4 Levels of Editing
There are four levels of editing:
1) Developmental (substantive or structural) editing - looks at the big picture and analyses how well the story works as a whole (1. Character 2. Structure 3. Pacing)
2) Line editing - looks for clarity and flow at the paragraph/sentence level. (1. Cut unnecessary passages 2. Improve transitions 3. Change from passive to active voice/ tense shifts 4. Improve word choice) Remember: Do not correct typos at this stage; it is a waste of time.
3) Copy editing (includes grammar, spelling, internal consistency of character and plot details e.g. hair colour, fact-checking.) Authors generally don’t do copy editing or proofreading themselves. Most popular style guides: AP for journalism, Chicago for Fiction/Nonfiction/Essays
4) Proofreading (fixing typos and checking how the piece will look when published). In proofreading one would also consider type-setting: eliminate widows (single words on their own line) and orphans (final line of a paragraph at the top of a page)
There are professional copy editors and professional proofreaders and they do different jobs. When self-publishing people will hire these.
Lesson 2 - Planning Your Edit
Do not edit too soon. Practise not editing too soon.
Complete a rough draft.
Focus on improving the text rather than correcting errors.
Figure out how you can best receive feedback - feedback group, asking specific questions, etc.
When giving feedback - try to answer specific questions the author is asking about the piece (e.g. does this character seem realistic?), use compliment sandwiches.
Experiment with reading things in new ways: in new locations, printed out, reading aloud, reading to someone, hearing someone read it, in a different typeface. Set a timer and edit as fast as possible and then take breaks - the breaks are when your brain will solve problems.
Lesson 3 - Editing for Plot and Structure
When asked what is the plot? Lots of people will give the premise or the set-up to the book: it is about the lone survivor of a zombie apocalypse. But this is not really what the book is about: The plot is what actually happens in the story - the cause and effect events which allow a character to grow and change.
Structure on the other hand is about how one organises the plot - the order and way you give information to the reader.
Plot is driven by asking what the protagonist wants and linking the pursuit of it with: so, but, therefore (not then).
3 Act structure:
Act 1 - Protagonist pulled into conflict
Act 2 - He is farther from his goal
Act 3 - Resolution
There are 15 story beats found in all movies and stories. Save the Cat is a writing manual, story structure, and plotting method devised by Hollywood screenwriter Blake Snyder. Originally intended for writing screenplays, the method is now also popular with novelists, providing writers with a framework to plan their story with theme, character development, and pacing in mind.
Since Snyder’s sheet was originally created for screenwriting, the bracketed number by each beat is the page or pages that it would take up of a standard 110-page screenplay. The beats are as follows:
1) Opening Image [1]: An opening snapshot.
2) Theme Stated [5]: We are introduced to the central theme or lesson of the story.
3) Set Up [1-10]: The hero and the 'ordinary world' are introduced.
4) Catalyst [12]: Something happens that sets the story in motion.
5) Debate [12-25]: The hero is hesitant to take action.
6) Break Into Two [25]: The hero takes up the challenge.
7) B Story [30]: The subplot kicks in, introducing a character who helps the hero in their transformation.
8) Fun and Games [30-55]: The hero in the throes of their challenge or journey.
9) Midpoint [55]: The stakes are raised.
10) Bad Guys Close In [55-75]: Things start going downhill for the hero.
11) All is Lost [75]: Things go from bad to worse. The hero hits rock bottom.
12) Dark Night of the Soul [75-85]: Faced with defeat, the hero must reckon with their loss and how they got there.
13) Break Into Three [85]: The hero realizes a truth that’s been evading him all this time.
14) Finale [85-110]: Putting his new awareness into action, the hero conquers the bad guys.
15) Final Image [110]: A snapshot that mirrors or contrasts the opening image.
The writer should be able to describe each beat with just one or two sentences. As Snyder says, “I learned that if I can’t fill in the blank in one or two sentences — I don’t have a beat yet! I am just guessing. I am treading water, about to drown.”
Need to connect the protagonists need, want, and flaw to the story
Lesson 4 - Editing for Dynamic Characters
Wasn’t interested - didn’t find helpful.
Lesson 5 - Tackling Point of View
There are three main problems writers face with point of view:
Switching from third person limited to third person omniscient
Head Hopping - jumping between different characters POV mid scene. Establish POV character immediately.
Filtering - using words which put a barrier between the character and the reader. E.g. looked, felt, saw, noticed, knew. These are common in rough drafts but one should try to edit them into concrete actions so that the reader can live in the head of the character without being reminded that there is distance between them and the character.
