Ultimate Guide to Editing Your Novel

Sara Grant writes across genres, having authored comedic magical books, action-adventure series and edgy YA novels. Her books are published by Scholastic, Little, Brown and Orion. She is a plot editor, consultant for inclusive fiction studio Storymix, and a creative writing tutor at Goldsmiths, University of London and the University of Winchester.

I thought I was good at editing, but Sara’s systematic methods were next level. She is the unrivalled expert in the field.

• ContentsIntroductionHow to use this bookChapter 1: Interrogating your ideaRemain true to your vision; Read for inspiration; Big picture analysis; Write your pitch; The responsibility of writing for childrenChapter 2: Character by characterInterrogating your protagonist; Secondary character examination; Character continuum; Tangled charactersChapter 3: Finding the plotStructural edit; What is plot?; Solutions to your plot problems; Tackling your theme; Managing the middle; Plot formulasChapter 4: Chapter by chapterConscious creation; Structure; Taking inventory; For inspiration; ChecklistChapter 5: Scene by sceneIdentifying a scene; Breathing life into a scene; Setting and atmosphere; ChecklistChapter 6: Honing voiceWhat is voice?; Point of view; Present or past tense?; Excavating voice; Enhancing your voiceChapter 7: Writing with sensitivityTough questions; Dos and don'ts; Think big, think small; ChecklistChapter 8: Sentence by sentenceExamining each sentence; Discovering how you tell a story; ChecklistChapter 9: Word by wordWord choice; Tighten your writing; ChecklistChapter 10: Beginnings and endingsHooking readers from the opening pages; Evolution of an opening; Prologues; The end; EpilogueChapter 11: The final polishCrafting the perfect title; Final check; Line editing and proofreading; The final proofread; When to stopChapter 12: Ready for the worldWhy you need an agent; Choosing an agent or editor; Preparing your submissions packet; Never give up!Resources and referencesAcknowledgementsAuthor biographyIndex