Micro Edits Don't Have to Take Forever

my view as I edit, today

When you are editing, and you're making little changes here and there, pushing your timeline back some, moving these details over here...  how do you make sure you get everything?

I'm changing a lot of tiny details about my current work in progress, from correcting disease and parasite names to their proper spelling and capitalization to changing when and where certain things start cropping up/being noticed by the characters.  Moving this over here, and that over there, adding in the cat who seemed to be forgotten after the first few chapters, etc.

And as I go back, I realize a lot of little comments were made that now need to be changed or removed, or moved somewhere else.  But how to find them all?

I've started making changes (like moving detail X back a few chapters, because it makes more sense to introduce it here, rather than there), and going back to the earlier chapters to double check the details and be sure it's all in the right order.  The Control + F finder option has been a huge help.  I look for keywords and find the areas I forgot to change, and fix them.  Depending on how pervasive the issue was, it can take a while...  but I know for sure I got each and every one of them.

It's faster than re-reading the entire document, which I will do later, just in case, and helps me get the micro edits done.  Control F, or look in the program's "find" feature.  It's usually located under the Edit subheader.

Take your time, get it done right.  It takes forever.  But it's worth it.  Do your research, and be sure your changes are done properly.  You will be glad of it later, and so will your readers.

Now, back to the editing table!  Happy Sunday!