How to Do a Structural Edit on Your Book, Part 2 of 4

Last week I introduced structural editing and explained why I’m talking about it. I shared Nicola O’Shea’s questions for the editor to ask about voice and characterization when reading a submitted manuscript. If you can distance yourself from your work just enough, you can use these questions to do a structural edit on your own book.

What is working structurally? What is weak? And most importantly, how can you strengthen it?

After you’ve read your novel all the way through in a day or so, ask yourself these additional questions:

PLOT, PACE AND STRUCTURE

1. Is the plotting logical? Are characters and events well-linked? Are there any gaps that need to be filled in?

2. Identify the story’s turning points (changes in direction that create dramatic tension and push the story towards its climax). Has the author used the turning points effectively – are they well-placed? If not, what changes would you suggest?

3. Discuss how the manuscript starts and finishes. Do you think each is effective?

4. How is the work formatted – in parts, chapters, sections within chapters? What is the effect of these divisions? Would you suggest any changes?

5. Is there enough variation in pace? Are there sections that drag or race ahead too quickly? What suggestions would you make to improve the pace?

Structural editing is high level editing. It’s looking at the big picture and asking questions about composition and weight and proportion. It’s not about words and sentences and paragraphs at this point, but on the effect the words are having when taken together.

Nicola, a freelance editor and a teacher of professional editing at two Australian universities, says that an editor’s role is to identify weaknesses in the manuscript, communicate them clearly and sensitively to the author, and offer constructive suggestions for resolving them [quoted from a lecture].

When presenting this information to my writer’s group, at least one person said, “Oh, I can’t do that. I’m too close to my work.” But if two of you trade manuscripts…  :)

Next week we’ll look at Nicola’s questions on Setting and Themes. Meanwhile, take a look at her new web site. It just went live this week!

Nicola O’Shea is an Australian-based freelance book editor with eighteen years’ experience. She edits fiction and non-fiction for a range of publishers, and also works with authors preparing to submit their work to publishers. She teaches editing at Sydney University and the University of Technology Sydney, and runs workshops for writers wanting to learn about editing their own work. Visit her new web site at www.nicolaoshea.com.