Setting your manuscript aside for a period before returning to revise it with renewed objectivity and distance.
The fresh eyes technique means deliberately stepping away from your manuscript for days, weeks, or even months before coming back to revise. The goal is to create enough distance that you can read your own work the way a stranger would, catching problems that were invisible when you were deep in the writing. Stephen King famously recommends at least six weeks in a drawer.
When you've been writing the same story for months, your brain autocorrects problems on the page. You read what you meant to write, not what you actually wrote. Time away breaks that spell. You'll spot pacing issues, weak dialogue, and plot holes that were completely invisible the day you typed "The End."
A weekend isn't enough for a full novel. Aim for at least two to four weeks. If you find yourself remembering exact sentences, you haven't waited long enough.
Every time you dip back in, you reset the clock on gaining distance. Work on a different project, read widely, or take a proper break from writing entirely.
Set a specific return date on your calendar before you step away. The technique is a tool, not an indefinite vacation from your manuscript.
Pick a piece of writing you finished at least two weeks ago and haven't looked at since. Read it straight through without making any edits, keeping a notepad beside you. Mark every spot where you stumble, feel bored, or think "what was I going for here?" Compare these notes to what you remember feeling while writing those sections.