How to Get Through the Editing Phase Without Abandoning Your Book

The editing phase is where most self-published books stall; by some estimates, 97% of writers who start a book never finish it, and the editing stage is where a large share of those projects die. The key to getting through it is treating editing as a structured, finite process with defined rounds, clear decision rules for feedback, and deliberate breaks to manage revision fatigue. Most authors who abandon during editing do so not because the work is bad but because the process feels endless.

Why Do Authors Abandon Books During the Editing Phase?

The most common reason is revision fatigue: a compounding sense that the manuscript is getting worse, not better, with each pass. Research into creative writing completion rates suggests that the abandonment curve peaks between the second and fourth revision round, when the initial excitement of finishing a draft has faded but the finish line still feels distant.

Perfectionism plays a significant role. Authors who wrote their first draft with momentum and spontaneity often find the analytical work of self-editing alien and demoralising. The shift from creator to critic requires a different mindset, and many writers interpret the discomfort of that shift as evidence that their book is fundamentally flawed. According to the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), one of the most common questions from member authors is whether their manuscript is “good enough” to publish; the question itself signals the self-doubt loop that stalls revision.

There is also a structural problem with the editing process itself. Unlike drafting, which has a clear endpoint (you reach the last page), editing has no obvious finish line. Without a defined revision plan, authors cycle through the same chapters repeatedly, fixing micro-level issues while larger structural problems remain unaddressed. This creates a treadmill effect where effort feels wasted.

How Many Rounds of Editing Does a Self-Published Book Actually Need?

A professional-quality self-published book typically requires a minimum of three distinct editing rounds: a developmental or structural edit, a copy edit (sometimes called line editing), and a final proofread. Each round addresses a different layer of the manuscript, and attempting to combine them creates confusion and missed errors.

The developmental edit examines structure, pacing, character arcs (for fiction), argument flow (for non-fiction), and chapter organisation. This is where you address whether scenes are in the right order, whether the opening hooks readers, and whether sections are proportionate. For a full-length novel (70,000 to 100,000 words), a developmental edit typically takes four to eight weeks if you are self-editing, or two to four weeks if working with a professional editor.

Copy editing focuses on sentence-level clarity, grammar, consistency (e.g. character eye colour, timeline accuracy), and style. Proofreading catches typographical errors, formatting glitches, and anything the copy edit missed. Many experienced authors complete six to twelve total passes across all three stages; published authors with traditional-publishing backgrounds often report averaging around ten drafts before they consider a manuscript complete.

If you are having your book professionally formatted for print, the sequence matters: developmental editing and copy editing should both be completed before your manuscript goes to the formatter. Proofreading happens after, on the formatted proof, because the formatting process itself can introduce typographical issues (orphaned lines, bad hyphenation breaks, misplaced headers) that only become visible in the final layout. Sending an unedited manuscript to a formatter means paying for a second round of formatting after edits come back, and proofreading an unformatted Word file means missing the layout-level errors that readers will actually see.

The timeline matters because it sets realistic expectations. A professional editing phase for a full-length book runs six to twelve weeks from first manuscript revision to final proofread. If you are self-editing before sending to a professional, add another four to six weeks for your own passes. Authors who expect to finish editing in a weekend are the ones most likely to abandon when reality sets in.

How to Break a Large Revision into Manageable Steps

The most effective approach is to edit in distinct, non-overlapping passes. Each pass has one job, and you resist the urge to fix everything at once. This is not just a productivity technique; it is how professional editors work. A copy editor does not simultaneously restructure chapters, and neither should you.

A practical revision sequence for a self-published novel:

1. Structural pass: Read the entire manuscript without editing. Take notes on pacing, plot holes, and scenes that feel weak. Mark chapters that need rewriting, cutting, or reordering. Do not fix prose issues.
2. Scene-level rewrite: Work through the structural notes, rewriting or rearranging scenes. Focus on story logic and emotional beats. Still ignore sentence-level polish.
3. Line edit pass: Now address prose quality. Tighten sentences, eliminate redundancy, improve dialogue, and fix awkward phrasing. Work chapter by chapter.
4. Consistency check: Read specifically for factual consistency: timeline, character descriptions, setting details, proper nouns. A spreadsheet tracking these elements saves time.
5. Proofread: Final pass for typos, punctuation, and formatting. Read slowly, ideally on a different device or in a different font to break pattern blindness.

Each pass should have a clear start point, a clear end point, and a defined scope. When you finish a pass, you are done with that layer. Going back to re-do a structural pass after you have completed copy editing is a sign that the structural pass was rushed; if it happens, treat it as a separate, bounded task rather than reopening the entire manuscript.

How to Handle Conflicting Feedback from Beta Readers and Editors

Conflicting feedback is normal and expected. Beta readers bring different tastes, reading speeds, and genre expectations. The mistake most authors make is treating every piece of feedback as equally valid, which creates paralysis.

A practical triage system: sort feedback into three categories. Universal issues are problems that two or more independent readers flag independently (a confusing chapter transition, a character whose motivation is unclear, a section that drags). These are almost always real problems and should be addressed. Subjective preferences are suggestions that reflect one reader’s taste rather than a structural issue. These are data points, not instructions; note them but do not act on them unless they align with your vision. Contradictions are cases where one reader loves a scene and another wants it cut. Here, the deciding factor is your intention for the book: which version serves the story you are trying to tell?

