Self-Editing Instruction from a Professional Freelance Editor
After you write your first draft comes a brand new adventure . . . self-editing. But with self-editing, writers often have more questions than answers. How do I evaluate my plot, structure, characterization, and setting? What does it mean to kill my darlings? Should I really take out my adverbs? Where do all these commas go?
The truth is, you have the power to make your book the best it can be, but you need to know how to get there, and generic writing and editing advice just doesn’t cut it. So, how do you self-edit? I’m glad you asked.
The easiest way to understand what your novel needs as it travels down the winding path of editing is to start with a . . .
Compass Call: Personalized Self-Editing Instruction
Designed to Point You in the Right Direction
Knowing what you need to do is not the same as knowing HOW to do it. This is particularly true when it comes to self-editing. You realize you need to edit your own writing before handing it over to a professional editor. But edit for what, exactly?
Wouldn’t it be great to have some sort of personalized instruction? Something more specific than the generic advice in books about editing? That’s what the Compass Call is for—to point you in the right direction.
Here’s what you get:
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Rapt Reading: I’ll complete a deep dive into 50 pages (12,500 words) of your work in progress (Usually the beginning, but we can talk about it).
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Lengthy Letter: The great, good, and need-to-work-on aspects of your manuscript are detailed in an editorial letter covering developmental, line, and copyediting levels.
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Educational Edit: I will copyedit the first 10 pages (2,500 words), leaving explanations and tips along the way.
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Coaching Call: We will jump on a 60-minute call where you can ask anything related to the feedback, additional considerations, or questions about the publishing journey and industry.
It’s that easy! And it’s only $450. That’s right, you get personalized instructions and a chance to ask all your most burning editing questions to a professional editor without spending thousands of dollars for a full edit.
Sound interesting? Let’s chat about it!
From First Draft to Final Product
A Self-Paced Self-Editing Course
Hosted by the EFA
You’ve finished the first draft of your novel. Now what?
Editing, including and especially self-editing, is necessary to turn your messy first draft into a polished, publishable book. If the idea of self-editing feels overwhelming, confusing, or just plain impossible, then this class is for you. This self-paced course walks you through the process of revising a fiction manuscript, focusing on the aspects of mindset, knowledge, and tools.
The first part of the course is all about your mindset. You’ll discover:
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Why mindset is even talked about in relation to self-editing
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How to pull off a mindset shift to go into editing with joy rather than dread
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Goals you can pursue and how to set a timeline and vision
Next comes a series of modules that cover the knowledge you need to tackle your self-edits with confidence in an efficient and effective manner. You’ll learn:
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What the main types of editing are and why they need to be done in a specific order
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The biggest mistakes that happen across developmental, line, and copyediting
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Ways to solve everything from plot holes to sticky sentences to errant commas
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Activities to fill any knowledge gaps left for your specific project
The last section closes out the course with a look at writing and editing tools, including using professional editors. You’ll find:
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New tools to explore for your writing and editing process
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The purpose of references, style guides, and other editing resources
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Information on generative AI and how it affects the self-editing process
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Tips for choosing and working with a professional editor
The course consists of videos, worksheets, handouts, and self-graded exercises for applying your new expertise. The pillars and modules are laid out in ways that build on each other. It’s recommended you watch all the videos in order and that you watch the entire course before starting your self-edits, but if you’ve already taken a stab at revisions, you’ll still be able to make use of everything here.
Whether you’re self-editing for the first time or looking to take control of a stuck or directionless revision process, this course is here to help you through the challenge of making your book the best it can be. You’ll leave with the know-how and the confidence to tackle any revision.
Head to the EFA Course Catalogue to sign up today!
Additional Self-Editing Resources
The Compass Call isn’t the right start for everyone. That’s okay! You can get FREE help with my newsletter resources. Choose from a . . .
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Reverse Outline w/ Editing Checklist: This spreadsheet helps organize your book for self-editing
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Self-Editing Evaluation: This quick quiz helps determine where your personal editing strengths lie
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Self-Editing Cheat Sheet: This is a comprehensive reference guide for common copyediting questions
A quick signup is all it takes to download your resource. Visit my Resources page here.
Teaching Testimonials
Have you ever met one of those people who is so knowledgeable about a topic that you want to pick their brains for hours? Jeanette is one of those people. In this course, she shares with you just a portion of her knowledge in an energetic, fun way and makes the material easy to absorb.
Each module and additional material that corresponds with the module will produce confidence in your self-editing process. Like any DIY course, you will want to review the videos during different parts of your editing process so I'm grateful she offers access to her students. If you're even considering self-editing, don't start until you've taken this course!
Karen Childress, Everyone Should Edit Course Participant
The compass call was the perfect fit for my budget and needs. Jeanette was able to provide a solid foundation of suggestions and ideas that will allow me to write with more awareness.
Jeanette bolstered my confidence where she could have taken from it, never making me feel stupid for mistakes.
Amber Washington, Memoir Author
I can't recommend Jeanette enough if you're in the market for an editor. She's thorough, professional, and has a keen eye to detail. I signed up for her Compass Call where she reviewed the first 50 pages of WIP, then did a line edit for the first 2,500 words (this also includes a 60/min call). Upon receiving her feedback, I was blown away.
She caught loops in the timeline, pointed out how to make the story stronger, and got me to think more about the characters and what they bring to the story. During our hour brainstorm session, we figured out what was the REAL story within the story. Now it's time for the rewrite! Again, if you're in the market for an editor, Jeanette is the guru!
Tim Jacobs, Independent Author, Ghostwriter, & Editor
This course gives writers the information they need to make informed choices throughout the self-editing process. It also inadvertently demonstrates Jeanette's editing knowledge and dedication, even further beyond what might be known if you follow her on LinkedIn.
Quality educators can't hide their enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject matter, it comes off naturally as they're teaching. Although my current Plan A is to go the traditional publishing route, I would want to hire her as a copyeditor if I did decide to do self-publishing, something I am more confident in after having taken her course.
Laurie MacPherson, Everyone Should Edit Course Participant