Self-Editing Checklist

Editing takes patience and practice! Self-editing is an important part of the writing process. First, walk away from your project for a time and come back to it with fresh eyes.

Second, there is a lot to keep in mind when you edit, and checklists help. You can tailor your self-editing checklist based on the type of project and genre; for a jump start I include a general checklist below to get you started.

Please comment or contact me with any editing questions! Being an editor is my passion—I love helping folks make their projects the best they can be.

*Note: If it is a long project, like a novel, you should consider a follow up of hiring a professional editor.*

Creative Awakening:  My Foray into Publishing

Hello Readers,

First off, thank you for taking the time to join me on this journey! I wanted to share a bit about what’s prompted me to start this website and blog.

My very first writer’s conference took place just six weeks ago in Roseville, CA at the West Coast Christian Writer’s Conference and I feel the scales have fallen from my eyes: I have now experienced the Christian publishing world, full of the bright, warm, encouraging and colorful characters that you could imagine. My path is now set: I’m going to give this thing a try. Not that there won’t be ups and downs—in just this short time there already have been some!—but that I don’t want to give up and I want to see where God leads me on this journey.

Here are the things that I learned agents want a writer to have: (1) multiple novels and ideas—no one wants a one hit wonder; (2) regular writer’s conference attendance or writing community involvement; and (3) to begin an online platform and presence.

I’m trying to tackle this list as best I can. Baby steps, for sure. Here are a few things I have accomplished in the past month:

  1. I created a public Instagram account–@kristenmillswrites–and have committed to posting each week. I’m still brainstorming content and, the transition from posting privately about my kids occasionally to posting regularly on a public account has been a heavy lift, I’m still trying. It’s a big learning curve.
  2. I just got this website up and running—kristenmillswrite.com—and plan to blog on it regularly.
  3. I have a skeleton outline for a second novel.

My path to publication wasn’t a journey I intended to share publicly, but when Bob Hostetler made the stark observation that nowadays “it’s easy to get published but hard to get readers” I was convinced.

So, dear readers, I appreciate any support or prayers you could offer in this long-term goal of publishing clean young adult content that features fun adventures and faith. I pray that doors open as a result of my new commitment.

Blessings,

Kristen