Lesson 6 - Scene vs Narration
Many stories struggle with pacing especially in the second act ‘a sagging middle’. The best way to resolve this is to push the characters to transform.
Typical 3 Act Structure:
Act 1: 20%
Act 2: 60%
Act 3: 20%
Too much narration or summary is the most common pace killer in books.
The main things authors don’t cut which harm their writing: backstory, world-building, background research. These need to be shown, not told.
When they need to be told: weave in these things when they are necessary, and remember, it is good to leave readers with questions about the characters/world. This creates intrigue and allows room for their imagination.
There are three ways to transition using narration:
1) Time jumps - Jumping forward to a later time. E.g. “a few days later”
2) Travelling (almost always include time jump as well) “He boarded the bus for Denver at nightfall”
3) Voice-over bridge: when the narrator interrupts to move the story forward.
On a micro-level, use shorter/longer sentences to control pacing.
To speed up: use more dialogue and action scenes, and small cliff-hangers (just creating questions for the reader).
To slow down: use more internal thought, description and longer paragraphs.
Paragraphs under five sentences are for fast-paced writing.
Lee Childs “write the fast stuff fast and the slow stuff slow”
Lesson 7: Building Stronger Scenes
Try taking a break from the manuscript and then reconstructing scenes from memory as a way of figuring out what is strong and essential.
Remove or rewrite scenes with a lack of conflict, change or proactiveness from the protagonist.
Modern readers are used to 3-7 scenes per chapter
Lesson 8: Showing vs Telling
This lesson gives some examples of how to spot and change ‘telling not showing’. The key lesson though is to show what is interesting and important and to tell what really needs to be told to keep the story moving.
Lesson 9: Dialogue that Sparkles
Don’t over explain in dialogue.
Dialogue can’t be too real because real dialogue is often filled with small talk and boring moments. Dialogue needs purpose and/or conflict.
Characters should either have an opposing viewpoint or an opposing goal.
Leaning on adverbs is a sign of weak dialogue.
Most manuscripts have too much internal monologue.
Lesson 10: Sentences that Sizzle
Adverbs are useful in drafting, but they can often be unnecessary if you find the right verb.
Use adverbs when (1) it communicates meaning better than a stronger verb could, or (2) it changes the meaning of the verb it modifies (e.g. ‘she laughed happily’ is redundant but ‘she laughed sadly’ works.
Common Adjectives (e.g. good, dark, loud) are often useless. Avoid redundant adjectives and excessive adjectives.
Swap adjectives for nouns, except where the adjectives: (1) contain crucial information that a noun couldn’t, and (2) change the meaning of the noun.
Molly McCowan suggests removing 90% of adverbs and 80% of adjectives and replacing them (if necessary) with stronger verbs/nouns or lines which don’t need adverbs/adjectives, e.g. instead of ‘big potatoes’ try ‘potatoes the size of grapefruits’
Use a light touch with adjectives especially in character descriptions and let the readers bring their imagination to the story.
Lesson 11: Pruning your Prose
George Orwell wrote a parody of Ecclesiastes 9:11 designed to ridicule the bloated writing of his day:
“Objective consideration of contemporary phenomena compels the conclusion that success or failure in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element of the unpredictable must invariably be taken into account.”
The traditional version:
"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, not the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." Ecclesiastes 9:11, King James Version
Lesson 12: Grammar Rules
If someone says never end a sentence with a preposition, quote them this saying falsely attributed to Winston Churchill “This is the sort of thing up with which I will not put.”
Lesson 1 - 4 Levels of Editing
There are four levels of editing:
1) Developmental (substantive or structural) editing - looks at the big picture and analyses how well the story works as a whole (1. Character 2. Structure 3. Pacing)
2) Line editing - looks for clarity and flow at the paragraph/sentence level. (1. Cut unnecessary passages 2. Improve transitions 3. Change from passive to active voice/ tense shifts 4. Improve word choice) Remember: Do not correct typos at this stage; it is a waste of time.
3) Copy editing (includes grammar, spelling, internal consistency of character and plot details e.g. hair colour, fact-checking.) Authors generally don’t do copy editing or proofreading themselves. Most popular style guides: AP for journalism, Chicago for Fiction/Nonfiction/Essays
4) Proofreading (fixing typos and checking how the piece will look when published). In proofreading one would also consider type-setting: eliminate widows (single words on their own line) and orphans (final line of a paragraph at the top of a page)
There are professional copy editors and professional proofreaders and they do different jobs. When self-publishing people will hire these.
Lesson 2 - Planning Your Edit
Do not edit too soon. Practise not editing too soon.
Complete a rough draft.
Focus on improving the text rather than correcting errors.
