Truly, working on the final draft is an exciting time for any author. Like a marathon runner, the end of the race is nearing and you know that all your hard work is going to pay off soon.
At this point, your article, novel, short story, or essay's elements are intact, but you need to make the last adjustments to your piece. Below, we'll examine a few of the ways you can add polish before turning in your document to your editor, supervisor, or publisher.
Spell Check
Nothing detracts from a manuscript more than a misspelled word. Too many writers rely solely on their computer software to "catch" spelling errors; however, nothing beats the human eye. (Keep a dictionary handy!)
Similarly, make sure that any individual or company names are spelled correctly. Sources will not be pleased if their names or the names of their organisations are wrong.
Grammar
At this point in your writing process, grammatical mistakes should be few, but that's no reason to assume that they couldn't possibly occur. Examine your sentence structure throughout the document and make adjustments where necessary.
Word Count
If you are expected to turn in an 800-word article and you currently have 1,400 words, you need to use the final draft process as a time to remove any extraneous materials. Though you may be hesitant to delete sections of your piece, it's better to do it yourself than to have an editor put your work aside because it didn't match his or her needs. (If you truly cannot bring yourself to make deletions, give your editor a call and find out if a longer article would fit his or her needs.)
Paste your writing and get feedback on style, tone, readability and structure.
Try our Writing Style Analyser free, here on this site →Fact Checking
If your essay includes sources, websites, or quotes, you will want to make sure they are accurate before handing in your assignment. Though most magazines and newspapers have fact checkers on staff, do it yourself first. After all, your name will be on the article; would you want it to be associated with something less than accurate?
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Source Information
Some editors will request that all source information (for fact checking purposes) be included when you hand in your final draft. Make sure you provide your editor with any data, including website addresses, telephone numbers, and book titles.
Style Check
The style you should use will differ depending on the publication for which you're writing and the type of product you're submitting. If you're not familiar with the various styles, it's worth it to purchase a book to ensure that your document follows the requested format and isn't rejected on a technicality.
Flow
Give your document the once-over to ensure that it flows from beginning to end. If you feel too "close" to do so, ask a trusted friend or colleague to read it as a favour to you. At this point, it should be tight; if it's not, go back and make adjustments where necessary.
After your final draft has been cleaned, sanded, and freshly lacquered, it's time for the moment of truth. Print it out, attach it to an email, or fax it. Breathe a sigh of relief, get a cup of coffee or tea, and start working on your next assignment.
Ask Explore Writing a question
Ask our editorial team a question and we will reply with our advice. Tell us as much about your situation as you can: the more detail you give, the more useful our answer can be.
You do not need to use your real name. Please do not include your full address, phone number, email address, or the names of other people. We may edit or remove identifying details for privacy and legal reasons.
Comments are moderated before publication.