The Ultimate Guide to Editing Your Novel
A revolutionary approach to transform your writing
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:19th Jun '25
Should be back in stock very soon

A novel approach to editing: practical, systematic guidance on how to improve your writing
When it comes to writing fiction there is often a focus on how to start and then keep going … But what happens when you have a finished manuscript of hundreds of pages? How do you transform your rough draft into a publishable one?
Expert author, editor, mentor and lecturer Sara Grant provides the answer through a systematic approach to editing. Her step-by-step guide demystifies the process of preparing a manuscript for submission to agents and publishers or for those self-publishing. It is a lifeline for new writers and those intimidated by the world of publishing; for more experienced writers it is an invaluable diagnostic tool to dip in and out of.
This practical workbook includes exercises and examples for:
- Interrogating your idea
- Enhancing your plot
- Scrutinising characters, chapters and scenes
- Analysing sentence and word choice
- Honing your unique voice
- Writing with sensitivity for young readers
- And finally, polishing your manuscript for submission.
I thought I was good at editing, but Sara’s systematic methods were next level. She is the unrivalled expert in the field. * Sue Wallman, award-winning author of YA thriller I Know You Did It *
I wish I'd had this book when I was working on my last novel. Thankfully it arrived just as I was disappearing into the pit of despair with my new one. Sara's calm, encouraging words not only provided a light in the darkness . . . but the structured exercises illuminated multiple ways to drag my story out of the pit and make it better. Whether you're working on your first book, or your 15th - my advice: don't start your next edit without it! * Dave Cousins, author of 15 Days Without a Head and the Robot Babysitter series *
ISBN: 9781399418867
Dimensions: 210mm x 152mm x 24mm
Weight: 300g
272 pages