Editing your own short story can be one of the toughest parts of the writing process. After spending hours or sometimes even days drafting, it’s not easy stepping back and viewing your work through fresh eyes. What stays? What needs to go? Is the ending strong enough? These are the questions that can keep you stuck on an endless loop of revisions. But self-editing doesn’t need to be so overwhelming. With a clear, step-by-step approach, you can turn your messy drafts into compelling, polished stories. Whether you’re submitting to a magazine, entering a contest, or just writing for fun, join us at What We Writing for an insight into how to edit your short story with purpose, clarity, and confidence!
Why Self-Editing Matters
Before you palm off your story to an editor or beta-reader – or even hit “submit” – you need to know what is and isn’t working. That’s where self-editing comes in. It’s not just about catching typos or fixing grammar; it’s about learning how to shape your writing with intention.
Understanding why self-editing is important helps you to become a stronger, more self-aware storyteller. When you revise your own work, you begin to spot your unique writing patterns – both the habits that help your story to shine, and the ones that hold it back. Over time, editing your own writing can lead to better first drafts, stronger narrative structure, and characters that really resonate.
Think of self-editing as your creative second wind. It’s your opportunity to step into the reader’s shoes and ask: “Does this story do what I hoped it would?” And if not, how can I make it better?
Step-By-Step Guide To Editing Your Short Story
Self-editing doesn’t have to feel overwhelming when you break it down into manageable steps. Below is a clear editing process that moves from big-picture revisions to fine-tuning the details. Each step is designed to help you see your story from a fresh perspective and improve it at every level.
Step 1: Take a Break From Your Draft
The best way to see your story clearly is by stepping away from it. Give yourself at least a couple of days – longer if you can – before diving into the edits. This distance helps you return with fresh eyes, making it easier to identify structural issues, emotional flat spots, or scenes that just don’t land the way you intended.
Use this break to switch mental gears. Read something else, work on a different piece, or just take a walk. When you come back, you’ll be reading more like a critical reader – and less like the writer who knows what was supposed to be on the page.
Step 2: Focus on the Big Picture First
Before you fix sentence-level stuff, zoom out. Ask yourself big-picture questions like:
- Does the plot make sense from start to finish?
- Are there holes, rushed moments, or confusing scenes?
- Is the pacing engaging enough throughout?
Look at your story’s structure like a skeleton; if the bones aren’t in place, no amount of pretty prose will save it. Consider using a simple outline to see if your story hits all the right beats: setup, conflict, climax, and resolution.
Check Out Our Guide On Whether You Need A Novel Outline
Step 3: Strengthen Characters and Dialogue
Characters drive short stories. Make sure yours are active, compelling, and consistent. Ask:
- Do characters have clear goals and motivations?
- Are their actions believable and emotionally true?
- Does the dialogue sound natural, and does it reveal character or move the plot forward?
Trim dialogue that feels stiff or overly expository. And remember: what characters don’t say can be just as telling as what they do.
Step 4: Cut the Fluff
Now it’s time to tighten your prose. Short stories thrive on precision, so watch out for:
- Repetitive phrases
- Weak modifiers (“very,” “really,” “quite”)
- Unnecessary descriptions
- Over-explaining
A good rule of thumb? If a sentence doesn’t add to the mood, character, or plot, cut it. Your story should be lean, sharp, and efficient.
Step 5: Polish Sentence-Level Writing
Once your bigger edits are done, zoom in. This is where you clean up grammar, sentence flow, and word choice. Read line by line and listen to the rhythm of your writing. Vary sentence lengths. Use strong verbs. Make every word earn its place.
Remember, editing is about making changes to improve content and structure, whereas proofreading is the final polish, correcting typos, grammar, and punctuation. Both are important, but this is your editing phase with a stylistic eye.
Check Out Our Guide To Proofreading vs Editing
Step 6: Read Aloud or Use a Tool
Reading your story aloud is one of the fastest ways to spot awkward phrasing, repetition, or clunky dialogue. Your ears will pick up on what your eyes miss. You can also use tools such as:
- Grammarly – for grammar and clarity suggestions
- Hemingway Editor – for readability and passive voice
- ProWritingAid – for deeper style and pacing analysis
These tools shouldn’t replace your judgment, but they can come in handy as a second pair of eyes.
Step 7: Final Checks & Beta Readers
Once you’ve edited to the best of your ability, it’s time for fresh feedback. A trusted beta reader – or even just a writer friend – can offer perspectives you don’t possess after being deep in your story. Ask them:
- What confused you?
- What did you love or want more of?
- Did anything feel unnecessary?
Final feedback helps guarantee that your story is clear, compelling, and emotionally resonant before you put it out to the world.
Mistakes To Avoid When Editing Your Own Story
Even with a solid self-editing process, it’s easy to fall into a few traps. Knowing how not to edit your short story is just as important as knowing what to do. Here are some of the most common self-editing mistakes, so you can ensure you’re staying clear of them.
1. Over-Editing to the Point of Flatness
It’s tempting to keep tweaking your story endlessly, especially when you’re chasing perfection. However, too much editing can rob your writing of its original voice and energy. Aim to improve clarity and structure, not to sand every sentence until it feels sterile.
Pro tip: If you find yourself constantly changing things back and forth, it might be time to step away and call it done.
2. Ignoring Structure in Favour of Surface Fixes
Fixing typos and awkward structures may feel productive, but it won’t save a story with weak bones. One of the biggest editing mistakes is jumping straight into polishing without addressing wider issues such as plot coherence, character arcs, or pacing.
Always revise at the story level before you edit at the sentence level.
3. Rushing Through the Process
After finishing a first draft, it’s natural to want to get it out there as fast as possible – but rushing your edits rarely works out well. Great stories take time to refine. Skipping steps or doing just one quick pass can leave behind logic gaps, cliches, or emotional beats that fall flat.
Build in time between each editing round so you can return with a fresh, sharper perspective.
4. Ignoring Feedback or Avoiding Beta Readers
Self-editing is powerful, but it isn’t infallible. One of the easiest ways to miss blind spots is to skip external feedback altogether. Whether it’s a writing partner or a beta reader, having someone else read your story can highlight things you just can’t see on your own.
5. Editing While You Write
This may sound counterintuitive, but editing while drafting can slow you down or stifle your creativity. Your first draft is for getting your story down – editing comes after. If you constantly stop to tweak as you go along, you risk never finishing.
Save your inner editor for later. Give your creative side room to work freely first.
Wrap Up
Editing your own story can be a daunting prospect, but it’s also one of the most empowering parts of the writing process. No one knows your characters, themes or intentions better than you do. With the right tools, mindset, and this step-by-step approach, you can mould your draft into a polished piece that you’re truly proud of.
Remember, self-editing isn’t about perfection – it’s about clarity, impact, and staying true to your voice.
Now it’s your turn:
Have you tried editing your own short story before? What part of the process do you find the hardest – or the most satisfying? Drop a comment below and let’s talk craft!
