Top 5 tips for editing your own work
Behind every great writer is a great editor. Sure, writers usually get all the glory, but it’s editors who truly know how to make the work shine. Whether you’re writing a blog post, website copy, or a newsletter to your donors, editing is a critical step in the creation process, and one that’s often rushed or skipped over entirely.
Whenever possible, the best editor is one who can be a fresh set of eyes on a piece, rather than the writer itself. But, if you can’t get someone new to give your work an edit, try these five tips to improve your own editing skills and make your writing stronger.
Read it aloud. One of the best ways to make sure your piece is easy to read is to read it out loud to yourself. If you’re stumbling over a phrase, paragraph, or sentence, work to revise it until it reads more naturally.
Watch out for repetitive sentences, weak transitions, or clichés. Saying the same thing twice? Struggling to transition from one paragraph to the next? Using way too many clichéd phrases? When you’re reading over your work, keep an eagle eye out for anything in your piece that isn’t actually adding value. Try to make sure you’re being concise and to the point, and be sure to cut out any unnecessary anecdotes, as well.
Avoid jargon or industry-specific terms. Unless you’re writing to a very niche audience, make sure that you’re using words that the general public will understand. In many cases, these may not be the same terms you’d use when speaking with your coworkers. Always be sure you’re keeping your target audience in mind when you’re reading back over your work.
Proofread, proofread, proofread! This is so important that it’s actually worth saying three times. Make absolutely sure that there are no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. If you’re not positive about the spelling of a word, check a dictionary!
Take your time. Don’t spend six hours writing a blog post, only to spend just five minutes reading it over quickly to spot any obvious typos. Allow yourself ample time for editing to help ensure that you end up with a quality piece that achieves your goals.