Writing & Editing: A Self-Editor's Handbook

0. Introduction

0. Introduction

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     “However great a man’s natural talent may be, the art of writing cannot be learned all at once.” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) 

     Let’s be honest. Writing isn’t as easy as it looks. Whether you're an aspiring amateur or a professional author, sometimes you make mistakes. Sometimes you don't even know you've made a mistake until someone shoves it in your face and mocks your ignorance—and that's okay. You don't have to be perfect, but I believe the willingness to strive for improvement is part of what differentiates a good writer from a lazy dimwit with a keyboard. 

     Minor errors are generally overlooked, but frequent mistakes are distracting. Grammar is irrefutably a major component of writing. You can have the most engaging concepts and tantalizing characters in the universe, yet if u rite liek u dont care bout ur own work, it’s unlikely that many others will care, either. A reader should never have to try and decipher what you're trying to say. Writing is—in its basic sense—an art of communication. You want to be able to express and communicate your ideas to the best of your abilities, right? 

     Of course you do. 

     With that being said, it baffles me to see so many careless errors repeated from one story to the next on Wattpad. Don't get me wrong—I’ve read some beautifully written novels here, but I've also read a lot of real face-palmers, which is why I’ve compiled this book of rules geared towards helping you improve your writing. 

     These rules are not trade secrets. You can find this same information anywhere. There are tons of published books and websites that focus on this same material. All I’ve done here is drawn attention to the most common errors I’ve personally seen while browsing stories on Wattpad, and I’ve explained them in my own words to—hopefully—help others learn and improve. 

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     If you have any requests for things I should include in this book, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message.