Be a better editor to be a better writer
Two to too error while proofreading paper
Want to be a better writer? Become a better editor. You’re not done writing until you’re done editing.
Here are some things to work on while you’re editing:
- Trim the fat. Most of us use more words than we need. Eliminating excess words is the single most effective way to improve your writing. Edit, edit, edit. Then edit some more. Be ruthless.
- Fill in the blanks. Editors are notorious for taking things out. But a good editor also looks for things that need to be added. Where are the holes in the story? What questions will the reader have that aren’t answered? Fill in those blanks.
- Put things in order. Does the story flow in a logical sequence? If not, put things in order.
- Tune it Good writing, like good music, has a rhythm. Listen to your writing as you’re editing it. If it doesn’t sound right, there’s an edit in there somewhere waiting to be made.
- Correct the typos. Typos are the bane of every writer I know. A misspelled word, a missing word or a misused word will be distracting to your readers. And too many of them will destroy your credibility. An occasional typo is inevitable. But there’s no excuse for having a lot of them. If I find a typo when proofing a document, I read the entire document again because I know there may still be mistakes lurking within it.
By Jerry Brown, APR, PRSA Colorado Treasurer
jerry@JerryBrownPR.com
