When should I edit the draft writing of my book?

By Dennis Mellersh

A common question of new writers is: “When should I edit and review what I am writing for my book?”

The answer is that you should edit your draft writing at a number of different stages. Here are some suggestions:

1. Edit as you go during your writing session for that day, using a spell-check and grammar program and checking yourself for obvious mistakes
2. Review what you wrote that day at the end of the day checking your writing for clarity and logic
3. At the end of the week, when you will have a fresh perspective, review that week’s input to see if you think any major revisions are required
4. Finally, when your entire book manuscript is completed in draft form, do a full edit which can include significant rewriting, structural changes, and possible additions and/or deletions to your draft manuscript