How many times should you self-edit your manuscript? When can you consider it finished? I’ve learned that there is no exact answer. As with many projects, it takes as long as it takes. But you’d better be sure that it’s ready before you go to publication.
A book manuscript is a large and complex body of work. It involves many, many words, punctuation and nuances. There are emotions tied to those words—emotions designed to evoke thought, memories, inspiration, ideas, tears, laughter and so forth. And it is important that you, the author, give the reader the best experience possible.
When you present your book to the public, you are taking on a huge responsibility. I urge you to take that responsibility seriously. Before rushing out to publish that book, scrutinize it from all angles. Make sure your readers don’t have to stumble through a plethora of errors, muddy writing, unnecessary rhetoric and unbelievable scenarios. Be true to your profession and be true to your readers.
How many times should you edit your manuscript? Five, fifteen or twenty-five? Edit until you can leave the manuscript alone for a week or more, pick it up and read through it WITHOUT making more than a handful of changes. THEN turn it over to a professional editor.