An author hires a copy-editor to go through his/her manuscript with a fine-tooth comb and to remove errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting, layout, etc. We check for clarity, consistency and unnecessary repetition. We hunt and tame the needless passive voice and we flag up potential libel issues … all the usual stuff!

When working with fiction authors, we also address other problems that can arise: issues with the plot’s timeline; changes in point of view (POV) or in a character’s description; and improbable/impossible actions, among others. For an author it can be hard to keep all the plot lines, scene descriptions and character details in your head. There are many software tools available to help you organise all this information, e.g. Scrivener, etc.

Editors also need help tracking these details and in this blog post I will share two of my handy, customisable tools that I use when copy-editing a fiction manuscript. Authors can use them, too. The more errors you find during redrafting the more money you will save when you send your manuscript to a professional editor/proofreader. Whether you use these tools during your novel-plotting stage or when redrafting is up to you – choose whichever bests suits your style of working.

1. Timeline and Plot Tracker
A manuscript’s timeline can trip up an author in numerous ways. As I work through a manuscript I use this tool to help me identify errors and inconsistencies in the timeline, POV and action.  

Timeline
For each chapter I make a note of the time/date/season in which it is set. I note every mention of the time/date/season and include the manuscript page number in brackets after each for easy reference, e.g. 0930 Mon (p26). (I use the twenty-four hour clock for brevity and speed). Chronological errors in the timeline will soon show themselves. For example, a novel opens at the very start of October. In chapter ten the plot indicates that time has moved on six weeks and the hero’s children are overexcited because it’s Christmas Eve. But it can’t be Christmas Eve – six weeks after the novel’s opening means that by chapter ten it’s only the middle of November. Or perhaps a character arrives home at 9 a.m. having worked a nightshift and the reader is told he manages to get a solid six hours’ sleep, yet a few pages on he is described as having woken up at noon­ …

Improbable Actions and Inconsistencies
I also keep note of a chapter’s location/setting and its key action points (again noting the page number for ease of reference). This helps to highlight problems of improbability and inconsistency. For example, in chapter three a punch-up occurs between the hero and his antagonist in McCauley’s pub, but in chapter fourteen it changes to McCormack’s pub. Likewise, if the pub is located at a rural crossroads "in the middle of nowhere", how likely is it that the hero will stumble out of it after the fight and hail a passing taxi?

Point of View (POV)
When writing and editing a novel with multiple third person POVs it can be helpful to keep track of the POV switches to highlight any imbalances or sequencing difficulties between them. For example, in a manuscript with alternating POV chapters the tracker will highlight if one POV character gets two chapters in a row.

2. Character Tracker
I use the Character Tracker to keep note of the characters’ names; their physical and personality descriptions; their relationship to other characters; and the key points of their history as written in the manuscript (these sometimes differ with those in the author’s head, but remember the reader can only go by what appears on the page!). As with the Timeline and Plot Tracker I record the page number of each relevant point. They're not editing myths – the following types of character errors and inconsistencies do sneak into manuscripts:

• Eyes change colour (blue in chapter four but green by chapter twenty-four)
• Name changes (Angeline becomes Angelina)
• Age remains the same for two years or more (I wish I could manage that!)
• Physical attributes change without explanation (a tattoo moves from the right shoulder to the left)
• Miraculous cures (a heroine’s peanut allergy mentioned in chapter two magically disappears when she eats a handful of nuts at the bar in the penultimate chapter)
• Backstory inconsistencies (in chapter five the reader is told the hero had graduated from University College Dublin, but in chapter nineteen it has changed to Trinity College Dublin).

This tool gathers all the relevant character details in one handy location, making it easier to spot an error. It can also highlight name duplication of minor characters (yes, this does happen). It’s also handy for checking if a minor character’s plot line remains unresolved by the end of the book or, worse, if they were forgotten about altogether!

Download for Free
You can download the Timeline and Plot Tracker and the Character Tracker below and use them as templates when planning or redrafting your manuscript. You may wish to add additional information columns such as a chapter word count column. I’ve used a table format in Word but you could also try using a spreadsheet format if that better suits your needs.

What are the tools you use, and would recommend to other authors, to help manage a fiction manuscript? What howlers did you or your editor/proofreader find in your manuscript during the redrafting and editing stages? (You may be reluctant to share such bloopers, but you’re among friends here!)

