Top 10 Self-Editing Challenges
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Self-editing is where a lot of writers struggle. Without another set of eyes, it’s easy to spiral inside your own standards and voice.
I asked where you struggle most with self-editing, and more than 60 of you replied! Some of the same themes showed up over and over again. Most fell into one of ten categories. (Some comments were overlapping, so I combined them where possible.)
Let’s walk through them in a way that actually helps you do something different next time you sit down to edit.
1. “I don’t know what I don’t know.”
This one is REAL. I hear you loud and clear. When you’re both the writer and the editor, your brain fills in gaps automatically. You read what you meant, not always what’s actually there.
Here’s how to work around that:
Change the format. Read your piece out loud or read it on a different device or app. Even changing the font or color helps break familiarity.
Edit in passes that have different goals. One pass for high-level clarity and coherence. One for flow. One for style. One for nitty-gritty details.
Use “reader questions” instead of rules. If you have questions for future beta readers, use those. Examples: Can I picture this? Does it flow? Is anything confusing?
If you’ve been here a while, you shouldn’t be surprised by one of my favorite editing questions: What is the reader supposed to feel in this scene?
Once you know that, it becomes easier to decide whether the paragraph needs more detail, less detail, or a completely different focus.
Regarding more general writing and editing “rules,” take advantage of the free resources here on Substack and learn as much as you can. Connect with other writers, read a lot, and participate in writers’ circles (if that’s your jam).
Most importantly, if you’re working on your first book, cut yourself some slack. Expecting perfection will take the joy out of the work. Don’t put so much pressure on your debut book, especially if you don’t have formal training.
2. “Knowing when to self-edit as I go versus just getting the draft out.”
Don’t get sucked into this editing loopy trap, causing you to edit Chapter 1 one twelve times and never reaching Chapter 2… or 3… or 15.
Drafting and editing use different parts of the brain.
Drafting is about energy and finding your flow state. Editing is pattern recognition and patience (a lot of it!) Trying to do both at once usually breaks your brain.
I tell my clients to split the process. When you’re drafting, only stop for:
Factual corrections you’ll forget later
Obvious continuity problems
Notes to yourself in brackets like [fix this scene later] or [better transition needed]
Editing is where you polish and focus on the details.
I highly recommend you do not edit and draft at the same time. You will likely do both jobs poorly and/or feel frustrated and confused.
3. “I keep rereading the same sentence without actually seeing it.”
This is what happens when your brain memorizes the text, and it’s related to the first topic we covered.
Let’s break that loop!
Read it backwards, one sentence at a time. (This will feel weird at first, but it works.)
Use a pointer, such as a finger or cursor, or highlight line-by-line.
Read it out loud slowly. Narrating really helps some authors.
Print it if possible. Your brain catches different things on paper.
The goal is to make the writing unfamiliar enough that your brain stops skipping ahead and sees the material as new stimuli.
Once your draft is finished, I also recommend taking some time away from your manuscript—weeks, in most cases. When you return to it, you’ll see it with fresh eyes and mind. This helps more than most authors realize.
4. “I don’t know what to speed up or slow down.”
Pacing is hard because everything feels important when you write it. Every line feels necessary, and this makes editing challenging.
Typically, dense paragraphs slow readers down. They tell the reader, “Process this. Stay in this moment.”
Short paragraphs speed them up. The eye moves faster. The page turns faster. We feel the urgency and momentum.
Neither is right or wrong. They simply serve different purposes.
Examine your story and ask: where should the reader linger? Where should they move quickly?
Emotional moments usually need space. Let the characters and scene breathe after a big event. The reader needs to absorb the pain, tension, joy, grief, or surprise. Rushing through these moments will cheat the reader out of the emotional payoff.
Speed up when you’re transitioning between emotional scenes, information is necessary but not emotionally rich, or the reader already understands what’s happening.
For example, you don’t need three paragraphs of a character walking to the car unless something meaningful happens on that walk.
Worldbuilding is an entirely different beast as it relates to this question. If you’re stuck there, check out this post:
5. “My editing process feels messy. What order should I even go in?”
Please excuse me while I stand on my soapbox. I have strong feelings about this one.
Order matters much more than most writers realize.
