How to Self-Edit Your Book
Avoid Common Writing Mistakes and Fix Your Book Before You Publish
Watch Promo Enroll in CourseFree video course for authors with a draft
Before you pay an editor, find the problems that polishing won't fix.
Most people think editing means cleaning up the sentences and catching typos. None of that fixes the problems that make a book fail. This free course shows you how to fix the story first, and walks you through the editing process I use.
- Seven video lessons, about an hour and a half in all
- My editing process in four passes: what happens, why it happens, how it looks, then proofreading
- Newer videos on revising a novel and hiring an editor, plus the AI tools I use for editing
An example written for this page. The crossed-out words are the easy fixes. The yellow note is the one that matters.
- 7 video lessonsAbout an hour and a half
- FreeNothing to pay
- Self-pacedLifetime access
- Derek MurphyPhD in Literature, former book editor
Why polishing isn't enough
Good writing and a good story aren't the same thing.
Smoother sentences, better word choices, no typos or grammar mistakes: that stuff matters. But readers who aren't invested in the characters or the story stop reading, however nice the sentences are.
Through my free resources and articles, I've helped thousands of authors publish and market their books, but most of what I do is cosmetic. No amount of design and marketing will fix an unsatisfying book that just doesn't quite work. And most editors won't either. I know, because I was a book editor for many years.
Great editors notice the bits that could be better and offer suggestions, but they can't rewrite the book for you. Whether you understand and accept their notes comes down to whether you understand what makes a good story. So this course is about the main things you need to do, as the author, before you even think about hiring an editor.
Try it on one chapter
My editing process, in four passes
This is the order I edit in. The 24-minute video "My editing process" walks through it, but you can try it on one chapter of your own today.
What happens
What actually happens in the story? List the events of the chapter in plain words, leaving the pretty sentences out.
Why it happens
Character motivation and background. Does each character have a reason to do what they do, and does the reader know it?
How it looks
Setting, position, scene description. Ask "what does this look like?" so you show the scene happening, instead of talking about things readers can't picture.
Then proofread
Typos, commas and word choice come last, because there's no point polishing a sentence you're about to cut. I don't actually think you should be paying $500 for proofreading, so there's a lesson on the AI tools I use for this part.
Most of the course is about the story, not the sentences. That's where a book works or doesn't, long before anyone checks the commas.
What's inside
Seven video lessons, plus the resources around them
The seven lessons run about an hour and a half. I made them a few years ago; the newer material is listed after them.
Do you really need an editor?
How to tell, where to find one, and how to know if they're any good.
Good writing vs good story
Why cleaning up the sentences won't fix what makes a book fail, and why you fix the story first.
You are responsible for reader satisfaction
Writing to make readers happy, so they go from liking your book to loving it.
The book you care about may not be your best
Why your first book is the hardest to polish, and why caring about it too much makes it harder to kill your darlings.
Working with a professional editor
Tips for when you do hire one, plus a newer video on how long editing takes and what it should cost.
Learn your craft. Map it out.
Common writing mistakes, a free PDF that lists more, and my chapter outline for mapping the story.
My editing process
The four passes above, walked through on video: what happens, why it happens, how it looks, then proofreading.
Also in the course
- Start here: the difference between good writing and a good story, and what "show, don't tell" and "kill your darlings" look like on the page.
- Self-editing your book: a longer video on my 5-step book revision process, plus the one on hiring an editor.
- Best AI tools for editing: the ones I use, and what each one is good for.
- Book marketing: my publishing and marketing resources, for when the book is done.
Is this for you?
It's for you if
- You've finished a draft, or you're close, and you're not sure what to fix first.
- You're thinking about hiring an editor and want to fix what you can yourself first, so you get more out of the money.
- You've had notes from an editor or beta readers and you're not sure which ones to take.
It's not for you if
- You want a grammar course. This isn't a guide to grammar or writing pretty prose.
- You want someone to edit your book. The course doesn't include an edit of your manuscript.
- You want a long program. It's seven short video lessons and a few resources. The deeper course is Bookcraft Academy, further down this page.
Your teacher
Hi, I'm Derek Murphy.
I have a PhD in Literature, and I put myself through grad school working as an editor, then a book cover designer. I've worked with over a thousand writers on their books, and I wrote The Plot Dot and Book Craft, my guides to plotting and the craft of writing.
I've also written over a dozen novels, and the editing process in this course is the one I use. I write to make readers happy. That's my goal in every book I write.
When you want to go deeper
The next step: Bookcraft Academy
This free course is the short version. Bookcraft Academy is my full writing course, and it goes further into the story problems this course points at: the 25-chapter plot outline, character development, writing scenes, conflict and tension, what to do if your book doesn't fit the outline, and my revision and self-editing process.