Figure out how you can best receive feedback - feedback group, asking specific questions, etc.
When giving feedback - try to answer specific questions the author is asking about the piece (e.g. does this character seem realistic?), use compliment sandwiches.
Experiment with reading things in new ways: in new locations, printed out, reading aloud, reading to someone, hearing someone read it, in a different typeface. Set a timer and edit as fast as possible and then take breaks - the breaks are when your brain will solve problems.
Lesson 3 - Editing for Plot and Structure
When asked what is the plot? Lots of people will give the premise or the set-up to the book: it is about the lone survivor of a zombie apocalypse. But this is not really what the book is about: The plot is what actually happens in the story - the cause and effect events which allow a character to grow and change.
Structure on the other hand is about how one organises the plot - the order and way you give information to the reader.
Plot is driven by asking what the protagonist wants and linking the pursuit of it with: so, but, therefore (not then).
3 Act structure:
Act 1 - Protagonist pulled into conflict
Act 2 - He is farther from his goal
Act 3 - Resolution
There are 15 story beats found in all movies and stories. Save the Cat is a writing manual, story structure, and plotting method devised by Hollywood screenwriter Blake Snyder. Originally intended for writing screenplays, the method is now also popular with novelists, providing writers with a framework to plan their story with theme, character development, and pacing in mind.
Since Snyder’s sheet was originally created for screenwriting, the bracketed number by each beat is the page or pages that it would take up of a standard 110-page screenplay. The beats are as follows:
1) Opening Image [1]: An opening snapshot.
2) Theme Stated [5]: We are introduced to the central theme or lesson of the story.
3) Set Up [1-10]: The hero and the 'ordinary world' are introduced.
4) Catalyst [12]: Something happens that sets the story in motion.
5) Debate [12-25]: The hero is hesitant to take action.
6) Break Into Two [25]: The hero takes up the challenge.
7) B Story [30]: The subplot kicks in, introducing a character who helps the hero in their transformation.
8) Fun and Games [30-55]: The hero in the throes of their challenge or journey.
9) Midpoint [55]: The stakes are raised.
10) Bad Guys Close In [55-75]: Things start going downhill for the hero.
11) All is Lost [75]: Things go from bad to worse. The hero hits rock bottom.
12) Dark Night of the Soul [75-85]: Faced with defeat, the hero must reckon with their loss and how they got there.
13) Break Into Three [85]: The hero realizes a truth that’s been evading him all this time.
14) Finale [85-110]: Putting his new awareness into action, the hero conquers the bad guys.
15) Final Image [110]: A snapshot that mirrors or contrasts the opening image.
The writer should be able to describe each beat with just one or two sentences. As Snyder says, “I learned that if I can’t fill in the blank in one or two sentences — I don’t have a beat yet! I am just guessing. I am treading water, about to drown.”
Need to connect the protagonists need, want, and flaw to the story
Lesson 4 - Editing for Dynamic Characters
Wasn’t interested - didn’t find helpful.
Lesson 5 - Tackling Point of View
There are three main problems writers face with point of view:
Switching from third person limited to third person omniscient
Head Hopping - jumping between different characters POV mid scene. Establish POV character immediately.
Filtering - using words which put a barrier between the character and the reader. E.g. looked, felt, saw, noticed, knew. These are common in rough drafts but one should try to edit them into concrete actions so that the reader can live in the head of the character without being reminded that there is distance between them and the character.
Lesson 6 - Scene vs Narration
Many stories struggle with pacing especially in the second act ‘a sagging middle’. The best way to resolve this is to push the characters to transform.
Typical 3 Act Structure:
Act 1: 20%
Act 2: 60%
Act 3: 20%
Too much narration or summary is the most common pace killer in books.
The main things authors don’t cut which harm their writing: backstory, world-building, background research. These need to be shown, not told.
When they need to be told: weave in these things when they are necessary, and remember, it is good to leave readers with questions about the characters/world. This creates intrigue and allows room for their imagination.
There are three ways to transition using narration:
1) Time jumps - Jumping forward to a later time. E.g. “a few days later”
2) Travelling (almost always include time jump as well) “He boarded the bus for Denver at nightfall”
3) Voice-over bridge: when the narrator interrupts to move the story forward.
On a micro-level, use shorter/longer sentences to control pacing.
To speed up: use more dialogue and action scenes, and small cliff-hangers (just creating questions for the reader).
To slow down: use more internal thought, description and longer paragraphs.
Paragraphs under five sentences are for fast-paced writing.
Lee Childs “write the fast stuff fast and the slow stuff slow”
Lesson 7: Building Stronger Scenes
Try taking a break from the manuscript and then reconstructing scenes from memory as a way of figuring out what is strong and essential.
