Edit like an Editor: A Wattpad Featured Guide ✔

INTRODUCTION

Do you love to write, but your errors are taking away the focus from your story?

Do you still find yourself with too many typos? They're so simple; you don't understand how you're not catching them! Your grammar and spelling checker can't always find your slip-ups, and you're getting frustrated. We've all been there.

Maybe English isn't your first language? Maybe English is your first language! English grammar can be very difficult to fully grasp for anyone.

Are you always mixing up your verb tenses or putting commas in random places?

Have you completed your first draft (congratulations!), but don't know where to go from there?

To become an editing pro, you first must improve your writing skills. Most published authors follow theses steps from the inspiration of an idea to the publication of a novel:

1. Research.

2. Outline.

3. Write.

4. Revise, revise, revise!

5. Edit - refine and polish.

6. Review grammar and punctuation.

7. Publish!

Please note that stages 4-6 are in no particular order. Personally, I proofread and edit everything as I write, which makes the drafting process ten times longer, but it's a tick I haven't been able to get rid of. However, you should always start with research, and sometimes even continue the research into the editing and revision stages.

This guidebook will focus on sections to help improve your writing and editing skills, and possibly give you a few tips about publishing your work. Each section will follow with parts full of detailed explanations, examples, guides, and tips from yours truly.

Also at the end of some sections, you'll find a PRACTICE part and an ANSWERS part. The purpose of these parts is for you to apply the lessons and skills you've learned from reading this whole guidebook by answering questions and doing exercises focusing on examples and even your own work.

Some sections won't have an ANSWERS part because the questions will only apply to your own work and some sections won't even have a PRACTICE part because all questions are already found in the section parts and it would be repetitive.

I felt the need to compile this guidebook together through my experience as a Wattpad editor and critic. I've seen the constant errors writers struggle with, and I want to help you learn how to not make those slip-ups again.

After reading this book, I hope you will walk away with a better understanding of (American) English grammar and will be able to comfortably edit your own work with no doubts--possibly even get yourself one step closer to publishing!