I can't afford a professional editor.

 

You've read over your draft a dozen times, made enough changes to make you wonder if it's the same story you started. And now it's time to start the dreaded edit. 

First of all, let's put the record straight, editing can be fun. You aren't correcting high school essays written by kids with no interest in the topic. You are editing your own work. This is your labour of love, and you are so close to having it ready for prime time. So have fun. Make it a challenge. Can you find everything that needs a bit of a tweak, or touch up? 

Let me mention this right off the bat, unless you hire a professional editor, then you are going to be on this stage for awhile. Even if you contract out you'll likely give one more perfunctory edit just to prove you aren't totally incompetent. Like my mum used to give the house the once over before the cleaning lady came.

So here is a list of my personal guidelines and observations about editing. 

Try to relax in the knowledge that no matter who you are, and who your publisher is, when that book gets out on the market, there will be a half dozen miscues the editors failed to catch. You'll see that in novels on the New York Times best seller list. 

Don't want to do this alone. Even if you cant afford a professional, get some trusted advice. 

Do NOT rely on spellcheck, and "Word" to fix your blunders. When an automatic correction is made, or that annoying red line appears, read over the whole section meticulously. Does the correction fit your meaning and intent? Read it out loud, maybe you meant for a comma to be there, maybe not.

Again relax, this won't go to publishing until you are positive it's ready. No one is going publish your work when you aren't looking. Depending on your own personal goals, you can take as long as you want to get it right. If that means a dozen edits so be it. 

There may come a point where you look over something and you feel it isn't working. No problem, you can change it anytime you want. But don't be a changeaholic, only make the adjustment if you are sure it makes your story better, or gives it more clarity. 

To be clear, this editing thing is not a one off. Once you're finished the first edit, take a break, clear your head and then dive back in. Come up for air and go down again and again, until there is nothing left to find.