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If you're serious about writing, you're going to have to be equally serious about editing what you write.
The reason? No matter how great a writer you may be, you can't possibly turn out the "perfect" manuscript the first time through. Or the second. And sometimes not even the twelfth! That's where a sharp eye, a savage devotion to detail, and a ruthless desire to excel come in.
What does editing your own work entail?
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1. Make sure your finished work follows the plan in the outline. If not, is it better or worse for deviating? You need to make sure that each piece you write fits into the overall narrative. It it doesn't, your book will come across as wobbly and unfocused.
2. Have a beginning, a middle, and an end to the story. Otherwise, the "story" becomes little more than a sprawling "image," and that's not going to sustain the reader.
3. Remember--KISS! (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) As you develop your literary skills, you can jazz things up. But it's far easier to keep control of a story when the grammar and the storyline are simple.
4. Write consistently. Use the same style you use in your everyday writing--notes, letters, e-mails, etc. Just because your book-length manuscript is a hundred times longer than most of the stuff you write doesn't mean it should be a hundred times more complicated.
5. Review the book's development, asking what each part of the book conveys; whether or not that's what you want it to convey; and if there's a better way of getting your message across.
6. Cut, cut, cut! Trim out the fat. Look for unnecessary information, wordiness, and bulky or unrealistic dialogue. Rewrite in a way that's realistic, sharper, and more focused, or cut the unnecessary material out. It's not gold, remember--only words.
7. Read every single word out loud. Your ear can hear things your "inner ear" (i.e., your mind) can't. You'll be amazed at just how many weak spots you'll "hear." Awkward passages, unrealistic dialogue, and flawed storyline development should be the first to go.
8. Take some time off between finishing the writing and starting the editing. You'll be fresher and more likely to spot those areas that need changes.
9. Edit, edit, edit. When you've finished editing, take a day or two off and go back and do it again. You'll be amazed at how many weaknesses each successive edit turns up.
10. Get by with a little help from your friends. Particularly while you're new at editing. Another few pairs of eyes just might turn up some recurring problem areas that need help.
That's about the best advice I can give you to get your creation, your soul mate, your baby ready for introduction to the world.
Remember: Be as true to yourself in editing as you were in writing, and you'll soon be cranking 'em out--one best seller after another.
Until then...
Smoke if you got 'em.
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