From Edie: PeggySue Wells shares how writers can self-edit for accuracy and consistency by fact-checking details, verifying Scripture, and following publisher guidelines.
Self-Editing for Writers: Fact-Checking, Consistency, and the Details That Matter
by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells
Once your manuscript is complete, there are several rounds of self-editing an author can do before sending your polished baby to beta readers, an editor, or a writing coach, and certainly before moving toward publication.
Give your brain a minimum of a couple of days away from the manuscript. Two to four weeks is even better if your schedule allows. When you return, your goal is to read less like the author and more like a reader.
Distance helps you see gaps, inconsistencies, unnecessary repetition, and sections that made perfect sense while you were writing but leave a reader wondering what happened.
By the third stage of self-editing, you’ve already looked at the larger issues of content, flow, and believability. The focus narrows to smaller details capable of weakening an otherwise strong manuscript.
Double-Check the Facts
No matter how certain you are of your memory, double-check facts.
Readers with experience in the industry, hobby, profession, or region you’re writing about will lose trust when the facts are not correct. Incorrect facts can cause them to wonder about the credibility of the rest of the book.
If you’re writing about an industry, profession, hobby, historical event, military procedure, medical situation, geographic location, or specialized skill, someone reading your book will know more about the subject than you do.
For fiction writers, factual accuracy also supports the fictional world. Your character may be imaginary, but if she lands at a real airport, drives a real highway, carries a particular weapon, flies a specific aircraft, or undergoes a medical procedure, check the details.
The same principle applies to nonfiction. Verify names, dates, statistics, quotations, titles, locations, Scripture references, and claims presented as fact.
Follow the Publisher’s Guidelines
If you’re writing for a particular publisher, organization, or publication, check their style guidelines.
Do they want pronouns referring to God or Jesus to begin with a capital H or not?
What version of the Bible is their requested version?
How should Scripture references appear?
Does the publisher follow The Chicago Manual of Style, its own house style, or another standard?
Don’t spend hours making a manuscript beautifully consistent according to one convention only to discover your publisher requires another.
Check Your Scripture
Scripture is another layer of fact-checking for faith-based writers.
Verify every quotation with the Bible translation you cite. Don’t trust your memory, even with a verse you’ve known since childhood.
Unless specified differently by your publisher, Scripture can be quoted in this format:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” Philippians 4:8 ESV.
Currently, it is customary to use one translation throughout the manuscript. The translation is identified on your copyright page along with the required copyright notice. This allows the author to include Scripture verses without adding the translation tag every time, such as NIV or ESV. For the occasional Scripture from a different version, designate the version with the reference.
Spell out the name of the book of the Bible rather than abbreviating it. Don’t assume every reader knows Phil. means Philippians or 1 Thess. means First Thessalonians. Biblical literacy isn’t something we require before welcoming someone into a Christian book. Your reader may be new to faith, returning after years away, or investigating Christianity.
Spelling out the book gives readers one more signpost to help them find the passage for themselves.
Sweat the Small Stuff
By this round of self-edits, you aren’t asking whether the manuscript has a compelling premise or whether Chapter Seven belongs before Chapter Six. Those questions were addressed in earlier editing rounds.
The third stage of self-editing is about details.
- Is this accurate?
- Is this consistent?
- Have I followed the appropriate style?
- Have I verified what I remember?
What self-edits would you add to the list?
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PeggySue is a frequent guest with media including Focus On The Family, Family Life Today, and Christian Product Expo. She regularly teaches at conferences including Write To Publish, Taylor University Writers Conference, Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. Collaborator on multiple titles including books with Dr. Benjamin Hardy, Shemane Nugent, Pat Palau, and Pam Farrel, PeggySue is a writing coach. When not writing, she parasails, skydives, snorkels, scuba dives, rides horses, and has taken (but not passed) pilot training. Founder of SingleMomCircle.com, connect with PS Wells at WWW.PEGGYSUEWELLS.COM, on Facebook at PeggySue Wells, and LinkedIn at LINKEDIN.COM/IN/PEGGYSUEWELLS
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