What is a Three Story Method Line Edit?

Great writing isn’t simply telling a great story.

It’s about finding the best words to tell your great story.

Put simply, a line edit is a line-by-line read of your manuscript, where your editor suggests changes to tighten, strengthen, and improve the reader’s experience of your work.

More art than science, a line edit asks questions like:

• Is the prose tight enough to drive the story forward? Are there needless words and extraneous digressions?
• Do the words chosen successfully evoke the tone the author is trying to reach?
• Is there a consistent point of view? If the POV shifts, does it do so logically and clearly?
• Is the language unambiguous and free of cliches?
• Do the sentences flow together naturally?
• Are there obvious grammatical or punctuation errors?
• Is the story written in active voice? If some parts are passive, is that necessary?

While a Three Story Method Diagnostic looks at the big picture, a line edit looks at the individual brush strokes, to help your story be the best it can possibly be.