The Edit Stack - SPEND NOTHING

A WORDSLINGER 10-SHOT What if you could build a powerful editing process for your novel without spending thousands of dollars on professional editing? In this episode, I break down what I call my “Edit Stack”—the layered system I use to catch typos, grammar problems, continuity issues, awkward passages, and other mistakes before a book goes out into the world. The key is not relying on one tool, one editor, or one pass. I use multiple layers: built-in spellcheck, ProWritingAid, AI-assisted proofreading, repeated manuscript passes, trusted human readers, and good old-fashioned human judgment. I’ll show you how I use each layer, why I never blindly accept an AI or editor suggestion, how my street team helps me catch errors I missed, and why reading your work aloud can reveal problems your brain simply refuses to see on the page. And here’s the bigger point: even traditionally published books from bestselling authors still contain mistakes. Perfection may not be possible. But a smart editing system can get your manuscript remarkably clean—and indie authors have the advantage of being able to fix errors quickly after publication. If you’re a writer trying to produce cleaner, more professional books without draining your publishing budget, build yourself an edit stack. Visit the Knovelton Bookshop at knoveltonbooks.com TIMECODES: 00:00 What is an Edit Stack? 00:46 Layer 1: Spellcheck and ProWritingAid 01:54 Layer 2: Using AI to proofread your writing 02:46 Additional proofreading layers 03:16 Grammarly and optional editing tools 04:22 Using ARC readers and a street team 04:56 How I collect and evaluate reader corrections 06:29 Proofreading vs. developmental editing 07:03 Trusted readers vs. developmental editors 07:47 Why reading your manuscript aloud works 09:00 Creating distance from your writing 09:51 Why I rewrite the previous day’s work 10:47 Why you’ll probably never catch every typo 11:59 The indie author advantage 13:09 Updating ebooks and print editions strategically 13:43 The complete J. Kevin Tumlinson Edit Stack FIND KEVIN: Find Kevin and his books: https://kevintumlinson.com Join Kevin on Substack: https://kevintumlinson.substack.com Wordslinger Podcast home page: https://wordslingerpodcast.com SERVICES FOR AUTHORS: Polish your writing and make it ready for publishing with ProWriting Aid: https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5 Publish your book to every major retailer online, get your book into print and ebook, and get support the whole way at Draft2Digital: https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger Find a virtual assistant to help you market your books (and more!) at AuthorAnchor: https://authoranchor.com If you’re a writer, author, creator, or creative entrepreneur trying to build a sustainable career around your work, subscribe to the Wordslinger channel. This is where we talk honestly about writing better books, publishing them professionally, reaching more readers, building your author business, and creating a career that lasts. Subscribe, leave a comment with your writing or publishing questions, and tell me what you use in your own editing stack.