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Self-Editing for Fiction Writers Hardcover – 1 Mar. 1993

by Renni Browne (Author), Dave King (Author), George Booth (Illustrator)
4.5 out of 5 stars 64 ratings
Hundreds of books have been written on the art of writing. Here at last is a book by two professional editors to teach writers the techniques of the editing trade that turn promising manuscripts into published novels and short stories.
Renni Browne and Dave King are two of the country's best-known independent editors. In their years as president and senior editor of The Editorial Department, they have edited the work of many writers - including bestselling authors - before the manuscripts went out to agents or publishers. Over half the manuscripts worked on to completion eventually got published, and over half that number were first novels.
In this book Browne and King teach you, the writer, how to apply the editing techniques they have developed to your own manuscript, in order to bring your manuscript to its fullest potential. Chapters on dialogue, exposition, interior monologue and other techniques take you through the same processes an expert fiction editor would go through to perfect your manuscript. Each point is illustrated with examples, many drawn from the hundreds of books Browne and King have edited.
Every chapter contains hands-on exercises to help you apply these techniques to your own work. And illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist George Booth keep everything in perspective.
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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    HarperCollins
  3. Publication date
    1 Mar. 1993
  4. Dimensions
    15.24 x 2.54 x 22.23 cm
  5. ISBN-10
    0062700618
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0062700612
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 Mar. 1993
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062700618
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062700612
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 408 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.24 x 2.54 x 22.23 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 64 ratings

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  1. Renni Browne

    Renni Browne

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  2. Dave King

    Dave King

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4.5 out of 5 stars
64 global ratings

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Customers find this book to be a vital resource for aspiring authors, describing it as essential for improving writing skills. They appreciate its readability, with one customer noting it doesn't read like an English textbook.

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Author's knowledgeReadability
9 customers mention ‘Author's knowledge’9 positive0 negative

Customers praise the author's knowledge in this book, describing it as a vital resource for aspiring authors and essential for those wanting to improve their craft, with one customer noting it includes examples and explanations.

"This book is an absolute necessity in any writer's toolkit, it shows all the common mistakes and suggests ways out of them by example passages and..." Read more

"This is essential for writers wanting to improve their craft, as hard as it is, you need to address what it says in this book, and it will take you..." Read more

"This is a book every writer should read. It will definitely help you to get to thr best of your writing before you ask anyone else to read it...." Read more

"This is a great book for budding authors. It's packed with useful info and pointers, and written in a clear, concise manner allowing you to read it..." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Readability’3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it is easy to understand and not written like an English textbook.

"...It does not read like an English text book and is very easy to absorb...." Read more

"...It's packed with useful info and pointers, and written in a clear, concise manner allowing you to read it from cover to cover, or just dip in when..." Read more

"Would definitely recommend this item for any writer. Easy to read and understand. A perfect aid when you are editing." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • midi19
    5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for any budding authors
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 February 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This book is an absolute necessity in any writer's toolkit, it shows all the common mistakes and suggests ways out of them by example passages and even sets the reader exercises. It does not read like an English text book and is very easy to absorb. I learned a lot from this book & keep it by my side when I'm writing, along with Stephen King's 'On Writing' & dip into them if I'm struggling.
    If you only ever buy 1 book on self-editing, make it this 1, it'll be all you'll ever need.
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  • Leon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Tool for Writers
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 June 2022
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    This is essential for writers wanting to improve their craft, as hard as it is, you need to address what it says in this book, and it will take you a whole lot further.
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  • ninjapaddidavinci
    4.0 out of 5 stars Self Editing for fiction writers
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 July 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This is a book every writer should read. It will definitely help you to get to thr best of your writing before you ask anyone else to read it. Read it through before attempting to follow the given advice. It will make you a better writer.
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  • Amazon customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book for budding authors
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 February 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great book for budding authors. It's packed with useful info and pointers, and written in a clear, concise manner allowing you to read it from cover to cover, or just dip in when you need help with a certain aspect of your work. It is both informative and entertaining. An excellent purchase!
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  • Alexander Kreator
    3.0 out of 5 stars Purchased this to support my million word self edit
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 February 2014
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    Presentation and Content

    First Published in 1993. From the brief references so far the book seems to offer some good advice ... I read on Alexander of the Allrighters and Ywnwab!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Mr. B. G. Tyers
    5.0 out of 5 stars and consider this as one of the best.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 August 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I found this informative and insightful. It covers a lot of ground and includes examples and explanations, along with some passages for you to edit yourself. I've read a few books on this subject, and consider this as one of the best.
    One person found this helpful
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  • European Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Help
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 September 2017
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    A good read for those wishing to impress with their script before professional editors get their hands on it
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  • Cathy Cole
    5.0 out of 5 stars self-editing for fiction writers
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 December 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Would definitely recommend this item for any writer. Easy to read and understand. A perfect aid when you are editing.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Victoria Tarrani
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is required reading.
    Reviewed in the United States on 19 July 2002
    Verified Purchase
    Read, follow the checklists, and complete the exercises included with each chapter. Check your versions in the Answers to Exercises section of the book. Applying the techniques within this book will help you write, not just for publication, but something that is memorable.