If you line edit too early, you end up polishing scenes you later delete, and it SUCKS to delete lines you really love. Don’t torture yourself. Follow the order:
Pass 1: Developmental edit: structure, pacing, missing pieces, cuts
Pass 2: Line edit: clarity, flow, rhythm, tone
Pass 3: Copy edit: grammar, consistency, small technical fixes
Pass 4: Proofread on the formatted version: typos, spacing, formatting weirdness
Line and copy edits absolutely blur together in real life. Most writers naturally catch both at once.
Want a deeper dive on this topic? Check out Section 3 of my self-editing guide:
6. “I hit publish… and then see everything I want to change.”
Congrats, you’re finally seeing your work as a reader instead of a writer.
When you’re drafting and editing, your brain is still focused on your intent. Like we chatted about above, it fills in the blanks because you know what you’re trying to say.
When you read the published version, your brain starts receiving the content, rather than projecting it outward. This is incredibly annoying, but it’s also useful.
Use it to your advantage and track your post-publish edits.
Are you always cutting unnecessary prose? Tweaking dialogue? Fixing pesky typos? Keep track of these patterns and use this list before you hit that publish button on your next piece.
7. “I don’t know when to stop.”
This is a BIG ONE. This one can kill creativity and cause author burnout quicker than many other parts of the process.
You tell yourself, “Just one more pass.” “This sentence could be cleaner.” “Maybe I should rewrite this section again.”
NOPE.
If you’ve already solved the major issues, this type of circular chaos does nothing except tone down the unique slant that makes your writing yours.
At a certain point, self-editing is nothing more than second guessing choices and polishing your MS until it’s technically flawless but totally flat and soulless. Don’t create another generic piece.
Try setting limits before you edit, such as the number of passes, amount of time, or specific goals for each round.
Define “done” clearly. Maybe that means it’s readable and coherent. Maybe that means it flows and still sounds like you. Maybe that means there are no major problems distracting from the core message.
Done does not mean perfect and flawless or the best piece of writing ever. Done means you can move on and keep creating.
8. “What do I keep? What do I add?”
Zoom out before zooming in. Then get the zoomies. (Just kidding… maybe.)
Before leaping right into line editing, ask what each section is doing. Advancing the plot, deepening emotion, explaining an idea, building tension?
If the answer isn’t obvious, the section probably needs some work. And if you’ve rewritten the same sentence five times, pick the strongest version and move on. Revisit later only if the section still isn’t working. Stop torturing yourself.
Endless tweaking can also be a form of procrastination. If you’re usually a procrastinator, be extra aware here.
Beta readers can be a huge asset during this phase of the writing process. They can give you a fresh perspective on your manuscript and tell you whether the story actually works for a real reader. Read the post below for more info on beta readers.
9. “Knowing what to cut, especially the parts I love.”
I know, I know, I know. This one hurts. It’s totally natural to feel so attached to your creation. Remember, our goal is to create the most compelling, immersive, clear story for your readers. Keep that in mind as you work through this one.
Focus on one chapter at a time.
Give every section within that chapter a job.
Remove it temporarily.
Read the chapter straight through.
If the scene becomes clearer or tighter without it, you already know the answer.
If you’re worried you have fluffy chapters that perhaps don’t belong, you can repeat this process by Act, rather than chapter.
Pro tip: keep a “cut file” and place all your darlings there. Editing is simply giving them a temporary home until they find where they’re truly meant to live.
10. “Crutch words show up when I’m stuck.”
I see crutch words show up when a writer is dancing around something intense or heavy, or when they aren’t sure what a scene is actually about.
Start by searching for your most repeated filler words and replace vague emphasis with concrete detail.
Here’s an overly simple example:
“The forest was really quiet.”
“Even the birds had gone silent, and her boots sounded too loud against the frozen leaves.”
The first sentence simply tells us what to feel. The second one lets us experience it. That’s usually what your crutch words are doing—acting as placeholders for something you’re not quite centered on.
Think about what the character would actually notice in a scene. That is usually enough to pull you out of the crutch-word loop.
Epilogue
Self-editing can be a doozy of a time. I hope this post helped you better understand some of the common pitfalls and challenges.
As always, I’m here to help! Reach out with questions or drop a note in the comments. Thanks for being here!
In ink,
Allison
allisonink.com
With over 15 years of experience helping writers navigate drafting, revision, and publishing, I share insights, tools, and editor-tested strategies straight to your inbox. Subscribe for free or upgrade for $5/month to access even more resources and support my work.
Great tips! Reading it out loud (or having your computer/device read it to you) and stepping away for a while are go-tos for self-editing.
Thank you, this is a great advice! 🙂