You have a book or a story you want to write. First you get your ideas onto paper or into your word processor. Then you read what you have. Much of what you have to say may need to be adjusted, moved around, or expanded. But until you have made that first step, it is nearly impossible to see what needs to be done to make your story intelligible for your readers. It is an old truism – you cannot fix what isn’t written.

Making sense of those ideas is an art. There is no single way to do this. One writer would want to put this idea first and another writer would say that something else is more important. What is most important is that your readers understand what you have to say. Having a professional editor analyze your work could be a learning experience for you, as he will point out ways you can improve your manuscript that you will be able to use when you write other projects.