What We Have Learned So Far. What Is The Next Step?
Over the last few months we have reviewed, the top 10 concerns about writing and publishing a book in these posts.
Here is the initial post.
Hopefully one or more of the tips in those posts have assisted you to get closer to your writing goal.
If they have, you have moved past these concerns, and you have started working on your manuscript.
So what is the next stage in the process?
Once you have your first draft of your manuscript, you can move to editing.
The following is an extract of a checklist may assist with removing fundamental errors (usually found in drafts) so that your manuscript is more polished before you send to a professional for additional input.
This checklist can be applied to any writing that you do, even if you don’t write a book:
1. Print your manuscript and read from the last page to the first page (in that order, yes backwards).
2. Run ‘spellcheck’ and ‘grammar-check.’
3. Consistent formatting throughout (including semicolons, colons, quotations, defining terms, etc.).
4. Use of ‘find’ function on any words replaced in the document.
5. All footers checked for accuracy, including page numbers.
6. Confirm all terms defined in the body of the document or used in title case are listed in the definition section and that terms are only defined once and in the first place they appear.
7. The correct tense used throughout the manuscript.
8. All external references checked (for example, footnotes, etc.).
9. Are all terms in the definition section are used in the document?
10. Confirm that diagrams in the document are accurate.
11. Are dates correctly and consistently formatted?
12. Use ‘find’ function on:
a. double full stops (..)
b. double spacing ( )
c. the word ‘error’
d. ‘#’
e. space comma (,)
f. semicolon comma (;,)
13. Confirm all salutations are correct (for example, if the character is a doctor).
14. Is the formatting consistent throughout the document?
15. Keep a scanned copy of the complete document with all handwritten suggestions and amendments together with the completed checklist as a backup.
How did you go?
Did this checklist assist with tidying up some loose ends?
In the next post, we will look at options for finding the best editor to collaborate with you.
