Nevvie Gane 10/13/26 Nevvie Gane 10/13/26

How to Self-Edit Your Novel Before Sending It to an Editor

If you’re an indie author writing a novel, you probably know you should revise your manuscript before sending it to an editor. But do you know how? What is the correct order of revisions? Should you fix the punctuation first? Or maybe start by deleting unnecessary words, such as “just” and “really”? Or perhaps your manuscript needs a thorough scene rewrite?

The self-editing process can feel overwhelming when you’re running in a thousand different directions and trying to fix everything at once.

Nevvie Gane 9/21/26 Nevvie Gane 9/21/26

How to Know If Your Novel Is Ready for an Editor?

You've finished your manuscript. You've revised it, edited it, and read it approximately 138 times. But how do you know if it's actually ready for a professional edit? If you are a first-time author, the answer to this question might not be obvious. Even experienced authors with several published books can struggle with the decision to let go of their book baby and leave it in the hands of an editor.

As a professional, full-time editor for 6 years, I'm here to give you some pointers to help you determine when the moment is right.