Part 3 Of The Editing Tutorial Series. The Final Read Through
The final stage of the editing process is arguably the most crucial. That final read-through should prove that all your cutting, snipping, and pruning was worth it.
It is only when you take a step back that you can see your hard work as a complete whole. Whether that’s an artwork, a plate of home-cooked food, or a fully revised manuscript.
The editing process may seem rather arbitrary when you have a word count to hit yet each sentence needs to be judged on its merits. That could mean phrases are trimmed while huge chunks of text are removed. Reading your manuscript out loud should let you know whether all of it still makes sense, yet it still helps to isolate and emphasise various parts to ensure that they hit home.
Hone In On The Details
‘Cutting Down That Word Count’, the first part of the editing process that I’ve covered, should focus on the overall story. Once all that is in place, you can hone in on the details. Remember that any publisher will, not only, have their own house style, but should come with a team of proofreaders to provide a level of oversight. They’ve been trained to pick out inaccuracies and inconsistencies that you may have missed. That’s not to say you shouldn’t at least TRY to ensure that your manuscript is as clean as it can be before submission.
One motto that has seen me through the writing process is scribbled on a Post-it note that’s stuck on a wall in my study. At difficult moments, I’ve glanced to my left and read ‘Don’t let perfection get in the way of very good' (thanks Elie). My manuscript isn’t perfect, there’ll be points that readers disagree with, but for the most part it tells a story, and it tells it well. That’s the meat and bones of it, though there will still be blemishes that can be fixed in good time before a hand-over date.
Chasing perfection with the details is a foolish errand, though bear in mind that there are easier ways to check them. In the ‘Formatting, Formatting, Formatting’ post, I mentioned how you could use ctrl and f to ensure maximum coverage. For instance, finding the specific incorrect spelling of a certain word to ensure it does not feature. That’ll save you some specific embarrassment.
The final read-through should go a little further and help you pick out those tiny details that may have slipped the net. An odd misplaced comma, a missing closing bracket, or a misspelt name. Be patient with it, as soon enough the words can lose all meaning and you can end up missing some crucial details.
Lesson 1: Do not let perfection get in the way of very good though it doesn’t hurt to take a systemic approach to certain details.
Check The Flow
A final manuscript should have a certain rhythm and flow to it. That can prove tricky when you have cut out huge chunks of text. As the word count comes down, gaps still need to be filled. Dates and facts may have been cut, so a cleverly worded sentence with specific details can act as a band-aid to bring two sections of text together.
My manuscript has a linear structure to it due to sticking to a specific timeline. That does help with the order, yet sometimes the flow can suffer. It’s likely that in fiction the flow is easier to establish and stick to. One of the things I have found during my editing process is that I need to find a certain balance. Not just in my coverage of certain acts, but from event to event.
Understandably, the opening parts of my manuscript are the most exciting. Bands have been formed, and music fans were becoming excited by the possibilities. Technology was changing and bringing a new order to how music was consumed. What comes up must come down, and the final parts of the manuscript can seem a little dour. Those promising bands are struggling, and the demise is signalled when the breakups begin.
During a read-through, I decided to try and break up the manuscript and inject a bit of promise. I couldn’t have the end-point being the inevitable split of so many bands. Instead, my finale brought a touch of hope, so the reader was not left leaving disappointed. All good things come to an end, yet I imagined my reader closing the book with a smile rather than a grimace.
In my experience, that final read-through should feel effortless. Sections fall into one another and ultimately make sense. I am certainly at the point where none of my manuscript is a surprise anymore. I’ve read it so many times that I know where the drama lies and what comes next. At this point, I’ve felt comfortable handing the manuscript over to people I trust as the flow should make sense to them too.
Lesson 2: There should be an effortless flow to your manuscript though ensure you are not missing out any crucial details to the story.
Read It Out Aloud
There is a lot to be said about hearing how the manuscript sounds in your own head. That works well, to a certain extent. I try to liken my manuscript as an album. A band or solo artist can toil away in the studio for months, even years, and believe that their album sounds exactly as they planned. Playback comes out of expensive speakers and everything rings true. What about for the general public?
The Car Test is simply listening to an album in the car. A musician will already know how the songs sound in the studio, possibly the best possible listening environment yet they still take the time to consider how it sounds in the most familiar listening environment. The trick is whether those sounds still come through as intended and as impactful, or if they are lost in the background. If it’s good enough for Dave Grohl…
Reading your manuscript out aloud should help to confirm whether the details are given enough emphasis. You may even find out if the manuscript sounds boring and needs a little umph. There is an argument that staring at the words on a page can become a lesson in over-analysis. Honing in on the details can save embarrassment with a publisher, yet the manuscript should still be entertaining, it should still be a pleasure to read.
Lesson 3: If it sounds good in your head, try reading it out loud to check.