    "Authors who sell well are almost always certain to go to the highest bidder, and publishers can't reasonably afford to develop an author for a competing house." (Browne, King) The business of publishing changed, and those great editors who supported their clients and helped create stellar books are gone. The business is about making money. Therefore, "self editing is probably the only kind of editing your manuscript will ever get."

    Chapter 1: Show and Tell. The difference is 'to tell' is to describe what happened through a narrative summary, while 'to show' is to experience what happens. With the use of cartoon sketches, the concept is clearly revealed. Yet, pacing is important and you accomplish this by slowing the scene with narrative summary, or descriptions.

    Chapter 2: Characterization and Exposition. "A lot of readers seem to feel they have to give their readers a clear understanding of a new character before they can get on with their story." This stops the story. Each character is psychoanalyzed and physical details are listed. It may not seem like a list, but it is. "When you define your characters the minute you introduce them, you may be setting boundary lines..." rather than letting your characters grow.

    Chapter 3: Point of View. Many times a switch in POV is subtle, but it changes the perspective and makes it hard for readers to relate to the characters in the scene, story, or book. The first person POV is limiting, yet it is an excellent exercise because you can only know what "I" experience. The omniscient POV is informative, and narrative summary is an aspect. In using the third person POV, which is the compromise between the two, it is imperative to stay in one person's mind for the entire sequence, or no interior monologues by multiple characters.

    Chapter 4: Dialogue Mechanics. "If the dialogue doesn't work, the manuscript gets bounced." Many writers hate to use said, but it is transparent and does not require the reader to interpret the author's expression, which has taken the reader into the writer's head and away from what the characters say.

    Chapter 5: See How It Sounds. "The creation of character voice ... is one of the most ... challenging acts you can create as a writer." Why? Every individual is different, each has their own voice, and so must your characters. In addition, the dialogue has to be meaningful. An inane conversation does not move the story forward, it is boring, and it stops the story. Listen to your dialogue aloud. Would you say it?

    Chapter 6: Interior Monologue. Thoughts are constant, they interrupt our conversations by taking our attention elsewhere. We live different lives in our own minds, so do your characters, it is emotion and perception that makes them real, and interior monologue is the technique.

    Chapter 7: Easy Beats. This is rhythm. A waltz is playing, what do you see? It is the Tennessee Waltz, your images change. Patti Page is not singing the song, a reggae band is. Each change creates a different feeling because each type of music has its own beat or connection. Scenes, words, dialogue, and events pace your story. "Beats enable your readers to picture the action in a scene."

    Chapter 8: Breaking Up is Easy To Do. Frequent paragraphs can add tension just as a rapid-fire talk show host does. Readers' eyes move down the page more quickly, which adds momentum. However, maintaining this pace will wear you out, there will be no sudden surprise. Slowing the pace lulls the reader, provides intimacy, and creates suspense. Both are needed.

    Chapter 9: Once is Usually Enough. Repeating words, phrases, descriptions, and effects are boring. When a reader knows that a map is missing in chapter one, they still know it in chapter five, they know it until it has been found. "When you try to accomplish the same effect twice, the weaker attempt is likely to undermine the power of the stronger one."

    Chapter 10: Proportion. The setup in chapter one must be resolved in the climax, but if another event becomes more important, then the impact of the problem resolution is lost. If the object is to find the missing map, then a duel in a romantic liaison cannot take half the book; the proportion is off; that single event becomes more important than the premise itself.

    Chapter 11: Sophistication. This contains a very good description of "the hack's favorite construction." Take care in using -ing words or linking events with as.

    Chapter 12: Voice. "A strong, distinctive, authoritative writing voice is something most fiction writes want -- and something no editor or teacher can impart." It is individual, it belongs to you, and to each character you create. They are different; make sure your interior and exterior dialogue for each character is theirs.

    Five stars. I recommend two books to writers, this is one of them. The other is - The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile, by Noah Lukeman.

