Fast Read Through

see what you have without getting mired in editing


Send yourself your document on kindle or as a pdf -- or print it out -- and put away your pens, pencil, stylus, keyboard...


It's time to do a complete read through of what you have, without stopping to take notes.


If you absolutely must, allow yourself to jot occasional notes down on a pad to remind you of something you want to do, afterwards. But try to just read it through. In as few sittings as possible.


The point here is to get a feel for the way the whole thing reads, to learn if all the parts cohere and to discover where the holes might be. Once you've read it ALL, write yourself a note about what you want to change and what works, and then (if there's still work to do!), you can dive back in to the editing.