I regularly receive emails from new writers who have just finished the first draft of their first novel, seeking my advice on the editorial process. Many of these fiction manuscripts, however, are not ready for my copy-editing or proofreading services. They require further work and redrafting before the writer should consider engaging the services of an editorial professional.

It’s the beginning of brand new year. So, if you are a writer at the start of your writing career, now is the perfect time to make your 2014 New Year’s Writing Resolutions – ones that will help you lower your editorial costs in the long run!

1. Write every day

Writers (and indeed, editors too!) can be great procrastinators. Your house does not have to be spotlessly tidy before you sit down to write. You do not need the perfect writing spot, specialised computer software, fountain pens with a perfect ink-flow rate, or gold leaf, moleskin notebooks. The presence of a muse is not a requirement. What is required is discipline. And concentration. And the sheer pig-headed determination to write or redraft your daily word count quota – whatever you deem it to be – no matter what the day throws at you.

Don’t just talk about writing, do it! Write. Every day. The most rewarding things in life entail hard work, and so it goes with writing. Trying to finalise a novel or a quality short story can sometimes seem like an overwhelming task, so just eat that elephant one bite at a time!

2. Take a creative writing course

New writers often have a great idea for a story (‘What if …?’) but their inexperienced story-telling techniques let their story down and fail to do it justice. They often do not have a firm grasp of writing techniques such as point of view, character development, creating tension, plot development, handling dialogue, story arc, etc. If you are not familiar with these, consider taking a creative writing course or workshop. These can be a one-day affair or might last for a couple of hours a week for several weeks. If you live in Ireland, take a look at the courses listed on the Writing.ie and the Irish Writers' Centre websites. You can also check your local Vocational Education Committee (VEC) website for courses they run, or ask at your local library. A good creative writing course will not only explain the necessary techniques, it will also entail some writing exercises and provide peer and tutor feedback on your exercise work.

3. Read books on creative writing and self-editing

Given their limited duration, a creative writing course can only cover so much. If you want to learn more, then read more. Not just in your chosen writing genre and in general, but also read some of the excellent books available on the creative writing and redrafting process. Online writers’ forums can help you choose the publications most suitable to your specific needs. As a general starting point, I recommend the following:

• From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction by Robert Olen Butler

• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

• Self-editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print by Renni Browne and  Dave King

4. Join a writers’ group

Opinions differ on the worth of joining a writers’ group, but the advice and support you receive can be invaluable when you’re at the start of your writing career. Group members can offer you feedback on your manuscript’s plot, characters, etc., providing you with valuable information for the redrafting process. Do your research and choose a group in which you will feel comfortable and at ease, and one which is sympathetic to your writing genre. Check your local library for details of the writing groups in your area.

If joining a writers’ group is not an option for you then consider enlisting the help of two or three beta readers to read your manuscript and provide feedback. Such readers could be trusted writer friends who will give you honest feedback on your work. Ideally, they will be members of the target audience for your book. Of course, few will be as honest with you as a professional editor will!

5. Redraft, redraft, redraft

Okay, so you’ve finished your novel at last. Except, you haven’t, actually. You’ve only finished the first draft. Now you need to leave it alone for a few weeks before you begin redrafting it, taking into account any feedback you have received on it. The self-editing process is hard work but your manuscript will be the better for it, as will your bank balance. The more errors and plot problems you correct, the less will remain for your editor, saving you a lot of money.

6. Don’t give up!

You may have dreamed of being a writer since your childhood. Make 2014 the year when you stop dreaming and create the reality. Believe in yourself and in your writing, especially on the dark days when you want to give up. At the start of your writing career you may well have a lot to learn about the craft, but good writers never stop trying to improve their work, so don’t become discouraged. Support and encouragement will come from the most unlikely of places. Enjoy the sense of achievement when you reach (or exceed) your daily word count quota. Concentrate on these positives and try to avoid the possible negativity and lack of support from those who don’t get what you’re doing.


Have you made a New Year’s writing resolution different to the above? Are there other books about the creative writing process that you have found particularly helpful? Please do share in the comments section below. Happy New Year and I hope 2014 is a productive year of writing and publishing for you!