You have reached The End. Now What?

Prepare your story for the journey ahead.

Congratulations! You have written a book. Most people who say they want to be an author do not make it this far.

Many authors moan about the editing phase, but this is when you polish your work into a book you will be proud to share. Michael Crichton is credited with saying, “Books aren’t written—they’re rewritten.” Take his words to heart. Great writers don’t stop at the first draft.

What comes next for your story?

If your first draft isn’t complete, then continue to write until you reach The End, no matter how awful you think it is. As Nora Roberts once said, “You can’t edit a blank page.”

Writing Pursuits Editing Services

Every writer and every story starts at a different level of readiness. If you have completed your first draft, you can find a few critique partners to help you get through the first revision. Or you can invest in a story diagnostic to save yourself a lot of time and effort.

Story Diagnostic

The Story Diagnostic is the featured service at Writing Pursuits. It is based on the Three Story Method, created by J. Thorn, and only offered by Three Story Method Certified Editors. Get an unbiased assessment of your manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses through a comprehensive Story Rubric, that covers:

• Character (characterization, dialogue, protagonist’s wants and needs, character arc)
• Genre (expectations, setting/world building)
• Style (emotional tone, theme, pacing)
• Mechanics (showing vs. telling, passive voice, other issues)
• Plot
• Conflict
• Choice
• Consequence

No edits are made directly to your document.

The Story Diagnostic service includes:

• Thoughtful read through of entire manuscript
• Completed Story Rubric (see Services)
• 60-minute Zoom call to discuss your manuscript
• Unlimited follow-up email communication
• Audio and video recording of 60-minute Zoom call
• Free digital download of THREE STORY METHOD
• Guaranteed completion in 60 days or less

Coaching

Final Chapter Coaching is intended to get you to The End. Revisions are often a grueling process; coaching and accountability can make all the difference.

Coaching consists of multiple, recorded Zoom calls in 30-minute increments; we will discuss the toughest parts of your manuscript. My notes and the recordings are available after each session. Send me your worst. 😀

This process is no substitute for a copyedit or proofreading which you should hire out after your book is complete.

What is a substantive edit?

A substantive edit tackles the big issues to help you avoid spending money on a line edit before your story is ready. No edits are made directly to your document, but comments may be inserted to aid communication.

The editor will act as a consultant on your project’s premise, content, and organization, including the following topics: character, plot, setting, point of view, theme, and style.

Entire scenes and chapters may need to be rearranged, rewritten, or eliminated. This step is critical to the future success of your novel. If you have experienced critique partners, then you may have garnered most of the benefits of a substantive edit. If there’s any doubt about the end result, don’t just hope for the best. Devote the necessary funds to this process.

What is a line edit?

A line edit addresses readability, flow, and craft; this is when your prose gets polished.

You will receive your work back with Track Changes turned on so you can accept or reject the suggested changes; you may also receive a fresh document with Changes Accepted. The editor will make many comments to let you inside their thought process. This is a great opportunity to learn about the craft of writing.

The editor will root out repetition and weasel words and make suggestions about phrasing, pacing, setting the scenes, hooks, and scene/chapter arcs.

Even this late in the game, the editor may discover plot holes. They will search for anachronisms, factual errors, and writing mistakes, like a character changing name or hair color in the middle of the story.

Deletions, additions, and changes abound in this phase. Occasionally, sentences and paragraphs will be put in a new order for clarity and flow.

What is a copy edit?

A copy edit should come after you make your last revisions following the line edit because new errors are introduced during the revision process. A copy edit focuses on eliminating the “PUGS”—errors in Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling.

What is proofreading?

Proofreading is an essential step that comes after your book is formatted, when you have your proof copy ready to be published. Formatting involves touching the document, and errors always seem to creep in. Words and letters go missing, as do periods and commas.

Some authors are able to perform this step themselves, but a fresh pair of eyes often spots errors the author overlooks.