Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition

Hundreds of books have been written on the art of writing. Here at last is a book by two professional editors to teach writers the essential editing techniques of the trade that turn promising manuscripts into published novels and short stories.

In this completely revised and updated second edition, Renni Browne and Dave King teach you, the writer, how to apply the professional book editing techniques they have developed to your own work. Chapters on dialogue, exposition, point of view, interior monologue, and other techniques take you through the same processes an expert editor would go through to perfect your manuscript. Each point is illustrated with examples, many drawn from the hundreds of books Browne and King have edited.

This essential guide for writers teaches you how to:

• Show, Don't Tell: Master the crucial difference between narrative summary and immediate scenes to draw readers into the world you’ve created.
• Sharpen Your Dialogue: Move beyond mechanics to eliminate formality, find each character’s unique voice, and make every conversation advance your story.
• Strengthen Point of View: Learn to control narrative distance and maintain a consistent viewpoint to build a powerful, intimate connection with your reader.
• Refine Character and Pacing: Unobtrusively weave in characterization and exposition, and use proportion to control your story’s rhythm and flow.
• Develop a Professional Voice: Identify and eliminate amateurish habits, from clichés to weak verbs, to give your writing a sophisticated, polished edge.