Be the pizza! I don't want to be a pizza, I want to eat some pizza.
Butters, are you a pumpkin? We're the P’s. I'm a pizza, you're a pumpkin! You're a little pumpkin!
No kisses for me? (Butter’s Voice) Not when you make me wear this stupid shit, mom!
(The sound of a pen scratching.) LOGO.
(Normal Voice) Hellooo everybody! Today we're talking about one of the most horrifying parts of the
writing process, and that's editing. (Scary Voice) Oh, no! (Normal Voice) The self edit is the stage right before
the professional edit. This is when you finished writing the rough draft of your novel and it's
time for you to polish that bad boy up. A lot of writers HATE this stage. They're SO intimidated,
they drag their feet and sometimes put it off indefinitely. I, on the other hand, enjoy the self
edit. It's actually one of my favorite parts of the writing process, and that's because I
COMPLETELY changed my mindset around it. Because of this, I'm going to tell you the top 10 things
you need to know before you edit your novel. That way, the process will be less traumatic for you
and maybe kind of enjoyable. Before we get started, I gotta show my love for ProWritingAid, who has
generously sponsored today's video! If you're starting the self edit process, ProWritingAid
will make it 10 times easier! It's a fantastic platform that not only helps writers edit their
work, it also helps them understand those edits so they can improve their writing over time.
Not only does it offer grammar and spell check features, it's also a style editor as well as a
source of education. Say, for example, you have an issue with passive voice. ProWritingAid won't just
point out the passive voice, it's also going to explain what it is and tell you how to avoid
doing it in the future. This is one of the many reasons I prefer it to other editing software.
It's got reports, articles, videos, and quizzes that help strengthen your writing overall
so you can improve with time. It also has more software integrations than any other platform.
Google Doc, Chrome, Word, Scrivener - ProWritingAid is compatible with all of them, and more! You can try
ProWritingAid out for free. However, if you want to check out their premium platform, you can get
20% off right now by clicking the link in the description below. Click the link, save yourself
some money! You'll be glad you did! With that said, let's break down the 10 things you ABSOLUTELY need
to know before you start editing your novel. And while you're here, if you want more writing advice,
editing advice, publishing advice, and so on, be sure to subscribe to my channel and ring that bell!
I post content on Wednesdays, with bonus content on Mondays. Number One (1): Yes, you HAVE to. “But Jenna, isn't
that the editor's job? To edit my manuscript.” Yes, exactly. They're supposed to edit your MANUSCRIPT.
But a rough draft ISN’T a manuscript, it's a pile of shit. It's not humanly possible to create
a perfect book after one attempt. And when you finally read over your rough draft, that is going
to be blatantly clear. It's a mess. You can't send a rough draft to an editor. That's essentially asking
them to rewrite the entire book for you, and that's not their job - that's yours. You're gonna have to
edit the manuscript several times yourself, to the point where you have gotten it as polished as you
possibly can on your own. That's when the pros come into play, and not any time before that. Number Two (2):
No, you're NOT almost done. A lot of writers finish their first draft and assume the hardest part
is over. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're wrong, bitch. The editing phase can often
take as long or longer than the first draft. There are always exceptions, but those often go hand in
hand with experience. It's great to be excited about your writing journey, but now is not the
time to start planning your release. People who treat this as the end of the road tend to find
the editing process MUCH more frustrating than it needs to be. They become so discouraged by how
slow the process moves, which can lead to a rush job. It can lead to anxiety, imposter syndrome, or
quitting altogether. Thus, it pays to be realistic. This next phase is very slow, and sometimes tedious.
And that is COMPLETELY normal. Number Three (3): It's called a ‘rough draft‘ for a reason, because that
shit is rough. A lot of people start the self edit, read through the rough draft for
the first time, and have a nervous breakdown. “But Jenna, it's SO bad!” Of course, it's bad! It's not
finished. All unfinished things are bad! Do you remember how awkward and pimply you were during
puberty? You weren't finished adulting yet. The same thing is happening to your manuscript. It's
going through all kinds of wonderful - and sometimes embarrassing - changes. Pop those manuscript pimples!
It'll be gross, but satisfying. The point is if manuscripts were perfect the first time around,
a lot more people would be best sellers. Stop beating yourself up for having a rough rough draft.
It's literally in the name. Number Four (4): Inch by inch, life is a cinch. Starting the self edit can be
overwhelming, because oh my God, you have to edit an entire book! Except, what if you didn't have to edit
an ENTIRE book? Looking at the big picture is going to feel insurmountable. So instead, take it piece by
piece. You are not editing a book - you're editing a chapter. You are not completing a manuscript - you're
completing the developmental changes. Divide the self edit into smaller, digestible chunks that you
can tackle one at a time. If you need a guide for how to divide up your self edit, check out my video
on the topic. I've got it listed below! But whatever you do, make sure you tackle your self edit in
smaller parts. Because inch by inch, life is a cinch and yard by yard, life is hard. Number Five (5): Mistakes
are a good thing. The main reason people hate self editing isn't because it's time consuming,
it's because it's embarrassing. You have to reread your old writing, and suddenly
all these typos, mistakes, and inconsistencies are blatantly obvious. How did you not see them sooner?
