This blog lists 15 essential checks to make before sending your manuscript to your editor. Each check features the most common errors I see myself as a professional line editor. Working methodically through these checks and fixing these errors will ensure your manuscript is tighter, formatted consistently and professionally presented.
Not only is this good practice for you as an author but it also enables your editor to work more smoothly through your manuscript and concentrate on finessing the story itself, which could result in a faster turnaround.
1) Rogue spacing
Once upon a time, two spaces were used between sentences. Not any more! We’ve moved past the old, traditional word processing teachings and now only one space is needed.
A quick way to fix this throughout your whole Word manuscript in one go is:
Edit ––– Find ––– Replace ––– [type two spaces in the find box] ––– [type one space in the replace box] ––– Replace all.
2) Uniform font, size and spacing
You may choose to include different fonts within your manuscript for stylistic purposes, but generally, just one font throughout is absolutely fine. A good rule of thumb is Times New Roman and size 12 for all body text.
A quick way to fix the font style and size throughout your whole Word manuscript in one go is:
Ctrl + A ––– [choose one font style and size].
There’s no need to enlarge headings or change margins either. All that, plus changing font style and size, can be done at the formatting stage. For now, to ensure your manuscript is as easy to read as possible for your editor, keep it simple.
As for line spacing, 1.5 leaves a comfortable amount of white space on the pages. A quick way to fix the spacing throughout your whole Word manuscript in one go is:
Format ––– Paragraph ––– Line spacing: 1.5 lines.
You can also choose this as default setting for your future documents too.
3) End of all sentences properly punctuated
Full stops can be easily missed but work through each sentence methodically to make sure they’re there (and not randomly placed anywhere else).
Use exclamation marks sparingly throughout. And one at a time is enough.
Remember to include a question mark if any of your characters asks a question (searching for asks/asked throughout the manuscript is a good way to start checking this).
4) Random capitalisation
If it’s not the start of a sentence or a proper noun (name of a person, place or event, for example: Christmas), it doesn’t need a capital letter. Simple as that! However, if you do choose to capitalise specific words for any reason, ensure you capitalise them consistently throughout the entire manuscript and inform your editor to leave them.
5) Apostrophes
Regardless of whether you may have seen it done in other books or signs or blogs, plural nouns NEVER need an apostrophe, not even for abbreviations, for example: Mondays, coffees, 1980s, TVs etc.
You are contracted (two words made into one word) ALWAYS needs an apostrophe to replace the missing ‘a’: you’re. The same rule applies for other contractions (even if there’s more than one letter missing) e.g. they are = they’re, there is = there’s, they would = they’d.
Apostrophes need to be placed after plural nouns to show possession, for example:
- The dogs’ toys (more than one dog)
- The cats’ whiskers (more than one cat)
- The babies’ rattles (more than one baby)
6) Consistent names/spellings of names
Make sure Suzanne doesn’t suddenly become Susan half way through your story! Keep track with a list of all your characters’ first names and surnames (as well as any abbreviations or nicknames).
Also, beware of confusing readers by using similar names for different characters, for example: Laura/Lara, Carly/Cally, Kerry/Kelly, Dan/Dane etc. If quite a few of your characters’ names begin with the same letter, your editor may also flag it up. After writing Sunday’s Child, my editor alerted me to the fact I had five characters whose names all began with the letter ‘G’. It happens! (And I changed one of them.)
7) Consistent use of italics
Next, in 15 essential checks to make before sending your manuscript to your editor, is italics. Italics are most commonly used for: asides, thoughts and titles of works within your novel. For example: What shall I do? he thought.
It’s also standard to use italics for longer passages of written communication or media within a book e.g. letters and newspaper articles. Whatever (else) you choose to use italics for, make sure you’re consistent throughout your manuscript.
8) Dialogue tags
Use a dialogue tag to show when a character is speaking/has spoken, for example:
‘I should have known,’ she replied.
There’s no need to vary your dialogue tags because you think said isn’t expressive enough, for example: uttered, retorted, vocalised etc.
Said, replied and asked work perfectly.
Also, character actions are NOT dialogue tags. Any action (when a character is doing something other than speaking) should form its own sentence, for example:
‘Right then.’ She smiled.
‘If you say so.’ He laughed.
9) Correct speech punctuation
As shown previously, the dialogue itself and the dialogue tag combine to form one whole sentence:
‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ he said.
Therefore, you need to use a comma before the closing speech mark and lower case for ‘he’. A capital H is not needed as it is not a new sentence.
