Finishing your manuscript means more than just completing your story. The finalization process often involves several rounds of self-edits and other changes and updates before it’s ready for publishers to view. A well-finalized manuscript has a higher chance of being accepted when compared to poorly finished work. These tips can help you finalize your manuscript to ensure you’re providing the best possible piece to potential publishers.
- Professional editing – Hire a professional editor to help you fix technical mistakes. There is no replacement for having a trained editor read your work. Most authors find the cost to be well worth it.
- Find beta readers – Consider finding a pool of beta readers to give you a different perspective on how target readers will perceive your work. Beta readers give different feedback than professional editors, which can help you make your manuscript more appealing to your readers.
- Write your final draft – It’s best to avoid sending publishers an early draft of your work. Most authors write multiple drafts before believing it to be good enough to be shown to publishers. There is no correct number of drafts but be sure the draft you submit is high-quality enough to be called a final draft.
- Proofread again – Always proofread your final draft before submitting. Mistakes can slip through even in those final editing stages.
- Format accordingly – Review publishers’ formatting guidelines to ensure your work meets submission requirements. Manuscripts that don’t meet the guidelines won’t make it past the initial review stage.
While publishers will generally make final changes and edits, that doesn’t mean you should submit less than your best. Proofread and edit your work to ensure you present the best possible version of your manuscript to potential publishers. Taking time to finalize your manuscript by fixing errors, editing for clarity, and formatting according to publisher guidelines shows publishers that you care about putting your best work out to readers.