What if I told you mistakes are a good thing? Like, a really good thing. They serve as evidence that
you are a better writer now than you were when you started the manuscript. That's what you want! You
want to improve and grow in your craft with time and experience. So you shouldn't be embarrassed
each time you find a mistake. If anything, you should feel relieved. “Thank God I've improved
to the point where I'm capable of correcting my issues!” There are plenty of writers who have
plateaued, but you are moving forward and that is a GREAT thing. Number Six (6): Now is the time for
education. Drafting isn't the time to worry about the intricacies of syntax and grammar, but all that
changes once you start the edit. And while it IS important to handle your self edit in batches,
eventually you're gonna have to tackle these issues. You may not be an expert on commas. Maybe
you struggle with the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re.’ This is the time to figure it out! Yes, it'll
slow down the process, but it'll also make it so much easier to write and edit your NEXT book. This
is where platforms like ProWritingAid really come in handy. You can upload your manuscript and have
these sort of issues pointed out to you. On top of that, it'll tell you why the issue is an issue in
the first place, and how to avoid it in the future. Take advantage of ALL the knowledge you can gain
while editing and get into the habit of producing cleaner writing. Number Seven (7): You're not alone.
Congratulations! The self edit is the ideal time to ask for help. Lots and lots of help! Please help
me! This first and foremost means critique partners. They should be reading one of your earliest drafts
and pointing out your recurring crutches and mistakes. You also get to enlist beta readers,
typically after you've edited your draft a few times and you feel comfortable with its quality.
But there are plenty of other ways to feel less alone and overwhelmed during the self edit.
Join a writing group so you can pick each other's brains and commiserate during the experience.
I have an exclusive writing group via my Patreon called Cyborg Central, and there are
TONS of writers there talking about editing all the time. And of course, utilizing platforms like
ProWritingAid will help you improve and grow the quality of your work when you're feeling
totally stumped and struggling to find answers. This process will be a hell of a lot easier if
you take advantage of all the help you can get! Number Eight (8): Comparison is the thief of joy. “But
Jenna, Stephen King's writing is SO much better than mine!” Stephen King is also 5 billion years old.
He's had eons to perfect his craft. Don't compare where you don't compete. It's not only unrealistic
to compare yourself to famous people with years of experience, it's also destructive and unfair.
Why are you expecting to grow in skill and talent at a superhuman rate? You ain't all that! This isn't
going to make you a better writer, it's just going to stunt your editing process until you're riddled
with imposter syndrome. Stop being an idiot. The only person you should be comparing yourself
to is the writer you were yesterday. Number Nine (9): Budget. This is the self edit, not the professional edit,
and it's going to take a long time. But one day you're gonna reach the professional edit, and
if you're going with a self-publishing route, it's going to cost you. You know what would really suck?
If you needed to hire an editor and realized you were broke. If you're at the self edit and haven't
begun setting aside funds for an editor, now's the time. Get your shit together! The earlier,
the better. If you know NOTHING about budgeting, fortunately for you, I have a video all about
budgeting in order to save up money for future book expenses. It's linked in the description below!
I have a degree in business finance, so I know what I'm talking about. And Number Ten (10): Perfection
is subjective...and that's why it's unattainable. This is not to deter you from putting your all
into your self edit. You should ABSOLUTELY try to make your manuscript as polished as possible, but
‘perfection’ shouldn't be the goal. Because if it is, you will never finish. You are going to share your
work with some people who love it and some people who hate it, because that's how subjective opinion
works. If MOST of the people who come across your work take issue with it, then yes, your manuscript
likely still needs some editing. But if a majority of the response is positive, and you've made
it as polished as you possibly can, then it's time to put the red pen down. You're gonna have
to be done at some point. At least until you hand the manuscript off to your professional editor,
and the process starts all over again. So that's all I got for you today! A HUGE thank you to
ProWritingAid for sponsoring today's video! If you are about to embark on the self-editing process,
I cannot recommend this platform enough. You can try ProWritingAid out for free, or you
can get 20% off their premium platform - which is the platform that I use - right now by clicking the link
in the description below! That's 20% off just for clicking the link. Check them out, save some money
along the way! You'll be glad you did! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel! I post new videos on
Wednesdays, and if you want to be alerted as SOON as I upload, ring that bell. The Savior’s Sister is
out in ebook, hardback, and paperback at all major retailers! So if you like romance, dark fantasy,
and bloodshed, definitely pick up a copy! I've got the links in the description below. And be
sure to follow me on social media! I'm on Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook - and of course, you can Tweet me
@JennaMoreci! Bye! (Older Male Voice) This is Wembleton. If you haven't subscribed to Jenna’s channel, then by all means, go
for it! The people will love you for it! Go on, press the button, ding that bell. See you soon!