by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethspanncraig.com
When I’m deep in a manuscript, every word feels precious. That closeness is what makes the writing possible in the first place, but it’s also what makes editing so hard. Learning to step back and look at my own work like a stranger has turned out to be one of the most useful skills I’ve picked up.
Change How You See It
Encountering your writing in a new form can make it feel unfamiliar enough to see clearly. I’ll print chapters out and read them on paper, or use text-to-speech to hear how the dialogue and pacing actually land. Switching the font or formatting the manuscript like a finished book works too. These little tricks nudge your brain into treating the text as something new, and suddenly the repeated phrases and clunky transitions that were invisible on screen start jumping out.
Read for the Reader, Not Yourself
Knowing why a character does something doesn’t mean that reason actually made it onto the page. I try to ask what a reader would really take from a scene, not what I meant them to take. It’s easy to assume people will connect dots that only exist in my head. When a twist depends on something I never actually wrote down, readers end up confused rather than delighted.
Let Beta Readers Be Your Mirror
Other people catch what I can’t, because I’ve unconsciously filled in every gap myself. Beta readers spot plot holes, notice when a character suddenly acts out of character, and flag the scenes that drag or feel rushed. The ones who usually help most are readers who know your genre and will be honest rather than just encouraging. Their reactions show you where the story’s working and where it still needs you.
Make Every Scene Earn Its Spot
Attachment is what keeps us holding onto scenes that helped us as writers but don’t do much for the reader. I might love a conversation because it helped me understand a character, but if it doesn’t move the plot or reveal something that matters, it may need to go.
Stepping back this way feels cold next to the warmth of drafting, but it’s how good ideas turn into stories readers can actually sink into.
What helps you see your own work more objectively?
Time, format changes, and beta readers help you edit like a reader, not just a writer: Share on X
You're so right, Elizabeth! We get so close to what we write that it's hard to step back and see it more clearly. But it's vey helpful to do that. I like the idea of doing text-to-speech or printing to get more perspective. I also find that it helps to step away for a day or so, especially with hard-to-write scenes, etc. Coming back tomorrow with fresh eyes gives me a new perspective.
A new perspective makes all the difference!
I've always printed out my work as I see things that I don't see on a computer screen. And I really appreciate my test readers!
They’re the best!
Wow. That is insightful and amazing. Now I have to do some of that. lol
Hope it helps, Mike!
I've always printed out my work, mostly to do line-by-line editing/note taking, etc. I would often spend my various writing blocks just editing/note taking and just plan reading. I think the one thing that helps me see my own work objectively is the change in how I produce it to begin with. About four years ago I switched to pen/paper to write and naturally transcribe to the computer. Switching to pen/paper allow to write my characters/scenes/plots with more depth and clarity. And I often try to read my work from a potential reader's point of view. If I don't like what I write as a reader, chances are good that others who read it might not like it either.
Oh, that’s interesting. So you change it on the front end instead of the backend. And keeping the reader in mind is always a smart idea.