How to Do a Structural Edit on Your Book, Part 3 of 4

For the last two weeks, I’ve been giving you editor Nicola O’Shea‘s lists of questions to ask when doing a structural edit on a novel. I’ve been trying to present the material in such a way as to help the novelist do the edit on his or her own work. (Or trade manuscripts with a friend.) The third and final set of questions is on setting and themes. I find it easy to give these elements a quick once-over as I focus on plot and character. If you have the same tendency, I urge you to take a closer look as you respond to your manuscript with these questions in mind.

SETTING AND THEMES

1. Does the work evoke a strong sense of place? Or of its historical or cultural setting? If so, how has the author achieved this? If not, what should s/he do to strengthen these elements in the work?

2. What are the themes of the work? What is its purpose? What kinds of questions is the author asking? Are those questions answered successfully? If not, do you think that’s a deliberate decision or a flaw in the work?

3. What are the manuscript’s strengths?

4. What are its weaknesses?

5. If you were marketing this book, how would you categorize it? Who is the readership? What kind of suggestions would you make in the structural edit to ensure the book reaches its audience?

Once you’ve gone through these three groups of questions, you’re ready to write your structural edit report. As I mentioned earlier, write it down. Don’t assume all of the great insights you gained will stay in your head and be ready to help you edit your baby a week or a month from now. Stephanie made some great points in her post earlier this week about the benefits of having your thoughts about what needs to be improved in your novel written down so you can think about them and go back through them later.

If you have any questions you would love Nicola to answer, write them down here in the comments section and I’ll ask her to stop by in the next few days. You can also contact her personally at her web site.

Next week, I’ll give you some examples of how to word your report for maximum benefit to you, the writer.

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.

Miscellaneous Notes: Remember to take advantage of the special offer from Larry Brooks this month! Need a little encouragement? Read this wonderful success story from a friend of mine in the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America! Reading something in your manuscript and know it’s wrong but not sure why? See if this article by another writer friend of mine helps. Curious about me and my writing journey? Here’s a fun little Q&A interview with me from my paranormal writers group in the Romance Writers of Australia.  :)