I have no time to edit!

Some people edit as they go along but from my experience, a good once over is always done. I stuck to my plot, wrapped up all loose ends, but you never know when you’ve missed something important, even for example, a repeated word that cheapens your MS.

I know it’s no fun re-reading something so laboriously written and read thru on the fly but it is a must. Take it as a matter of procedure. And if you do it well, alongside a checklist, you need only do it once. Think of it as counting out a thousand dollars. Would you trust what’s slipped into your pocket?

The number one thing about a good editing composure, is that you read, following something that’s important. Write the most important / standout thing about your story and only then read your novel back to yourself. In my case, I want to see all my characters developed well -play their parts convincingly. This forms the gist of my edit, my message, and my drive to re-read.