24d • General discussion
A useful self-editing rule before you send your manuscript to an agent or editor:
Many writers think their character is clear.
They think the tension is strong.
They think the stakes are obvious.
Sometimes this is true, but sometimes all of that exists only in the writer’s head, not on the page.
A good self-edit asks: Can a stranger feel this from the page alone? 🤔
In other words, if someone who knows nothing about your story, your intentions, or your characters reads this scene (whatever scene in your book), will they understand what matters, what is at stake, and what the character is feeling without needing extra explanation?
A stranger cannot fill in gaps the way you can. They only have what is written. So this question pushes you to see your work from the outside, and to notice where something feels clear to you but may still be invisible to the reader.
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A useful self-editing rule before you send your manuscript to an agent or editor:
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