my proofreading checklist

I will admit this is not the sexiest post you'll ever read.

Last time I discussed the various approaches I’ve taken to self-editing my first drafts. Today I want to discuss a different kind of self-editing—what I’ll call “the big polish.”

I don’t proofread my manuscript to this level until it’s close to the copyedits phase because it takes FOREVER and is SO BORING. You definitely don’t want to do it more than once if you don’t have to. That said, it’s absolutely worth doing because it makes the prose crisp and polished. Think about how you feel after cleaning out your closet. Exhausted? Yes. Like a whole new person? Also yes.

A disclaimer: I created this checklist based on weaknesses I’ve identified in my own writing. My weaknesses are probably not the same as yours. Take what you need, and ignore the rest.

Okay, here we go!

Me by the time I finish this checklist

Step 1

Eliminate the following from beginning of sentences:

• It was/It is/It’s

• There is/There was

• I hear(d)

• I see/I saw

• As

• And

Step 2

Minimize:

• Feel/Felt

• Seem(ed)

• Sort of

• Kind of

• -ly adverbs

• Really

• Of course

• Very

• !

• Italics

Step 3

Omit needless:

• Which

• What

• Who

• Just

• That

Step 4

Check number of:

• Smile

• Clench (jaw)

• Exchanged glances

• Eyes lighting up

• Knots in stomach

• Chided

My overused phrases vary book to book, so I will often add or remove items from this list accordingly.

Step 5

Replace “realize” (see this article)

Step 6

Count number of:

• Look:

• Glance:

• Gaze:

• Peer:

• Peek:

• Study:

• Stare:

• Glare:

• Watch:

The purpose of this step is to combat my tendency to overuse the word ‘look(ed).’ I will do an entire manuscript search of each of these words and record how many times I’ve used them. Then I note where I’ve used the same word too close together (‘peer’ twice on one page, ‘look’ several times in a paragraph, etc.). After that, I review every use of these words and change them where I deem necessary. All in service to better prose!

I also find this 90 words for looks PDF from Go Into the Story supremely helpful.

TL;DR

Writers spend a shit ton of time examining every word in every sentence before it goes to print. The task is rarely fun, but most of us want to get our books as close to perfect as possible before our name goes on the spine of something. Dear reader, next time you think being an author is all glamour, I want you to remember this post!

Now that we’ve done a deep dive into self-editing, next up we tackle external edits, aka editorial feedback.

Stay tuned!