#73: The 4 Phases of Editing: How to Revise Your Novel

Fiction Writing Made Easy

In today's episode, we’re going to talk about how to edit your messy first draft without slipping into overwhelm. Here’s a preview of what’s included:

[01:50] The very first thing you should do when you finish a first draft

[04:15] A quick overview of the four editing phases, and how breaking your edits down into these phases will help you reduce overwhelm.

[05:45] Phase 1: The “Story Level” edit

[09:25] Phase 2: The “Scene Level edit”

[13:35] How your editing plan might change depending on your publishing goals

[14:30] Phase 3: The “Page Level edit”

[16:20] Phase 4: The “Sentence Level edit”

[19:35] My answer to writers who ask me, “Can I do these phases out of order?” (spoiler alert: my answer is almost always no)

[20:00] FAQ: Is there a way to go through all four phases faster?

[20:45] Key points and episode recap
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Links mentioned in this episode:

• Episode Freebie: Your Next Steps DIY Editing Checklist
• The Spun Yarn Beta Reading Service
• ProWritingAid
• Hemingway Editor
• Grammarly
• Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips

Want to write a novel but not sure where to start? Click here to grab a FREE copy of my Story Starter Kit workbook that'll help you get clarity on your characters, setting, theme, plot, and so much more!

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