I think I’ve read Lethal Disposal a dozen times. Maybe more. Before I send the novel off to a copy-editor (I haven’t decided which one yet), I want to do a structural edit first. A structural edit is not the easiest of things when you’ve read the novel so many times that you skim over sentences because you know what’s coming.

It’s easy to become complacent with one’s writing. It’s also very easy to be too critical and never let it out into the world. I’m hoping to find a balance between the two so I’m doing one last structural edit and have given myself three weeks to complete it.

So what is a structural edit? 

It’s looking at the plot, characters, theme, and structure of the entire novel. It’s hard work but it’s also a necessity.

I’ve had two people read the book with a critical eye. A teacher friend was kind enough to make notes where plot points made no sense or required further explanation.

Now there are a few questions I need to answer:

Does the story flow?
Do I care about the characters?
Is the plot engaging enough?
Do my characters grow?
Are the main characters likeable?
Is there enough action/reaction?
Is the point of view clear?
Do the story elements make sense?
Do the character’s actions make sense?
Is there anything missing?
Have the subplots been wrapped up?
Has the main story point been wrapped up?
Does each scene move the story forward?

So it’s time to put butt back in chair, put my editors hat on, and tackle the novel’s structure.

Happy Writing (or rewriting!)