When working with a professional editor, remember that editors diagnose problems but may not always prescribe the right solution. If an editor says a chapter is too slow, the diagnosis (pacing problem) is likely accurate, but the fix (their specific suggestion) may not suit your style. You are free to solve the diagnosed problem your own way.

The Writer’s Digest editorial guidelines suggest that authors should wait at least 48 hours before responding to editorial feedback, to separate the emotional reaction from the analytical response. This cooling-off period is particularly important after receiving a developmental edit letter, which can feel overwhelming.

What to Do When You Hate Your Manuscript During Editing

Hating your manuscript during editing is so common it has a name in writing circles: the “revision swamp.” Draft fatigue typically hits hardest during the second or third revision round, when you have read the same sentences enough times that they all sound wrong. This is not a signal that the book is bad; it is a known cognitive effect of over-familiarity, and the resulting loss of editing motivation is entirely predictable.

Concrete strategies that working authors use to push through:

• Change the medium. If you have been editing on screen, print the manuscript and edit on paper. If you have been reading silently, use text-to-speech software to listen to it. The shift in sensory channel breaks the familiarity loop and surfaces errors your eyes have learned to skip.
• Set session limits. Edit for a fixed period (90 minutes to two hours) or a fixed page count (15 to 20 pages), then stop regardless of where you are. Open-ended editing sessions breed exhaustion and resentment.
• Take a planned break. Put the manuscript in a drawer for two to four weeks between major revision rounds. When you return, you will read it with fresher eyes and a clearer sense of what is actually working. This is not procrastination; it is a deliberate part of the process that most traditionally published authors build into their schedules.
• Reconnect with the reader. Re-read reviews of books in your genre. Remind yourself who you are writing for and what they value. This pulls focus away from your internal critic and toward the person who will actually read the finished book.

Burnout during editing is characterised by physical and emotional exhaustion, decreased motivation, and a growing conviction that the project is worthless. If you recognise these symptoms, a break is not optional; it is necessary. The manuscript will still be there when you return, and you will be more effective for having stepped away.

When Should You Stop Editing and Declare a Book Finished?

A book is finished when further editing produces lateral changes rather than improvements. If you find yourself rewriting sentences to be different but not measurably better, or toggling between two versions of a paragraph and preferring whichever you read most recently, you have reached the point of diminishing returns.

Practical signals that the editing phase is complete:

• A professional self-edit pass and at least one professional edit (copy edit or proofread) have been completed.
• You can read any random chapter without finding errors that make you wince.
• Your beta readers or editor’s last round of notes contained mostly minor, optional suggestions rather than structural concerns.
• You have checked consistency of names, dates, and facts across the manuscript.
• The opening chapter, ending, and book description all align with the story the final draft tells (not the story you planned in your outline, which may have changed).

One useful litmus test: if you handed the manuscript to a reader tomorrow with no further changes, would you feel professional about what they received? Not perfect (no book is perfect), but professional. If the answer is yes, you are done. If the answer is “almost, but chapter 12 still needs work,” then chapter 12 is your bounded, finite task; finish it and ship.

The distinction between developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading matters here: if you are still finding structural problems (plot holes, unclear arguments), you are not in the final stage. Go back to the developmental pass. But if your changes are at the comma-and-word-choice level, you are in proofreading territory and close to done.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should the editing phase take for a novel?

For a full-length novel of 70,000 to 100,000 words, expect the complete editing phase to take six to twelve weeks. This includes your own self-editing passes plus professional editing. Rushing this timeline is the most common cause of avoidable errors in self-published books. If you are self-editing without professional help, add four to six weeks for additional revision rounds.

Should you self-edit before hiring a professional editor?

Yes. A thorough self-edit before sending to a professional editor ensures the editor spends their time on issues you cannot catch yourself (inconsistencies, blind spots, genre conventions) rather than fixing problems you could have addressed on your own. Most editors recommend at least two self-edit passes before submission. This also reduces the cost of professional editing, since editors working on a cleaner manuscript can complete the job faster.

How do you process an editorial letter without getting overwhelmed?

Read the letter once, then set it aside for 48 hours. On your second read, categorise each note as structural (requires rewriting scenes or chapters), line-level (requires rephrasing or tightening), or optional (stylistic suggestions you may or may not adopt). Work through the structural notes first in a dedicated pass, then address line-level notes in a separate pass. Tackling them in layers prevents the feeling of being buried under a single massive to-do list.

What is revision fatigue and how do you recognise it?

Revision fatigue is the diminishing motivation and increasing frustration that builds over multiple editing passes on the same manuscript. Signs include dreading each editing session, making changes and then immediately reverting them, feeling that the manuscript is getting worse rather than better, and avoiding the project entirely. The most effective countermeasure is a structured break of two to four weeks between major revision rounds, combined with fixed-length editing sessions to prevent exhaustion.

Is it normal to want to abandon your book during editing?

Completely normal. The transition from writing mode to editing mode requires a fundamentally different mindset, and the over-familiarity that comes from re-reading your own work many times can make even strong writing feel stale. Most published authors report experiencing this at least once per book. The authors who finish are not the ones who never feel the urge to quit; they are the ones who treat the urge as a predictable phase and push through it with structured editing plans and deliberate breaks.