A fresh read allows you to effectively view the manuscript as if you were reading someone else’s work, which can make it easier to distance yourself from your own words. If at all possible, give yourself at least a week without reading or working on your manuscript in any way. If you can give yourself a few weeks it may be even better.
Some writers find that reading words on a printed page makes it easier to spot mistakes, weak spots, and poorly-written passages.
Aim to simply get an overall impression of the work as a whole. Think of yourself as an outside reader. Try to get through the entire manuscript in no more than three or four readings so that you can take in the piece as a complete work. Were there any parts of the manuscript that feel incomplete or confusing? Make note of those sections, but don’t worry about revising them yet. What were the strong/compelling/interesting parts of the manuscript? Mark those so you know what you’re most reluctant to cut.
Reading aloud also makes you slow down, which could be another reason that it is easier to catch errors.
Are there any conclusions your writing jumps to that may not make sense to a reader? Does everything in the manuscript make sense? Is everything consistent from start to finish? If you have a thesis or central argument, is it complete and sufficiently supported? Are your characters realistic and believable? Are they interesting and complex, or do they fall flat and two-dimensional?[7] X Research source For nonfiction works, are you presenting each individual fairly and honestly? Are there enough sensory details in the manuscript? Does the narrative come to life and draw you in? Make revisions as necessary to satisfy these and any other points of concern within the manuscript.
Look for transitions that guide the reader from one paragraph to the next. If your transitions are weak or lacking altogether, compose a sentence or two that will serve as a transition to the next paragraph. When you were reading through your manuscript, did you find yourself losing interest at any point in the middle of the work? If so, perhaps you need to restructure the body of the manuscript. You may have loaded all the strong sections at the beginning and ending and forgotten to focus on the body of the piece. Rewrite these sections as needed.
Make sure that the point of view and tense stay consistent. Don’t suddenly jump from one person’s perspective to another, or from past tense to present or future tense. Are there any awkward sentences that are confusing, clunky, or just poorly written? What about run-on sentences? Never-ending paragraphs? Remember that readers tend to prefer short, action-packed paragraphs instead of long-winded, drawn-out ones. Look for and replace/remove “crutch words” - those words and phrases you tend to fall back on out of comfort or over-reliance. Instead, try rephrasing those sentences with fresh, original prose or cutting these parts out altogether. [10] X Research source Find any sentences that are unnecessary (“filler” lines) and cut them out. No matter how much you may like the way you composed a line, if it’s not essential and doesn’t contribute to the plot or to any character’s development it’s a waste of space.
your manuscript makes sense your ideas are clear and well-organized the transitions between ideas, sentences, and paragraphs are all smooth and well-executed your writing style is appealing and easy to engage with there are any grammatical, syntactical, or formatting issues[11] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC’s on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
If you need to remove extra spaces throughout your manuscript and you’re using Microsoft Word, you can use the “find and replace” function. Simply navigate to “Edit,” hover your mouse over “Find,” and click “Replace. " In the “Find what” section, type the space bar twice, and in the “Replace” section, type the space bar once. Then click “Replace All. “[14] X Research source
The standard font type is Times New Roman with a 12-point font. Many publishers want page numbers, but not all do. For those that do, they may request that the numbers be printed in the top right, bottom right, or bottom center of the page. If you’re submitting a scholarly manuscript, be sure that your citations are formatted the way the publisher wants them. [16] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC’s on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
Let your reader know that you want an honest, thorough assessment of the manuscript. Tell your friends to save their praise for when the manuscript is published, and let them know that you want useful, thoughtful feedback on what needs improvement. If you feel that the feedback you get is valid, make any necessary changes to the manuscript. Remember that it’s normal for most manuscripts to go through numerous extensive revisions before being published. Treat your friends to a nice meal or a bottle of their favorite liquor (assuming you’re both old enough to legally drink) to show your appreciation.