Remove or rewrite scenes with a lack of conflict, change or proactiveness from the protagonist.
Modern readers are used to 3-7 scenes per chapter
Lesson 8: Showing vs Telling
This lesson gives some examples of how to spot and change ‘telling not showing’. The key lesson though is to show what is interesting and important and to tell what really needs to be told to keep the story moving.
Lesson 9: Dialogue that Sparkles
Don’t over explain in dialogue.
Dialogue can’t be too real because real dialogue is often filled with small talk and boring moments. Dialogue needs purpose and/or conflict.
Characters should either have an opposing viewpoint or an opposing goal.
Leaning on adverbs is a sign of weak dialogue.
Most manuscripts have too much internal monologue.
Lesson 10: Sentences that Sizzle
Adverbs are useful in drafting, but they can often be unnecessary if you find the right verb.
Use adverbs when (1) it communicates meaning better than a stronger verb could, or (2) it changes the meaning of the verb it modifies (e.g. ‘she laughed happily’ is redundant but ‘she laughed sadly’ works.
Common Adjectives (e.g. good, dark, loud) are often useless. Avoid redundant adjectives and excessive adjectives.
Swap adjectives for nouns, except where the adjectives: (1) contain crucial information that a noun couldn’t, and (2) change the meaning of the noun.
Molly McCowan suggests removing 90% of adverbs and 80% of adjectives and replacing them (if necessary) with stronger verbs/nouns or lines which don’t need adverbs/adjectives, e.g. instead of ‘big potatoes’ try ‘potatoes the size of grapefruits’
Use a light touch with adjectives especially in character descriptions and let the readers bring their imagination to the story.
Lesson 11: Pruning your Prose
George Orwell wrote a parody of Ecclesiastes 9:11 designed to ridicule the bloated writing of his day:
“Objective consideration of contemporary phenomena compels the conclusion that success or failure in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element of the unpredictable must invariably be taken into account.”
The traditional version:
"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, not the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." Ecclesiastes 9:11, King James Version
Lesson 12: Grammar Rules
If someone says never end a sentence with a preposition, quote them this saying falsely attributed to Winston Churchill “This is the sort of thing up with which I will not put.”
July 2, 2022
Effective Editing was a fantastic book! If you want to take your writing to the next level, I highly recommend this book. Molly McCowan was a great instructor for this course. She provided excellent tips and techniques for success.
September 30, 2021
What an exceptional course/audio book. I learned a lot from this (and admittedly, have a lot to learn). The details and reasons behind each phase of editing were helpful, and the considerations for criteria for whether (or when) I should use a paid service were insightful. The teacher gave the needed instructions even in cases that she highly recommended contracting out the service, which will be helpful regardless of whether one does it herself or pays to have it done. Knowing what one expects from a paid editor is important. What a great resource.
December 6, 2021
Concise and enjoyable overview of improving your writing, focusing on fictional work, to improve your self-editing capabilities.
The course covers the four levels of editing, which is working from the big picture down. Also well as planning edits, plot and structure, dynamic characters, point of view, improving reader experience, strong scenes, show vs. tell, dialog, prose, grammar rules to ignore, and more.
There are many good tips here, and the pacing is excellent. I'm writing this review very early in the morning, and any mistakes are mine and not a reflection on this course!
The course covers the four levels of editing, which is working from the big picture down. Also well as planning edits, plot and structure, dynamic characters, point of view, improving reader experience, strong scenes, show vs. tell, dialog, prose, grammar rules to ignore, and more.
There are many good tips here, and the pacing is excellent. I'm writing this review very early in the morning, and any mistakes are mine and not a reflection on this course!
April 18, 2022
Effective Editing provides a strong, thorough overview of best practices for making your manuscript the best it can be. Not only does it give excellent advice on everything from developmental editing to proofreading, it provides loads of examples and even goes into how to find and work with professional editors for writers looking to traditionally publish and self-publish. A great go-to reference for any novelist.
May 21, 2022
Listened to this as an audiobook on audible. A truly invaluable guide to self-editing and understanding how true professional editors work. There were a couple of things I didn't quite agree with when it came to what to change/edit out -- but that might just be the writer in me rebelling against drastic change to my style and manuscript. I'll definitely be listening to this again, much slower, when I finally have my first draft written.
August 22, 2021
This book is so useful! Highly recommend it for people editing their novel or long-format narrative nonfiction work.
January 30, 2022
Very detailed and useful overview of the editing process.
February 25, 2022
Great Course,
I’m. Sure I’ll return to it. Clear, simple and straightforward. Very helpful. I recommend it.
