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Editing a Book - 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part 1

You’ve been working on your story for a while now and you think it’s just about done. It’s been critiqued numerous times and you revised it numerous times. Now, it’s time for ‘editing a book;’ this entails proofreading and self-editing. You don’t want to short-change yourself on the last stretch, so get ready to put the final layers of polish on your manuscript.

While this ‘editing a book’ article is geared toward children’s writers, it has information for just about all writers.

Here are 10 tips to you can use to help fine-tune your children’s manuscript:

1. Editing a Book: Check for Clarity

Check each sentence for clarity. It’s important to remember that you may know what you intend to convey, but your readers may not. It’d be a good idea to have someone else read the manuscript for you. This is where a good critique group comes in handy.

2. Editing a Book: Check for “Telling” and Lackluster Sentences

Check each sentence for telling. While you will need some effective telling, you want to have more showing.

Example: Joe hit his head and was dazed.
Alternative: Joe banged his head against the tree. He wobbled a moment and fell to the ground.

Show, don’t tell. Use your imagination and picture your character going through motions—maybe he’s turning his lip up, or he’s cocking his head. Try to visualize it; this will help in showing rather than telling.

A good way to add more showing is to add more sensory details. Use the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) to create a living character; this will help breathe life into your story.

Example: Joe felt cold.
Alternative: A chill ran through Joe’s body.

Example: Joe was frightened.
Alternative: Joe’s breath stopped. Goosebumps made the hair on his arms stand at attention.

3. Editing a Book: Point of View - Watch for Head Hopping

Checking for head hopping is especially important for children’s writers since their stories should be told from the protagonist’s point of view or perspective.

If the story is being told from your main character’s point of view (POV) make sure it stays there.

If my POV character Joe is sad and wearing a frown, it wouldn’t be advisable to say: Noticing his sad face Fran immediately knew Joe was distraught. This is bringing Fran’s POV into the picture.

You might say: Joe knew Fran would immediately notice his despair; they were friends for so long.

Or, you can just use dialogue: “Joe, what’s wrong?”

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I wasn't going to post on Wednesday, because of presenting a week-long workshop at the Muse Online Writers Conference this week, but I changed my mind. Please come back on Wednesday for Part 2 of Editing a Book - 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers .

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Related Writing Articles: 

Is Your Manuscript Ready for Submissions?
Rewriting a Folktale
2 Comments on Editing a Book - 10 Tips Checklist for Children’s Writers Part1, last added: 10/3/2011