The Editing Checklist: Build Your Personalized Fiction Self-Editing Workflow

Transform post-draft confusion into a clear, personalized editing plan that matches your unique writing process and eliminates editing overwhelm.

Staring at your completed manuscript wondering "now what?" is one of the most common struggles fiction writers face. This comprehensive workshop and toolkit, developed by top editor and publishing expert Angela James, provides the framework to create your own customized editing workflow—turning a chaotic revision process into a structured, confidence-building system.

Why a personalized editing checklist gives you better results:

• It focuses on your specific writing style and manuscript needs
• It breaks overwhelming edits into manageable, focused passes
• It creates a repeatable system you can use for every book you write
• It helps you track progress and celebrate your wins
• It prevents you from trying to fix everything at once (a common burnout trigger)

This complete editing workflow builder includes:

• Four-layer editing approach - Progress logically from big picture to final polish
• Customizable checklist builder - Create your own personalized editing workflow
• Priority-setting framework - Identify your manuscript's most critical needs
• Progress tracking options - Choose the method that motivates you best

This toolkit guides you through all four essential editing layers:

1. Big Picture Development - Assess plot structure, character arcs, pacing, and story goals without getting bogged down in sentence-level fixes
2. Scene-Level Refinement - Evaluate each scene's purpose, identify infodumps or saggy sections, and restructure for better flow
3. Line Editing - Focus on clarity, flow, voice, and dialogue to strengthen your prose
4. Proofreading & Polish - Address formatting, typos, punctuation, and final consistency checks

Who will benefit from this editing checklist system:

• Fiction authors who feel overwhelmed after completing their draft
• Writers who struggle with editing direction or knowing what to fix first
• Anyone who has experienced editing burnout or analysis paralysis
• Authors who want to develop a repeatable system for all their books
• Writers preparing their manuscript for professional editing or submission

What authors are saying: "[N]ow I know exactly how to fix a manuscript that was so/so but had potential. I haven't been this excited about writing in awhile. Best writing advice I can give...find an editor you trust who can give you the insight you need to move forward with your stories and help you improve your craft." — Edith L., Romantic Suspense Author

The Editing Checklist is also included in Angela James' signature self-editing course Before You Hit Send, but is now available as a standalone tool.

Get this editing workflow builder today and transform post-draft confusion into confident, strategic revision.