Ah, self-editing. The final frontier of fiction writing. You’ve poured your mind, heart and soul into your story, slam-dunked the procrastinators nightmare – the first draft, and now it’s time to polish your masterpiece until it shines so bright it becomes glaringly obvious enough is enough. Easy, right? Sure—if you enjoy questioning your sanity, obsessing over semicolons, and having existential crises over whether “glistened” or “shimmered” better describes a puddle that could have just been a ‘muddy’ puddle.
Luckily, I’ve had a steadfast companion during this process: my cat Bailey. Patient, resourceful and able to rock a beanie with the best of them. While some might call her a distraction (have you ever tried typing with a cat sprawled across your keyboard?), I consider her my muse. She’s taught me everything I need to know about self-editing: be ruthless, be curious, and when in doubt, take a nap on the warmest surface available.
Here’s a quick guide to tackling the self-editing beast—with or without a feline muse by your side:
1. Take a Break (Or, Channel Your Inner Cat)
Step away from your manuscript. Give it space. Much like Bailey ignores me when she’s in a mood, you need to ignore your draft for at least a few days. When you return, you’ll have fresh eyes—and hopefully a better attitude about all those “ingenious” plot twists you crammed into Chapter 7. I know for Murder at the Resort, when I left the manuscript for weeks and then months, I came back and rewrote almost half the novel. My time away from the manuscript was spent being creative in other ways which inspired me to do better with the next draft.
2. Start Big (Because No One Cares About Commas Yet)
Bailey taught me the importance of focusing on the big picture—like making sure the food bowl is full before worrying about whether her water dish sparkles. In editing terms, this means tackling structure, pacing, and character arcs before nitpicking grammar.
Ask yourself:
- Does the plot make sense?
- Are there any characters who vanish mid-story like ghosts?
- Does the ending deliver on the promises you made at the beginning?
3. Murder Your Darlings (No, Not Like That)
This classic advice always feels dramatic, but it’s true. If a scene, sentence, or subplot doesn’t serve the story, it’s got to go. It doesn’t matter how much you love that poetic description of the rain hitting the cobblestones. Bailey, ever decisive, says to cut it. Or swat it off the desk. Be brave. It’ll work out in the end (fingers or paws crossed).
4. Read It Out Loud (Bailey Will Judge You)
Nothing highlights awkward phrasing or clunky dialogue like reading your work aloud. Bonus: Bailey will offer her unfiltered opinions in the form of yawns or an abrupt walkout if a passage doesn’t pass muster.
5. Zoom In (Time to Get Fussy) & Wear a Different Hat
Once the big stuff is sorted, it’s time to zoom in and fine-tune the details: grammar, word choice, and typos. I like to call this phase “The Hunt for Rogue Commas.” Bailey calls it “Nap Time.”
Wearing a different hat (like Bailey in the pic) is important – pretend you are a seasoned editor, what would you do to the manuscript? Pretend you work in the PR department, what would you do to the manuscript to make it a hit?
6. Reward Yourself (Treats Are Not Just for Cats)
Editing is hard work. Celebrate your progress with a cup of tea, a bar of chocolate, or a few moments of playing catch with your muse. Bailey insists that rewards are essential for maintaining creativity (and good vibes).
Self-editing may never be glamorous, but with patience, determination, and maybe a cat for company, it’s entirely doable. So go forth, polish those pages, and don’t forget: Bailey believes in you. And so do I.
Until next time, check out my new book Murder at the Resort.
Love Olivia & Bailey
O. S. King 