Here are a few different methods you can use to help you complete the final edit of your story. You want to ensure the final product is as polished as possible, so please don’t skip this part before submitting it!
Checking for spelling
Aside from spell check, a simple way of checking for spelling errors in short fiction – short shorts, short stories, and novelettes – is reading your manuscript backward, one word at a time. This stops your brain from “skimming” over content, filling in the blanks, or transposing syllables. It’s easy to see a word, recognize the first few and last letters, and have your brain interpret the word as it should be, not as it is. For example:
If you can raed this then yuo can undrestnad what I’m takling abuot.
I wouldn’t recommend reading novel-length pieces backward. It can be very confusing and would take far too long. Instead, make sure to read each sentence slowly and check for errors as you go.
Words, their usage, and their necessity
If you’re not sure of a word, look it up. Do not just stick it in, because if you’re second-guessing – there’s a big chance it’s wrong.
Make sure you have the correct usage of each word, such as “there” and “their,” “steal” and “steel.”
Adverbs can be your friend if used right, but if you mess up, they can screw you. There is a difference between something being “quick” and “quickly,” as there is a difference between “slow” and “slowly.” Ensure you check your verbs, adverbs, and adjectives and that you’ve used them correctly and in the proper tense.
It’s okay if your characters’ dialogue is incorrect – as long as you are consistent throughout the book. Many people–including myself–will misuse a word in speech. So, if the error is in dialogue and intentional on your part, it’s okay. If not, it will just look like you’ve messed up.
Consistency
Makes notes/tables of all names and spellings of places, characters (particularly surnames), and any alien/magical beings. It’s easy for a name to “shift” from one spelling to another throughout a story, especially names with multiple spellings, such as Tristen (Tristan) or Brittany (Brittnee).
Language and dialect are other items to be especially careful of. If you’re giving your character an accent or a particular dialect, make sure the character talks the same throughout the book. If you change the way they say “your” to “yer,” be careful not to let a “your” or “you’re” slip in.
If you plan to use an “earth” dialect or one currently in use today, such as Pidgin, Creole, or what have you, do your research. There’s nothing like reading a book and having an author try to pass off some changed spellings or sentence wording as a dialect – it’s upsetting, especially for the people that do speak with those specific speech patterns.
So, how do you keep from making these mistakes?
Well, no matter how careful you are or if you edit several times, mistakes are bound to happen. You wrote the book, and while you try your best to go through it carefully and edit it, your “mind’s eye” will sometimes skim over words and sentences because you remember what you wrote – therefore missing possible mistakes.
Below are a few other ways of catching errors in a manuscript:
Read out loud. When you’re forced to say the words on the page, your brain is forced to slow down and concentrate on what is there. Also, by reading aloud, you may find awkward sentences and choppy sentences.
Get someone else to read it. They’re a fresh pair of eyes with no bias toward the story (at least, you should find someone with no bias to read it). They should be able to tell you if there are major plot problems, whether they believed the characters, and, well, really, if the story was good or not.
