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Content Editing

Content editing is the first step in novel and short story editing. It is the first time an author looks at a complete, finished manuscript, from the point of view of an editor, publisher, and eventually novel reader. Content editing goes far beyond knowing how to find plot holes and novel structure problems. In fact, most content editing can take place before a single word of the story is written.

Learn more about novel elements, plot holes, unresolved plots, storyboards, story arcs, breathers, suspense, tension, reader's impact, and editing methods in this Topic. Articles, short online courses and tutorials, and forums will simplify editing for any writer.

Whether editing the content before by preplanning, or after by mapping the story, content editing is the first step to writing a marketable manuscript. Suzanne James, author of Are You Ready to Submit: Content Editing and Are You Ready to Submit: Proofreading and Polishing, is also this Topic's Editor. She is willing to teach writers what she has learned, and answer questions in the forums.

She will help you understand how to take months of the time needed to write and edit a novel. It is even possible to improve a manuscript's chances of becoming published by learning to go beyond a publisher's guidelines and write a book that meets their imprint and current releases.