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The final push
Approaching completion of a manuscript? Get ready for the final, vital edits with advice from Cornerstones’ editorial director Monica Chakraverty
The main question as you send out your manuscript will always be: is it what others actually want to read? It can take multiple redrafts to shake out the core theme that you’re passionately writing, something that people are desperate to read. Only once the focus has been established and the superfluous has been eliminated, will you be left with something unique that feels true to your original vision for the book. This final version will contain the beating heart of the story and will fulfil the promise that had you beginning the writing journey in the first place. In order to get to this stage, self-editing techniques are crucial. There need to be redrafts to hone your story-writing skills and distil the narrative to its essential core. The final editorial flush-through should get the manuscript up to submission level but it’s a hard task to master. There’s often one big push needed right at the end and many falter at this stage, unable to see where they’re heading.