To give you a leg up, we’ve picked the brains of the sharp-eyed editing team at Tribune Publisher—folks who live and breathe storytelling and have turned countless raw drafts into literary gold. Below, they’re spilling their go-to editing secrets to help your book rise from “meh” to masterpiece.
- Step Away Before You Start Editing
First things first—give your brain a break. Seriously. One of the most overlooked editing tips is also the simplest: put your manuscript in a drawer (figuratively, or literally) and let it sit. For a week. Maybe two. The idea is to distance yourself enough that you come back to your work with fresh eyes.
During writing, you’re too close to the material. You know what every sentence is supposed to say, which makes it hard to see what’s actually on the page. Let your mind reset. When you revisit it, those awkward phrases, pacing issues, and plot holes will jump out like neon signs.
- Start Big—Then Go Small
Imagine editing your book like sculpting. You wouldn’t start chiseling the nose before shaping the head, right? The same logic applies here. Don’t dive into commas and typos on page one if the entire chapter might need reworking. Start with developmental editing—the big-picture stuff.
Ask yourself:
- Does the plot flow logically?
- Are the characters consistent and evolving?
- Are there any chapters that feel sluggish or repetitive?
- Are themes and tone consistent?
Only after you’ve carved out the structure should you zoom in to work on the finer details—sentence structure, word choice, grammar, and formatting.
- Read It Aloud (Yes, Really Aloud)
We know—reading your whole manuscript out loud sounds tedious. But trust us, this trick is a secret weapon. Hearing your words activates a different part of your brain and highlights problems your eyes might skim over. Clunky dialogue, odd phrasing, or repetitive sentence structure become painfully obvious when spoken.
You might also catch unintentional rhyming, accidental tongue-twisters, or character voices that all sound the same. Bonus tip: record yourself reading and listen to it later. It’s a strange but effective way to test pacing and tone.
- Kill the Darlings (But Not Recklessly)
You’ve heard the phrase “kill your darlings,” right? It refers to cutting out the bits you love—but that don’t serve the story. Maybe it’s that poetic paragraph, witty line, or flashback you’re super proud of. If it slows the pace or distracts from the narrative arc, it’s got to go.
That said, don’t swing the axe too hastily. The experts at Tribune Publisher suggest creating a “scrap folder” to preserve your darlings. This makes cutting easier—you’re not deleting, just relocating. Who knows, those gems might find a new home in a future story.
- Eliminate Filter Words and Weasel Phrases
Words like just, really, very, seems, a bit, and kind of often clutter prose without adding value. These “weasel words” weaken your writing. For example:
- “She was kind of angry.” → “She was furious.”
- “He just stood there.” → “He stood frozen.”
Keep an eye out for filter phrases too—things like “she saw,” “he felt,” “they realized.” These act like foggy windows between the reader and the action. Instead of “She saw the door swing open,” just say, “The door swung open.” It’s punchier and more immediate.
- Check Dialogue Tags and Action Beats
Nothing pulls a reader out of a conversation faster than a clunky dialogue tag. While “said” is almost invisible to readers (and totally okay to use), too many tags like “exclaimed,” “queried,” or “opined” can be distracting. What’s even better? Letting action or context do the heavy lifting.
Instead of:
- “I’m leaving,” she snapped.
Try:
- She shoved her chair back. “I’m leaving.”
This method keeps the pacing smooth and shows emotion through behavior—not adverbs.
- Run a Style Consistency Check
Nothing screams amateur like inconsistent formatting. Did you spell out numbers in some chapters but not others? Are your characters’ names spelled consistently (don’t laugh, it happens)? Did your em-dashes mysteriously become hyphens halfway through?
Creating a style sheet early on—tracking character details, location spellings, timelines, and stylistic choices—can save you endless confusion later. Professional editors at Tribune Publisher live by their style sheets, especially when juggling multiple manuscripts at once.
- Use Editing Tools—but Don’t Rely on Them
Spellcheckers and grammar tools like Grammarly or ProWritingAid are great first-pass helpers. They’ll catch typos, flag passive voice, and even suggest stronger word choices. But they’re no substitute for human judgment.
Editing tools can’t grasp tone, nuance, or narrative rhythm. They might flag a sentence that’s perfectly fine because it breaks a rule in an intentional, voice-driven way. Use these programs as a backup, not a bible.
- Beta Readers: Your Secret Sauce
Before shipping your manuscript off to a professional editor, consider running it by a few trusted beta readers. These are folks who’ll read your book with fresh eyes and offer constructive feedback. Choose a mix—avid readers, fellow writers, even someone who doesn’t normally read your genre. You’ll be surprised how differently people interpret the same chapter.
Ask targeted questions:
- What confused you?
- Which character did you connect with the most?
- Where did your attention wander?
Their feedback can help you plug holes before the manuscript hits a pro’s desk.
- Know When to Bring in the Pros
At some point, you’ve got to let go and bring in fresh eyes—ideally professional ones. Editors at places like Tribune Publisher specialize in seeing what authors miss. They’ve seen every rookie mistake in the book (and then some) and know exactly how to guide your story to the finish line without compromising your voice.
Think of them as your book’s personal trainer. You bring the raw muscle; they shape it into something truly powerful.
Final Thoughts
Editing is equal parts ruthless and rewarding. It’s about sculpting chaos into clarity, turning nice ideas into powerful storytelling. And while it can be exhausting, it’s also deeply satisfying to see your story become the best version of itself.
If you ever feel stuck—or just want a second pair of expert eyes—it never hurts to lean on those who do this day in and day out. Folks like the team at Tribune Publisher have built a career on helping writers shape their work into something ready for the shelves. Think of them as quiet guardians behind the scenes—tweaking, polishing, perfecting.
So, whether you're deep in your first edit or brushing up a final draft, just remember: every great book was once a messy manuscript. Yours is just a few smart edits away.