The same applies even if the dialogue is a question or an exclamation, for example:
‘How should I know?’ he asked.
Remember to always include a vocative comma before a name when a character is speaking directly to another character, for example:
‘What do you think, Bob?’ he asked.
However, a vocative comma isn’t needed if the character is simply referring to another character by name:
‘What do you think of Bob?’ she asked.
10) Consistent use of single or double speech marks
Generally, the UK convention is to use double speech marks while the US convention is to use one. This isn’t a hard and fast rule though. It’s important to check submission guidelines if you’re planning to submit to a publisher (as they will have their own house styles for this as well as other elements) but if you’re an indie author, whether you use single or double speech marks is up to you.
It’s also important to consider reported speech within direct speech, for example:
‘What did he say?’ she asked, twisting her hair around her fingers.
‘He said “over my dead body” and stalked off!’ Annie replied.
If the reported speech – “over my dead body” – also used single speech marks, the same as the direct speech, it might confuse readers:
‘He said ‘over my dead body’ and stalked off!’ Annie replied.
Therefore, it is often better (although not necessarily essential) to differentiate between the two for clarity. However, as long as who is saying what is obvious to your readers, there are no set rules about speech/quotation marks, except one – be consistent throughout the entire manuscript!
11) Mixed up homophones/commonly confused words
Number 11 in 15 quick and easy self editing checks for your manuscript, is mixed up homophones and commonly confused words. The Oxford English Dictionary lists the most commonly confused words but a few I frequently encounter in manuscripts I work on and have spotted in published books lately have been:
- quiet/quite
- assent/ascent
- bought/brought
- dissent/descent
- interment/internment
- scalding/scolding
- slaver/slather
- sliver/slither
- spectre/sceptre
If you’re not sure of a word’s meaning or spelling, it only takes a few seconds to look it up. Even though I have been working as a professional editor for over 5 and a half years, I double check spellings and meanings all the time.
It’s also worth checking your manuscript for common typos, including:
- pubic/public
- safely/safety
- polices/policies
- imaging/imagining
- enquires/enquiries
Can you think of any more?
12) Consistent use of UK/US meanings/spellings
Depending on where your novel is set and which audience you’re writing for, you may choose to write in either UK or US English. Whichever you opt for, just make sure you’re consistent throughout.
Some UK/US meaning variations include:
- post/mail
- petrol/gas
- queue/line
- lift/elevator
- crisps/chips
- fringe/bangs
- path/sidewalk
- holiday/vacation
- rubbish/garbage
- university/college
A full list of the spelling variations can be found here: UK vs US spelling list.
13) Consistent use of numbers, dates and times
As with names, spellings and use of italics, consistency is once again key when it comes to numbers, dates and times too. Mixing numerical digits with written words, or formatting dates and times differently throughout your manuscript without thought screams amateur writer.
Therefore, make sure your numbers, dates and times are all formatted consistently, for example:
12 OR 24 hour clock / if 12 hour clock, use am and pm OR a.m. and p.m. / if 24 hour clock, use 15.00 OR 15:00
Written OR numerical dates / if written, use 1st January 2020 OR January 1st 2020 (or without st/nd/rd/th) / if numerical, use 01.01.2020 OR 01/01/2020
There are more variations than this so it’s worth doing your research to either decide on the styles that work for you, or checking submission guidelines if you’re planning to submit your completed manuscript to an agent or publisher.
14) Repeated words in the same sentence/paragraph
Thanks to dictionaries and thesauruses it’s easy to avoid repeating a word, or a variation of a word in the same sentence or paragraph, for example:
She stood and stormed out of the room – she refused to stand for his nonsense. (stood/stand used closely together)
‘You’re important to me, to all of us,’ he said, stressing the importance of her role in their family. (important/importance used closely together)
‘How about we go and get ice cream? It’s about time we treated ourselves.’ She grabbed her jacket and smiled. (about repeated)
Be aware of repetition and edit accordingly.
15) Overly long sentences
Unless you’re writing literary fiction and deliberately want to wow readers with your flowery prose, it’s best to avoid overly complex sentences. Go through your manuscript and check where longer sentences could be streamlined, or chopped into two (or three). Aim for a steady rhythm throughout. Reading your story aloud (or using Word’s read aloud function) can help with this.
If you’ve found 15 essential checks to make before sending your manuscript to your editor helpful, please check out this related post:
7 thoughts on “15 Essential Checks to Make Before Sending Your Manuscript to Your Editor”