How long is too long for a novel?

If you’re writing your first novel, the general rule of thumb for novel writing is a word count in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. While anything over 40,000 words can fall into the novel category, 50,000 is considered the minimum novel length. Anything over 110,000 words is considered too long for a fiction novel.

What are the steps to edit a book?

Here are eight steps to follow during the edit of your work:

1. Take a Break From Your Story.
2. Read Your Story out Loud.
3. Do a Big-Picture Pass.
4. Zoom in to Edit Scene by Scene.
5. Be Your Own Copy Editor.
6. Check for Accuracy.
7. Get a Proofreader.
8. Format Your Manuscript.

How long should editing a book take?

According to Book Nanny Fiction Editor, the average novel of about 90,000 words will take roughly four to seven weeks for a line edit. It might take more or less time based on the length of the manuscript or the severity of the errors found in the prose—it just depends.

How do you rewrite a novel?

10 Tips for Rewriting Your Manuscript

1. Take time away.
2. Break your work and put it back together.
3. Pretend to be someone else.
4. Get feedback from an editor or writing partner.
5. Spend a limited amount of time working on problem areas.
6. Look for passages that need rephrasing.
7. Try color-coding.
8. Ask lots of questions.

What makes a book too long?

You have too many characters More often than you think, a writer can end up having a crowd of people in his or her book. Too many characters equals too many scenes, which means too many words. Sometimes, we give too much importance to supporting characters and focus on them as much as we do on our protagonists.

How do you edit and rewrite a novel?

The 6 Best Ways to Rewrite Your Book

1. Let the Manuscript Rest. Dreamlander (affiliate link)
2. List Your Story’s Problems. While you’re waiting, don’t ponder your story, but do let it simmer in the back of your brain.
3. Create a Scene Map.
4. Make List of Necessary Changes.
5. Create Draft 2.0.
6. Rejoice in the Perfection You’re Creating.

How long does it take to Copyedit a novel?

Copy-editing: as a rough guideline, copy-editing a full-length novel (about 90,000) in good shape normally takes anywhere from 4 to 7 weeks. Proofreading can be done more quickly, but you should factor in a turnaround time of at least 2 to 3 weeks for the proofread to be completed.

What are ghostwriting services?

A ghostwriter is a writer you hire to produce your book (or other written content) for you; while they do the writing, the idea is your own and the book is published under your name. Ghostwriting used to have a stigma attached to it, but the practice has become much more popular and accepted in recent decades.

How should I organize how I edit my novel?

To organize how you edit your novel: It’s a good idea to save each chapter of your novel as a separate document, and to save new edits to duplicate versions named accordingly (e.g. ‘Chapter 2 – 1st edit’). This way you can easily backtrack to prior versions and compare to make sure you have your favourite versions in your final draft.

Who can edit your book?

Who can edit your book? In a traditional publishing house, in-house editors take on most of the work. Every manuscript goes through three rounds of revisions: an in-depth developmental edit, a copy edit or line edit, and a final proofread. This rigorous process turns out the polished books that you find in stores.

Do you know how to edit your own writing?

Learning how to edit your novel before a professional editor even sees it is smart. When there are fewer minor errors, a hired editor can focus on large-scale issues: Plot holes and inconsistencies and issues of style and tone. To edit your own writing, try these 8 simple steps: 1. Know how to edit your novel with fresh eyes: Take a break

Is it underhanded to self-editing a book?

If you want people to actually read what you’ve written, you must master the art of ferociously self-editing your book. These days, anyone can get anything printed. It doesn’t even have to be good. If you have the money, you can find someone who will print whatever you submit, as is. That’s not necessarily underhanded.