LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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STAR LETTER
EDIT APPROVED
Writing my first novel at the age of 52, I had so much to learn. I devoured editing books, online advice and WM, of course.
Unable to remember the mass of advice all at once, I tackled my book the only way my newbie brain could manage. Once the first draft was complete, I created a list of editing ‘missions’, and performed one entire pass of the book per mission:
Pass 1: cut filler (opinion, philosophical ramblings, darlings etc.)
Pass 2: strengthen structure; tie up plot holes
Pass 3: find a more interesting/honest voice
Pass 4: character roundedness, motivation (I found it useful to) have a well-known actor in mind per character)
Pass 5: remove adjectives and adverbs; choose more powerful verbs; use five senses to describe
Pass 6: make it funnier
Pass 7: run manuscript through Grammarly/ProWritingAid/ Hemingway editor