    Victoria Tarrani
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  • ealovitt
    5.0 out of 5 stars I seized my magic marker. I writhed with shame.
    Reviewed in the United States on 17 April 2001
    Verified Purchase
    "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" literally had me writhing. At least my toes curled and I kept saying, "Ouch," as chapter after chapter critiqued yet another one of my cherished writing habits ('Tom Swifties' for one). I have two suggestions for potential readers: (1) bypass "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" completely if you have a delicate ego; (2) if you do read it, stock up on several different colors of magic markers and keep your manuscript nearby. It will soon be streaming with color.
    Renni Browne and Dave King also explain why self-editing, "is probably the only kind of editing your manuscript will ever get." Many publishing houses have eliminated the tedious step of editing a promising manuscript to bring it up to its full potential. If they like it coming in the door, the manuscript is published 'as is'!
    I'm sorry, Renni and Dave. I had to use an exclamation point to end that last sentence. Your book explains why I've been struggling through so many bloated fantasy novels, lately. The editors who used to take a red pencil to them are now gone missing, probably in the interests of 'cost cutting'. And if there is anyone out there who still believes fantasy novels do get edited, read "Rhapsody: Child of Blood" by Elizabeth Haydon.
    "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" is not just for the unpublished. The authors take examples of bad dialogue mechanics or second-hand reporting right out of the classics and show us how to rectify them. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, and P.D. James all take their lumps in this book, and once you've seen how Renni and Dave improve these authors' paragraphs, you will probably agree with them (I did). You also get to practice on "The Great Gatsby" yourself in one of the exercises that follows the chapter on "Dialogue Mechanics".
    Each chapter except the last in "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" has a checklist that you can take to your own manuscript. I used all eleven of the checklists on mine, and all I can say is, thank God for the 'cut and paste feature' in word processors. This novel of mine originally started out on a typewriter, and I would have been forced to commit hara-kiri if I'd read this book before 'cut and paste' was invented.
    Seriously, this is a most helpful book for would-be 'published' authors of fiction. I'll give it five stars for now, but I'm going to hack in to Amazon.com and up its rating to seventeen stars if I actually do get published. Right now, I've got a few more changes to make to my manuscript....
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  • BigSmiler
    4.0 out of 5 stars One of many guides to have
    Reviewed in the United States on 26 April 2004
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    Never use this book as your only guide for effective writing. Renni & King greatly disagree with other editors. What makes R&K different is how condescending they are on anyone who doesn't do things their way. They often cite passages from major successful authors and say it's evidence they're confused and, their favorite insult, they lack confidence.
    Occasionally R&K violate their own laws within their book. For example, in their chapter on not repeating oneself, they echo some sentences almost verbatim. I do not see it as something they did for effect.
    They have many bizarre rules. When a writer wants to show someone is drunk, R&K say they shouldn't stagger but rather pronounce their words carefully. How many readers will recognize this means someone is drunk?
    The fact is no two publishers or editors agree on all their fundamental rules. R&K provide just one set of guidelines. Writers should read books by other editors and be cautioned that R&K will try to intimidate you into being their follower. I now know why some people quote R&K with such arrogance-they've become bullied patsies.
    It's a good guide, but I don't like the authors based upon what their books shows about them.
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  • Mark Andrew Edwards
    5.0 out of 5 stars Reccomended for every writer but especially for aspiring authors
    Reviewed in the United States on 25 March 2011
    Verified Purchase
    This is the single most useful book on writing for me. I don't usually have a problem getting the words to flow (getting my hinder in the Throne of Writing (tm) is another story) but I struggle with revising more than anything else. I may not know the answer of 'what to cut' but this book tells me why to cut or rephrase. I can't praise it enough.

    The book is filled with examples and exercises, many of which are taken from well-known published writers. Seeing how to do things right is invaluable to me. Here's one example just off the top of my head: voice. I can't think of any other writing book I've read so far that gave even a hint about how to develop a writer's voice. Brown and King's suggestions there was deceptively simple but revelatory.

    The discussion ranges from exclamation points to profanity (both are suggested to be used sparingly...especially the exclamation points) and the author not only provide advice, they back it up with those useful examples I mentioned above.

    This book belongs on every writer's bookshelf...actually, not on the bookshelf, it belongs on their writing desk. For new writers, start with this book. You won't be sorry.
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  • Big Goose
    5.0 out of 5 stars A 10 star WINNER!!!!!!!!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on 21 April 1999
    Verified Purchase
    When I was in High School and college, I remember people searching for old quizzes. We wanted to know what was on the exam and focused our midnight oil burning sessions trying to mimic the success of past victims. Zuckerman and Stein are great on telling you how to build a good novel (I recommend them also) but Self Editing is the key to the exam. One of the main problem areas in my writing is telling instead of showing when only one character in a scene. I have read accepted works of fiction that had no dialogue and I would see many cases of what I thought was telling --I was thoroughly confused. Self Editing opened the heavens and now I can write a good internal monologue instead of telling. I learn best by example and this book has example after example. If I had found this book a year ago, I would probably be finished with my novel. I have spent hundreds of dollars on writing books and I consider this one to be my most valuable reference. I could spend hours praising the authors for their clear and concise lessons. My only regret in this review is that I can't give the book 10 stars.
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