- Check all facts your research missed against more than one source. Be careful when verifying on the Internet, however. Misinformation is often reposted.
- Verify any quotes or poetry you may use in the body of your novel or to head chapters.
- Do a continuity check. Are there any objects that disappear while being held? Or suddenly appear? Does someone mention an upcoming event that never occurs? Do characters vanish or appear without warning?
- Check for consistency. Do you describe a character with blue eyes in one scene and brown eyes in another? Do your characters stick to their personal lexicons throughout the entire book? Does what you intended as a character's habitual action show up in one scene but then disappear?
- Are logistics accurate? Is it really possible for action to take place within the time frame described in each scene? Do all characters have time to get from the location of a previous scene into a new scene? Do you allow too much or too little time for travel?
- Verify that all events are plausible. Step back and, with as much objectivity as you can muster, ask yourself if you buy all elements of your story. If you're not sure, ask someone you trust to read your manuscript with believability in mind.
- Check your manuscript against the stylebook your publisher uses for punctuation, grammar and usage. If you don't have a publisher yet, pick a stylebook to follow. The Chicago Manual of Style is a popular resource.
Technical editing is a small part of the entire editing process, but it can make a big difference in producing an excellent manuscript.
© 2011 Janalyn Voigt, author of novel books
Do you know another item that belongs on a technical editing checklist? Have a comment or question?
If your novel includes scenery or activities about something technical, I highly recommend finding someone in the field to review the scenes where this activity takes place. For example, my novel, The Race that Lies Before Us, takes places at various NASCAR tracks and one of the protagonists is a NASCAR champion. God blessed me wonderfully by providing the GM of Joe Gibbs Racing as a technical advisor. While I enjoy watching the races, there's simply no way that I could have the insight on the technical things involved in racing that he does no matter how much research I did.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you are writing historical fiction about a recent time period, a time when many people still remember, have someone old enough to remember read though your manuscript. I recently read a book which had absolutely wonderful research, but I noticed an oops that probably no one under 35 or so would catch.
Good points well stated, Suzanne. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm just beginning edits on my book. (again) This post is extremely helpful. And encouraging. I realize that all the problems in my manuscript are typical, and that there's hope for my revisions. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, VV. I can remember, after receiving my first edits, wondering why I ever thought I could write. :o) It's humbling to realize that what you thought was close to publication quality still needs work. But hang in there. Receiving edits is part of a writer's growing pains.
ReplyDelete