The No-Edit Strategy: How to Revise Your Novel Without Touching a Single Word (Yet)

So, you’ve just come off your two week writing break creatively refreshed and ready to edit. Before you dive into editing, because I’m sure your brain is just buzzing with ideas, you need to slow yourself down again. No editing yet my friends. Your next step is to read through your manuscript without making a single change. Let me show you why this step is crucial and how you can do it effectively to make your editing process smoother.

Why Should You Read Through Your Manuscript Without Editing?

It may feel counterintuitive to just spot the issues and not fix them right away especially when you have great ideas about how to fix them. But trust me, this approach gives you a clear picture of your story’s big-picture problems. Resist the urge to fix grammar problems here or redo a scene that isn’t working. This allows you to identify issues that affect the entire manuscript, rather than spending hours fixing a scene that might not fit your story in the end.

Benefits of a No-Edit Read Through.

1.      See the Forest, Not the Trees

When you are editing from start to finish, it is easy to lose sight of your story’s overall structure. You may not notice a similar problem in multiple places in your story. By doing the initial read through without editing you will get a clear view of the bigger issues that may span your entire novel such as:

·        Plot holes

·        Character development inconsistencies

·        Pacing problems

·        World-building gaps

·        Theme clarity

·        Point of View Issues

This also gives you a chance to celebrate what is working in your manuscript. Maybe your characters are strong, or your themes are clear. Write those wins down! It’s important to recognize your strengths as well as the challenges. In fact, put your wins above your computer while you edit. It is a good pick me up when you think you are the worst writer in history.

2.      Prioritize What Needs Fixing

Editing a novel can be overwhelming when you try to fix everything at once.  A read through helps you spot patterns in your story like recurring plot holes or pacing issues and allows you to prioritize. Tackling bigger structural issues first will make smaller fixes easier down the line.  

How to do a Productive Read Through:

1.      Set Aside Time for a Full Read Through

Carve out quiet, uninterrupted chunks of time to read through your entire manuscript. This isn't your typical read—it’s a critical evaluation, so treat it like an important task.

2.      Take Notes (But don’t Edit).

Use a separate document whether it be paper, Word or Google Doc to note your observations. This will help you track recurring issues across different parts of your story, making it easier to see patterns. For example, you might find a similar plot hole in multiple chapters, or pacing issues that slow the action. I don’t recommend taking in-manuscript notes unless you want to mark the spot you see a problem.

Here is what to note as you read:

·        Themes

·        Genre Conventions

·        Plot Structure

·        Character Arcs

·        Pacing

·        Worldbuilding

·        Point of View

3.      Organize your Notes.

Once you have finished your read-through, go back through your notes, and organize your issues by priority. Some issues, like a plot that doesn’t follow a cause-and-effect flow, will be more of a priority over improving the balance between dialogue and narration. By ranking these problems, you can tackle the most important ones first. The top priority issues are more likely to be more complex and take longer to fix but they give you the most impact in your editing.

Tool to Help You Spot Big Picture Problems

Need a little guidance on what to look for in your manuscript? Download my Editing Checklist to help you identify story-sized problems like plot structure, pacing, and character development. It’s a handy tool to keep by your side during your read-through.

Key Takeaways

• Step Back First: The initial read-through without editing lets you see your novel from a bird’s-eye view, helping you spot big issues that affect your entire story.

• Take Organized Notes: Keep your notes in a separate document to track patterns and prioritize the most significant problems.

• Prioritize Your Fixes: Organize your notes, starting with structural problems before diving into smaller issues like word choice or sentence flow.

Your first read-through lays the foundation for all your future edits. Take this step seriously, and you’ll have a roadmap for turning your rough draft into a polished novel. Remember, you won’t catch everything on your first pass, but that’s okay. Focus on the big picture, trust the process, and your story will shine!

Happy editing! ✍️✨