I’m. Sure I’ll return to it. Clear, simple and straightforward. Very helpful. I recommend it.
February 6, 2023
As someone who has just finished the first draft of their first novel, I found this course very useful. If you've taken a lot of writing courses and/or read a lot of books on how to write, it doesn't present a lot of new information per se, at least when it comes to POV, timelines, and overall story structure. But as someone who hasn't yet read "Save the Cat! Writes a Novel", I found myself benefitting from the plot outline used in it (which Molly uses in this course) as well as finally figuring out what different types of editing entail, when in your writing/editing journey to do them, and which ones you shouldn't do yourself. If you, like me, have a first draft on your hands and have no idea what to do next, I would definitely recommend this course.
July 15, 2023
This is an excellent book on editing and writing. The lecturer starts off by explaining the four types of editing. Make sure the plot and structure make sense (developmental editing) before tweaking sentences chapter by chapter (line editing). A copyeditor would check for grammar and typos. A proofreader would look at the proof copy of the book (hence, a proofreader) and check for typos and page appearance. As the lecturer gives advice on developmental editing, it really becomes a lecture about writing (or rewriting bad prose). There are many "before" and "after" examples so you can see how bad writing can be fixed.
April 15, 2024
This audiobook and companion workbook is just what I needed. I have watched James Scott Bell’s full video series on How to Write Fiction that sells. I have read Save The Cat writes a novel, and numerous other books on writing.
This book does not rehash what I learned in those other videos and books. If you are done with one of your first manuscripts, this book is the perfect place to start to begin your editing process. I wish I had found this book six months ago when I started editing my first book. At least I found it now. I feel like I have a clear path forward from here.
This book does not rehash what I learned in those other videos and books. If you are done with one of your first manuscripts, this book is the perfect place to start to begin your editing process. I wish I had found this book six months ago when I started editing my first book. At least I found it now. I feel like I have a clear path forward from here.
June 1, 2023
The more I write, the more I find books on writing and editing helpful. The tips and tricks stick and the information feels more and more relevant. I really enjoyed listening to this one, and I’m going to purchase the outline for the course. I found it a great balance and helpful on how to break down editing so it’s not so daunting. I fully recommend!
July 29, 2023
This is a fantastic course covering all major aspects of editing! Don't know how, in eight years of college and tens of thousands of dollars later I never received this in-depth and practical kind of training! I am sure that my second book will benefit a whole lot from me having done this course, and I'm positive I will come back to it in the future!
September 11, 2023
My was my first “The Great Courses” This was a library pickup so I did not have all the materials they referred to but I would highly recommend this for beginner writers. A lot of the edits she discussed are ones I do, however there were enough tidbits to make this well worth your time if you are interested in writing.
Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
Joseph McKnight
http://www.josephmcknight.com
September 20, 2024
A shame I can’t give this six stars. As someone who was looking for a decent roadmap on how to edit his own work, I couldn’t have stumbled across a better book for an aspiring author. From straight forward explanations, to a structure you can implement in waves, this book should be a staple for many authors. I’m also getting the PDF version to print out as my go to reference!
April 14, 2025
This is a must for writers. I thought it would be useful to better process editing my students’ drafts. As I consider this a very boring task, I delayed hearing the audiobook as long as I could. Eventually I started - and loved it. It turns out it is more for writers than for editors. I believe my writing will improve significantly from it. I will reread it whenever I edit my own papers.
November 25, 2025
Note that this book emphasizes writing fiction, although many of the tips can apply to non-fiction. I primarily focus on non-fiction so that was the only downer for me. Other than that, it was a helpful book for writing and editing. It has led me to view my reading of fiction through a different lens.
September 26, 2022
Lot’s of great info for writers. I was not disappointed. I especially appreciated the last section on getting professional editing done. Yes, a professional is still needed (or at least very highly recommended), but it is also essential to know the self-editing process.
January 21, 2023
Yes, this is a good audiobook about editing.
It includes the types of editing, the order of the different types of editing, when to edit and how, and when to get an editor and what type.
It's clear, it's easy to follow, and useful.
It includes the types of editing, the order of the different types of editing, when to edit and how, and when to get an editor and what type.
It's clear, it's easy to follow, and useful.
November 26, 2023
crystal clear step by step breakdown on how to edit a narrative manuscript. like her writing suggestions, McCowan’s instructing precision and concision are superb.definitely one to keep around during the actual edit
June 1, 2022
Reglas básicas, bien explicadas. No hay más que añadir.
July 25, 2022
Shockingly bad.
July 27, 2022
4 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews