So, you've finished your manuscript. Congratulations! That’s a huge accomplishment. But before you hit that “publish” button, there’s one critical step you must take: editing and proofreading. In the world of self-publishing, where you’re responsible for every aspect of your book’s production, ensuring your manuscript is polished and error-free is essential for success.

Why Editing and Proofreading Are Crucial

Editing and proofreading are more than just correcting typos and grammatical errors. These processes ensure your story flows smoothly, your characters are well-developed, and your message is clear. A well-edited book not only enhances the reader’s experience but also boosts your credibility as an author.

Here’s why you can’t afford to skip or skimp on these steps:

1. Professionalism and Credibility

A book riddled with errors can quickly turn readers off. Even the most compelling story can be overshadowed by poor grammar, awkward phrasing, and inconsistencies. Editing and proofreading elevate your manuscript to a professional level, ensuring that readers focus on your content, not the mistakes.

2. Reader Experience

Your readers deserve a seamless reading experience. Editing helps you refine your narrative, remove redundancies, and clarify complex ideas. Proofreading catches those sneaky typos and errors that can disrupt the flow of your story. A polished manuscript keeps readers engaged and leaves a lasting positive impression.

3. Positive Reviews and Recommendations

In the self-publishing world, reviews are crucial. A well-edited book is more likely to receive positive reviews, which can significantly impact your sales and visibility. Happy readers are also more likely to recommend your book to others, expanding your reach and audience.

The Editing and Proofreading Process

Now that you understand the importance of editing and proofreading, let’s dive into the process. Here are the steps you should take to polish your manuscript:

1. Self-Editing

Before you send your manuscript to a professional editor, it’s essential to do a round of self-editing. Here’s how:

• Take a Break: After finishing your draft, step away from it for a few days or weeks. This distance will help you return with fresh eyes and a more objective perspective.
• Read Aloud: Reading your manuscript aloud helps you catch awkward sentences, unnatural dialogue, and pacing issues. It also forces you to slow down and pay closer attention to each word.
• Focus on Structure: Examine the overall structure of your book. Ensure that each chapter flows logically into the next, and that your plot points are clear and well-developed. Look for any inconsistencies in the timeline or character behavior.
• Cut the Clutter: Remove unnecessary words, phrases, or scenes that don’t add value to your story. Aim for clarity and conciseness.

2. Invest in Professional Editing

Self-editing is important, but it’s not enough. A professional editor brings a fresh perspective and can identify issues you may have missed. Here are some types of editing to consider:

• Developmental Editing: Focuses on the big picture, including plot structure, pacing, character development, and overall coherence. This is especially useful if you’re unsure about the story’s structure or if you’ve received mixed feedback from beta readers.
• Line Editing: This involves a closer look at sentence structure, word choice, and overall flow. Line editors refine your prose, ensuring it’s clear, compelling, and free of redundancies.
• Copy Editing: Focuses on grammar, punctuation, syntax, and consistency. A copy editor ensures your manuscript adheres to language rules and maintains consistency in style and tone.
• Proofreading: The final step before publication, proofreading catches any remaining typos, formatting issues, and minor errors. It’s the last line of defense to ensure your book is as error-free as possible.

3. Budgeting for Editing Services

Professional editing can be a significant investment, but it’s one that pays off in the long run. If you’re working with a tight budget, consider these options:

• Prioritize Your Needs: Determine which type of editing your manuscript needs most. If your story structure is solid, you might prioritize copy editing and proofreading.
• Look for Package Deals: Some editors offer package deals that include multiple types of editing. This can be more cost-effective than hiring separate editors for each stage.
• Consider Barter or Exchange Services: Some editors may be open to bartering services, especially if you have skills that can help them, such as graphic design or marketing.

DIY Proofreading Tips

If you decide to proofread your manuscript yourself, here are some tips to help you catch those last-minute errors:

• Change the Format: Read your manuscript in a different format, such as on a tablet or printed out. This change in perspective can help you spot errors you might miss on your computer screen.
• Use Editing Tools: Tools like Grammarly or ProWritingAid can help catch basic grammar and spelling errors. However, they should be used as a supplement, not a replacement for thorough proofreading.
• Focus on One Thing at a Time: During each pass, focus on a specific type of error, such as punctuation, dialogue tags, or formatting. This targeted approach ensures you don’t overlook any details.

Editing and proofreading are critical steps in the self-publishing process that can make or break your book’s success. By investing time and resources into polishing your manuscript, you ensure that your readers receive the best possible version of your work. A well-edited book not only enhances the reader experience but also solidifies your reputation as a professional author.

Remember, your book is a reflection of you and your brand. Don’t rush through the editing process—take the time to make your manuscript shine. Your readers (and your future self) will thank you for it.

Need help with editing or proofreading? At Business Author Boot Camp, we offer professional editing services tailored to self-published authors. Let us help you polish your manuscript to perfection and prepare it for publication. Contact us today to learn more!

• began walking
• started running
• was trying to explain
• continued talking
• seemed to be thinking

are some of the most common culprits in weak, flabby writing. They don’t add meaning. They delay action. And they quietly drain energy from your sentences. Let’s talk about why this happens—and how to fix it.

The Real Problem Isn’t -ING. It’s Hesitation.

The issue isn’t that all -ing verbs are evil. The issue is that many writers stack them behind helper verbs that soften or delay action. Look at this sentence:

“I began walking toward the door.”

What actually happens here? Nothing—at least not right away. The sentence spends time announcing that walking is about to occur instead of just letting it occur. Now compare it to this:

“I walked toward the door.”

Same meaning. More momentum. Less clutter. The second sentence moves. The first one stalls.

“Began” and “Started” Are Usually Redundant

In most cases, readers already understand that an action has a beginning. You don’t need to point it out. When you write:

“She started to cry.”

You’re narrating the concept of crying instead of showing the action. Try this instead:

“She cried.”

Or, if you want more texture:

“Her face crumpled, and tears spilled down her cheeks.”

Notice how the second option gives us emotion, imagery, and motion—all without announcing that crying has commenced.

-ING Constructions Create Distance

Another problem with these constructions is that they create narrative distance. Compare:

“He was running down the street.”

Versus:

“He ran down the street.”

The first version feels like the narrator is hovering above the action, reporting it from a distance. The second drops us directly into motion. That immediacy matters—especially in fiction, memoir, and any writing where engagement is the goal.

Weak Verbs Love to Travel in Packs

These phrases rarely show up alone. They tend to stack:

“She was beginning to feel like she was losing control.”

That sentence is doing Olympic-level gymnastics to avoid committing to a strong verb. A cleaner version:

“She felt herself losing control.”

Or even stronger:

“Control slipped through her fingers.”

Stronger verbs reduce word count, sharpen meaning, and make your writing feel confident instead of tentative.

When Writers Use These Phrases (and Why)

Most writers fall into this habit for one of three reasons:

1. They’re trying to sound more literary
2. They’re afraid of being too direct
3. They’re writing the way they speak

Unfortunately, conversational padding doesn’t translate well to the page. What sounds natural out loud often reads sluggish in print. Direct writing isn’t rude. It’s respectful—to your reader’s time and attention.

How to Fix It: A Simple Editing Pass

Here’s an easy rule of thumb for revisions. Search your manuscript for:

• began
• started
• was
• were
• continued
• seemed
• tried

Then ask one question: Can I delete this phrase and keep the meaning—or improve it? Nine times out of ten, the answer is yes. Here's another example:

“She began to open the letter.”

Here's the fix:

“She opened the letter.”

If deleting the phrase makes the sentence stronger, cleaner, and clearer, it didn’t belong there in the first place.

When -ING Is Actually Fine

Let’s be clear: not all -ing verbs are bad. They work when:

• Two actions are happening simultaneously
• You need to show duration or overlap
• Rhythm genuinely benefits from it

Here are an examples that works:

“She stood at the window, watching the storm roll in.”

That’s doing real work. It’s visual. It’s active. It earns its place. The problem isn’t the -ing form—it’s using it as a crutch instead of choosing a precise verb.

Strong Writing Commits

Weak constructions hedge. Strong writing commits. Instead of easing into action, strong sentences step forward and claim it. So stop beginning to do things. Stop starting to act. Stop announcing movement before it happens. Just let your characters—and your sentences—move.

If your writing feels slow, this is one of the first places to look. Trim the hesitation, sharpen the verbs, and trust your reader to keep up. They will.

The Problem: Emotional Translation Instead of Action

Here’s a familiar example:

“Climbing the stairs, carrying groceries, and holding a conversation all felt like they required an unreasonable amount of effort.”

Nothing is technically wrong here. But the sentence is doing too much work explaining what the reader already understands.

Now compare it to this:

“Climbing the stairs, carrying groceries, and holding a conversation required an unreasonable amount of effort.”

Same meaning. Stronger impact. No emotional coaching needed. The verb required tells us everything we need to know.

Why “Felt Like” Weakens Your Writing

Phrases like “felt like” act as a buffer between the reader and the experience. Instead of letting the reader feel the exhaustion, frustration, or dread, the sentence pauses to explain that the narrator experienced it.

Common offenders include:

• felt like
• seemed
• appeared to be
• I realized
• I noticed
• I became aware that
• it was as if

These phrases rarely add insight. They simply translate the emotion after the sentence has already demonstrated it.

Strong Verbs Carry Emotion Automatically

Emotion doesn’t need to be labeled when it’s embedded in the action. Look at the difference:

“She felt overwhelmed by the workload.”
“The workload crushed her.”

“He felt anxious about the meeting.”
“The meeting tightened his chest.”

“I felt like I was losing control.”
“Control slipped through my fingers.”

In each case, the second sentence removes the emotional narrator and lets the verb do the heavy lifting. That’s what makes writing feel confident instead of tentative.

Why Writers Fall Into This Habit

This shows up so often because writers are trying to be careful. They want to:

• be precise
• avoid ambiguity
• make sure the reader understands the emotion

Ironically, doing this often creates distance instead of clarity. Readers don’t need to be told how to feel. They need enough evidence to feel it themselves.

How to Fix It: A Targeted Editing Pass

This is an easy issue to spot once you know what to look for. Follow these steps to fix this issue in your writing.

Step 1: Search for These Phrases

Do a find search in your manuscript for:

• felt
• felt like
• seemed
• appeared
• realized
• noticed
• became aware

Step 2: Ask One Question

Is the sentence already proving this feeling through action, pressure, or consequence? If yes, delete the emotional explanation.

Step 3: Replace With a Stronger Verb

Instead of explaining the emotion, choose a verb that implies it.

• “felt exhausted” → drained, sagged, faltered
• “felt overwhelmed” → crushed, buried, swamped
• “felt frustrated” → snapped, clenched, bristled

You don’t need more words. You need better ones.

When It’s Okay to Name the Feeling

There are times when emotional labeling works—usually when:

• the emotion is unexpected or contradictory
• the narrator is reflecting rather than experiencing
• clarity is more important than immediacy

But these should be intentional choices, not default habits. If every emotional beat is explained, the writing starts to feel instructional instead of immersive.

The Rule to Remember

If the sentence already shows the emotion, don’t explain it. Trust your verbs. Trust your reader. And let the writing stand on its own without emotional hand-holding. This one change alone can dramatically tighten prose, sharpen pacing, and make your writing feel more confident and professional—without adding a single extra word.

Let’s fix it.

What POV Filtering Looks Like

POV filtering happens when the writer narrates the act of perception instead of the thing being perceived. For example:

“Shelley noticed Brian scanning the horizon.”

The reader already knows the scene is in Shelley’s point of view. Telling us that Shelley noticed something adds no new information—it just puts a pane of glass between the reader and the action. Now compare:

“Brian scanned the horizon.”

Same moment. Stronger delivery. No narrator hovering over the scene.

Why POV Filtering Weakens Your Writing

Filtering phrases create distance. Instead of experiencing the scene directly, the reader is reminded that they are being told about it by someone else. This breaks immersion and makes the prose feel cautious or over-explained. Common POV filters include:

• noticed
• saw
• watched
• observed
• realized
• felt
• thought
• became aware

These words rarely add meaning once POV is established. They simply announce perception instead of letting it happen.

The Reader Already Knows Who’s Looking

Once you’ve established point of view, everything on the page is already filtered through that character. You don’t need to say:

• “She saw the door open”
• “He noticed the sky darkening”
• “They realized the room was empty”

The reader understands that if the door opens on the page, the POV character perceives it. So instead of:

“She noticed the door slowly opening.”

Write:

“The door creaked open.”

The second version pulls the reader into the moment instead of standing back to explain it.

Filtering Is a Confidence Problem

Writers often use POV filters because they’re trying to be careful. They worry about:

• clarity
• perspective
• accidentally slipping POV

Ironically, filtering does the opposite. It weakens perspective by constantly reminding the reader that they’re outside the action, being guided through it. Strong POV writing trusts the scene.

How to Fix POV Filtering: A Simple Editing Pass

Step 1: Search for Filter Words

Run a find search for:

• noticed
• saw
• watched
• realized
• felt
• thought
• observed

Step 2: Delete the Filter

Remove the POV tag and read the sentence again.

Original:
“He noticed the captain grip the helm.”

Revised:
“The captain gripped the helm.”

If the sentence still makes sense—and it usually does—you’ve improved it.

Step 3: Adjust Only If Needed

Occasionally, you may need to tweak wording for clarity. But avoid replacing one filter with another. Your goal is direct experience, not explanation.

When POV Filtering Is Acceptable

There are times when filtering works, such as:

• moments of sudden realization
• deliberate reflection
• sharp internal contrast

But these should be intentional choices, not default habits. If every paragraph is filtered, the narrative feels mediated instead of immersive.

The Rule to Remember

If the POV is established, don’t restate it. Let the reader see what the character sees—without reminding them who’s doing the seeing. Cutting POV filters is one of the fastest ways to:

• tighten prose
• strengthen immersion
• and make your writing feel more confident and professional

Trust the scene. Trust the reader. And stop standing between them.