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Once you believe you have written your manuscript, have a final read over the document and look at the story as a whole. Check that your structure is balanced and that your story has started in the correct place. Don’t risk not getting published by starting the story too early or by providing too much background information which can get a bit boring.

Your novel needs to evoke all the senses. Check if you have used a passive voice where an active voice would have made more of a stronger impact. In addition to this, check if your story can be saved by completely removing the first chapter and starting right at the action point!

When I am reading a book it really gets on my nerves when I finish the novel and I think back over the plot and there are some sections which have not been fully finished off. For example, the last book I read, the character’s aunty died and there was no closure, ie. No funeral and no grieving for their loss of a relative, etc.

It is important that you leave your reader feeling satisfied that the whole story has been told. If you leave any unintentional loose ends, like the one I mentioned above your reader will be dissatisfied and unlikely to read any of your books again.