I have cut my word count from 137,000 words to 94,000.
For me, the last part of the editing process is reducing the word count and tightening the dialogue. After I finish this thorough edit, I will do one more.
I have used a private literary editor, but it will then be time for my manuscript to be looked over by a professional literary service. I realis that ot all want-to-be novelists have the resources to pay for professioal help.
Included with manuscript will be pages listing the section headings and chapters, the blurb, cover design, synopsis, and covering letter.
I want to ensure my novel is ready to submit to agents/agencies.
I should have added these basic editing tips to my checklist
14) Keep my sentences as short as possible.
15) Fix clunky sentences.
16) Grammar.
17) Punctuation.
I tend to have a mixed approach to editing - I know it has to be done but I generally don't like doing it and prefer to get it out of the way without sacrificing the quality of it at the same time. So, I tend to do 3 - 4 edits, in roughly this order:
1) Edit-as-I-write: I will often re-read what I wrote in my previous sitting and take out anything that's glaringly obvious. (It has to come out some time and will hopefully mean a shorter end edit.)
2) Initial edit at the end of writing - This is my sanity check to make sure all events link, that nobody has changed hair colour without first visiting a salon, that names are consistent, etc.
3) Spelling/Grammar/Sentence Structure check.
4) Sanity check to ensure that everything still makes sense and flows from end-to-end.
Yeah - I'm impressed, too.
But I must admit, I don't think I could work that way, even though I outline to begin with, which is basically a checklist. Perhaps I'm just lucky that I'm pretty good with grammar and so far I've been able to spot major flaws (which with me tend to be missing plot links and not giving the reader prior notice of events) on a first read through.
I suppose all that proves is you have to find a method which suits you to produce the best work you can.