Megan Manzano

Another solution is to use facial expressions. How does a character laughing, smiling, frowning, etc impact their features?

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The above example, without explicitly saying your MC is "x feet", gives the reader a picture. It also gives the reader a fact about the MC's relation to their brother.

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One solution to these problems is using another character as a point of comparison. For example: "It always annoyed me when my brother took my notebook. I had to stand on my tiptoes to only just reach his chin."

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The simplest way to describe a character is to dedicate a sentence/paragraph to their appearance. The problems here are:

1. It can bore your reader.
2. It can interrupt the pace.
3. It can feel out of place.

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You want to have the best possible draft before sending to an agent and a clean as possible draft before sending to an editor so they can truly focus on your concerns and questions.

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There are definitely more tips out there, but honestly one of the best things you can do is have beta readers and critique partners read over your draft before sending it out.

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A handful of details above aren't needed since they don't add to the story. There's a general knowledge of how to turn on cars that you don't need to describe.

Save your words for scenes a reader NEEDS more info about.

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In a similar vein, cut down excessive wordiness. Instead of "Sarah got the keys from the key rack, walked to the car, put the key in the ignition, and turned it on," say "Sarah retrieved her keys and turned on the car."

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Check that you're not over-explaining backstory which causes info-dumping. This slows down the pace of your story. If you aren't sure if you need to include or delete details, reach out to someone who can read your work.

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The same is true for dialogue tags! If each sentence ends with X said, it gets redundant. Said is great in some instances, but other times more introspection is helpful or other forms of dialogue tags.

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Check for repetition regarding character actions/traits. Say your character bites their nails when they're nervous. It's a good indicator of anxiety, but if it occurs multiple times per page or chapter, it's a clutch.

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Go over your manuscript for filler words like "just, suddenly, very, then," and cut as many as you can. You'd be surprised how much these add to your word count and how many times I'll stop to mark these while editing.

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The first thing is basic proofreading! Spellcheck, punctuation, complete sentences, etc. Also make sure - if you changed names, places, dates, - they've been updated throughout the entire manuscript.

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Morning #writers ! Let's talk about some key elements to check your manuscript for before sending it to agents and editors.

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I lied - one more tip! Don't be afraid to cut or rearrange scenes to help deliever a stronger scene.

Questions? Leave them below!

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My last tip - especially if you're an outline person or a plotter - is break down how each scene operates in your story. Ask yourself:

1. What is it doing?
2. What is it building towards?
3. How much do I need to include?

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Also I want to make clear that pacing does not always equal action! Pacing simply means that your story is getting to where it needs to be at the right time.

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If reveals need to be given, you can vary how the reader finds out. Whether a character sees it, is told it, or they're going through their thoughts and it smacks them in the face!

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Another tip is don't get weighed down in giving your reader every little detail. Some things can be implied. Some things can be hinted at. Some things can wait.

Know why you're including backstory or a plot twist.

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Even shorter to longer chapters are effective. You can have your description but ending a chapter with a punch or a hook throws the reader into the next scene.

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