What are the best books on editing a novel?

One of the best is 'Self - Editing for Fiction Writers' by Renni Browne and Dave King. It offers practical advice on various aspects of fiction editing.

One of the best is 'Self - Editing for Fiction Writers' by Renni Browne and Dave King. It covers crucial aspects like dialogue, point of view, etc. Another great one is 'The Art of Fiction' by John Gardner, which offers in - depth insights into the elements of fictional writing and how to edit them effectively. Also, 'How to Write a Damn Good Novel' by James N. Frey has valuable tips on shaping and editing your fiction.

A great beginner - friendly book is 'The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile' by Noah Lukeman. Although it focuses on the beginning pages, the concepts it teaches about making a good first impression are applicable to the whole novel during the editing process. It helps new editors and writers alike understand what agents and editors look for at first glance.

Well, the best tool might depend on personal preference. However, some popular ones are WordPerfect which has a range of formatting and editing options suitable for novel - writing. Then there's Autocrit, which focuses on elements specific to fiction writing like dialogue and pacing. Also, the free software LibreOffice Writer can be used for novel editing. It has similar functions to Microsoft Word, like spell check and basic formatting, and it's a great option if you're on a budget.

Sure. 'The Art of Fiction' by John Gardner is a wonderful novel editing book. It covers many important aspects like creating believable characters and building engaging plots.

Well, 'Bird by Bird' by Anne Lamott is quite useful. It gives insights into the writing process which can be applied to editing as well. It helps you break down the huge task of working on a novel. 'Writing Tools' by Roy Peter Clark is also a good choice. It has 50 strategies for every writer, and many of these are directly applicable to novel editing, like how to tighten up your prose. And don't forget 'Stein on Writing' by Sol Stein, which offers comprehensive guidance on making your writing shine, especially useful for novel editing.

One of the great options is Google Docs. It's free, cloud - based, and offers a wide range of basic and advanced editing features like spell check, grammar check, and easy sharing options for collaboration. Another good one is Scrivener for Chrome OS. It has a very organized interface that helps you break down your novel into chapters, scenes, etc. It also has tools for research and note - taking within the app. And then there's ProWritingAid. It not only checks for grammar and spelling but also gives detailed style suggestions which can be really helpful for novel writing.

The 'Dead Robots' Society podcast is worth checking out. It features discussions among writers, and they often touch on the process of editing fiction, sharing their own experiences and techniques. 'Writing in the Tiny House' is another podcast that offers some unique perspectives on writing and editing fiction. It may discuss how the physical environment can influence your editing process. Additionally, 'Fiction Writing Made Easy' podcast provides straightforward advice on various aspects of fiction writing, including editing. It might talk about how to trim the fat from your story, how to enhance character development during the editing stage, etc.

Grammarly can be considered among the best. It provides real - time grammar and punctuation checking, which is really helpful when you're writing a novel. For Mac users, Ulysses is a top choice. It has a clean and distraction - free interface, which is great for focusing on writing. It also has good export options. Then there's Google Docs. It's free and cloud - based, so you can access your work from anywhere. Plus, it allows for easy collaboration if you want to get feedback from others during the novel - writing process.

One of the best is Reedsy. It has a large pool of professional editors with experience in various genres. They offer different levels of editing services to suit your needs and budget.