Self-Editing Tips for Writers: Polishing Your Manuscript Like a Pro

In an era where everyone with a laptop thinks they’re destined for literary stardom, the art of self-editing remains the secret weapon separating the amateurs from the pros. Think of it as the literary equivalent of mixing a track — you’ve got the raw recording, but now it’s time to clean up those frequencies and make it sing.

The first draft is merely the beginning. The real magic happens in revision. But how do you approach editing your own work when you’re too close to see its flaws? Here’s our greatest hits compilation of editing techniques that actually work.

Kill Your Darlings (No Really, Do It)

Writers inevitably fall in love with their more purple passages. But if that beautifully crafted paragraph isn’t moving the story forward, it’s got to go. Create a ‘darlings’ document where you can paste your precious deleted sections. Think of it as having a B-sides album — those cuts might work somewhere else.

To read the full article on rollingstone.com, click here