Two more courses are included with it: Novel Writing Basics and Navigate Your Nonfiction. It's self-paced, with lifetime access.
What writers say about Bookcraft
"Thank u so much. This is seriously the best plot structure I have ever encountered. I was able to make a first draft of my plot outline with this in less than a hour. It finally looks like I´m getting somewhere. All thanks to you!"
"I can not thank you enough Derek. Before the course I was just winging it and hit a dead end with what amounted to a short story rather than a novel. Your structure has helped motivate me again and flesh out my plot in a proper way to build suspense. What a treasure and inspiration you are to amateur writers everywhere!"
Bookcraft Academy
Plus Novel Writing Basics and Navigate Your Nonfiction
$37 with this linkThe list price is $197. This link applies my thank-you discount for taking this free course, and you'll see the price on the Bookcraft page before you pay.
See Bookcraft Academy30-day money-back guarantee. If Bookcraft isn't what you needed, email support within 30 days of your purchase and you'll get a full refund.
Questions
Before you sign up
Is it really free?
Yes. In the enrollment box at the bottom of this page, FREE is already selected. Click Enroll in Course and there's nothing to pay. If you ever buy one of my courses and it isn't right for you, email support within 30 days of your purchase and you'll get a full refund.
How long do I have access?
As long as you like. The course is self-paced: start whenever you want, and come back to it when you edit your next book.
Do I need a finished draft?
It helps. The lessons are about what to fix and in what order, so they're most useful when you have a chapter to try them on. If you're still planning, start with "Learn your craft. Map it out." and my chapter outline.
Is this a grammar course?
No. This isn't a guide to grammar or writing pretty prose. It's about the story: what happens, why it happens and whether the reader can see it. Proofreading comes last, and there's a lesson on the AI tools I use for it.
Will you edit my book?
No. The course shows you how to do the first round yourself. It doesn't include an edit of your manuscript.
Are the videos new?
The main videos are a few years old. The idea in them hasn't changed: fix the story first, not the writing. The newer material sits around them: two longer videos on revision and hiring an editor, and a lesson on AI editing tools.
Fix the story before you polish the sentences.
It's free, and the seven main lessons take about an hour and a half. If you only watch one lesson, start with "Good writing vs good story", then try the four passes on one chapter.
- Click the button below. In the enrollment box, FREE is already selected.
- Click Enroll in Course and sign up with your name and email (or log in, if you already have an account at my school).
- Teachable emails you a one-time code. Enter it to finish signing up. No code after a few minutes? Check your spam folder.
Through my free resources and articles, I've helped thousands of authors publish and market their books: but most of what I do is cosmetic. No amount of design and marketing will "fix" an unsatisfying book that just doesn't quite work. And unfortunately, most editors won't either (I know, because I was a book editor for many years and now manage a book editing company).
Great editors will do their best, notice the bits that could be better, and improve suggestions for improvement - but they can't rewrite the book for you. Whether or not you understand and accept the editor's notes really comes down to whether or not you understand what make a good story.
Many authors are sensitive and defensive about their work, so even when they're paying thousands of dollars for an editor, they still resist the crucial and necessary help and advice that would take their book from good to great. So in this free course, I'm going to talk about the main things YOU need to do, as an author, before even thinking about hiring an editor. And I'm also going to interview a handful of industry leaders and writing coaches to get their experienced wisdom.
Also, here's a free PDF of common writing mistakes you can fix.
Recommended Reads
Here are some of my favorite books on writing: most of these are actually about story and plotting, because if authors spent ONE DAY on plotting out their story using universal story structure they'd save themselves a year of frustration.
- Self-editing your novels (resources)
- Book Butchers Editing
- BookCraft (writing fiction)
- AI ghostwriting tool
Your Instructor
Derek Murphy has a PhD in Literature and has been featured in CNN for hosting writing retreats in medieval castles. After working with thousands of authors as a writing coach and developmental author, he began developing plotting cheatsheets and advanced writing tips for authors that now have nearly 3 million views on YouTube.
Course Curriculum
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PreviewSTART HERE (new resources!)
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PreviewSelf-editing your book
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PreviewDo you really need an editor? (6:57)
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PreviewGood writing vs Good story (8:43)
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PreviewYou are responsible for reader satisfaction (13:49)
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PreviewThe book you care about may not be your best (11:12)
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PreviewWorking with a professional editor (13:25)
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PreviewLearn your craft. Map it out. (16:22)
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PreviewMy editing process (24:24)
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PreviewSPECIAL OFFER: Bestseller Blueprint (91% off)
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PreviewBest AI tools for editing
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PreviewBook Marketing
Got Questions?
I have far too many sites, so it's easy to get lost or confused; and I actually try hard to hide my fiction writing platforms from my nonfiction stuff so I don't mess up the algorithms... but here are some of my other projects: