Nine Tips for Editing Your Book's Plot

Strengthening your book's structure and plot is a key part of self editing. Here are nine things to be on the lookout for!

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
0:17 - Developmental editing
1:08 - 1. Define the character arc
1:40 - 2. Check for abandoned threads
2:11 - 3. Identify your plot points
2:45 - 4. Check for active characters
3:21 - 5. Check for continuity slips
3:45 - 6. Pacing
4:15 - 7. Keep the tension rising
4:37 - 8. Keep the stakes high
4:57 - 9. Efficiency

FIND REEDSY HERE:

[devanshigupta]

1. Define the character arc
2. Check for abandoned threads
3. Identify your plot points
4. Check for active characters
5. Check for continuity slips
6. Pacing
7. Keep the tension rising
8. Keep the stakes high
9. Efficiency

[gwennarkinsky]

Hey, I just got into your videos and by proxy; your channel, and everything is so helpful! I'm currently working on my first novel, so without the money for any official classes- your. work. is. a. Godsend. Thank you so much!

[felixfifeauthor]

Another fantastic video! I wish I'd seen this when I was on draft two of my book. But now that it's done, three years later after FIVE more revisions, I can vouch that every point is essential. Do these steps in editing draft two and it will save you so much time.

[dcle]

Do we really care that the pace is too fast? As long as we have told everything we needed to tell, everything to paint a complete picture, we shouldn’t worry about the pace moving too fast. I hate books that slow down intentionally without a purpose. It seems like they need the added word count but they don’t. The books are already way too long. So please only slow down if you really need to reveal additional info or something.

[rachelthompson]

For number 9, get Shrunk and White's book, Elements of Style

[rachelthompson]

If you plot and plan well developmental editing is minimal or not necessary. It's best to understand each aspect of writing before you hire help, it will cost less.

[edgaulden]

While loving to write novels, they are full of words. My second combing of the book is to check plot, protagonist, threads, etc for wordiness. Then I comb away the extra words; they are only words and does another part of the manuscript say the same or something similar?

[sircockingtonroachbachthethird]

The first story I wrote had an aweful consistency error. I had my main character walk in a house to see her friend in a chair. Then I said that he walked in right behind a different friend a few pages later. It was very cringe.