Before you hire an editor, a few simple self-editing passes can make your draft clearer, stronger, and easier to work with. One of my favorite resources for this stage is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King, a book full of practical techniques that help writers tighten prose, clarify scenes, and strengthen the reader’s experience.

One of the best parts of self-editing is that you do not have to fix everything at once. Instead, you can make one focused pass at a time: language, point of view, structure, continuity, and so on. That approach keeps revision from feeling overwhelming and makes it easier to see real progress.

Tackle Passive Voice & Glue Words

Passive voice can make prose feel distant or sluggish. For example, “The door was opened by her” becomes sharper and more immediate when you change it to “She opened the door.” Browne and King also encourage writers to hunt down filler words such as “that,” “very,” and “just,” because trimming those small words can make a sentence feel cleaner without changing the voice.

A simple test is to read the sentence aloud. If it feels soft, roundabout, or overly padded, there is probably a stronger way to say it. This pass is especially useful when you want the prose to feel more direct and active.

Spot Purple Prose & Repetition

Every writer has lines that sound beautiful at first glance but do not always serve the story. A sentence may be lyrical, but if it slows the scene or calls too much attention to itself, it may need trimming. You can also look for repeated favorite words by using your search function or reading a page aloud and listening for patterns.

For example, if a paragraph keeps circle back to “perfect,” “dark,” or “suddenly,” the repetition may start to flatten the rhythm. Swapping a stronger verb, cutting an extra descriptor, or restructuring the sentence can keep the writing fresh. This is less about removing style and more about making sure the style supports the scene.

Fix Head-Hopping & POV Shifts

Point of view works best when readers know whose thoughts and feelings they are following. If a scene jumps from one character’s internal experience to another without a clear break, readers can feel ungrounded or confused. Staying in one character’s head per scene helps create intimacy and keeps the emotional focus steady.

A helpful question to ask is: what can this character actually know, notice, or feel in this moment? If the scene includes another character’s private thoughts without a transition, that is a sign the POV may be slipping. Clear scene or chapter breaks can help when you intentionally shift perspective.

Strengthen Cause and Effect & Arcs

Scenes feel more powerful when they connect logically to one another. If a character makes a choice in one scene, the next scene should usually grow out of that decision in some way. Without that chain of cause and effect, a draft can start to feel episodic instead of purposeful.

This is also where character arc matters. A strong story does not just move a character through events; it changes them in a meaningful way. You might ask: what belief, fear, or understanding shifts for the protagonist by the end? Even a subtle internal change can make the plot feel more satisfying and emotionally complete.

Cut Info-Dumps & Continuity Issues

Backstory and world-building are important, but readers usually experience them best in smaller pieces. Instead of stopping the story for a long explanation, try weaving details into action, dialogue, or a brief reflection. That keeps the narrative moving while still giving the reader the information they need.

Continuity is another area where a little self-editing goes a long way. A character list, timeline, or story bible can help you keep track of injuries, eye color, relationships, plot events, and other details that are easy to overlook in a long manuscript. These tools are especially helpful when you are revising scenes out of order or working on a multi-chapter draft.

Final Note

These self-editing tips are not about making your draft perfect before anyone else sees it. They are about giving your manuscript a stronger foundation so the next round of editing can focus on the deeper, more meaningful work. If you can clear away the distractions, you give your story a better chance to shine.

If you are ready for more support after that first self-editing pass, I’d be happy to help you shape the manuscript further. When you are ready, send me a message. I’m here to cheer you on!