The first step in the writing process is to put your ideas down on paper. Once you have text to work with, the second step is to revise what you have written to make it as clear, accurate and powerful as you can. The final step is to edit your work carefully.
Editing Tip #1: Take a Break
When you have concentrated on your writing for long periods of time, there is a tendency to read what you think is there-not what you have actually written! By taking a break for a few hours (or even a few days), you will return to your work with a fresh mind and fresh eyes. Suddenly you will realize that:
Editing is conducted at two levels. First concentrate on the conceptual, or substantive, level to ensure that your ideas are strong, logical and well-organized. Once this step is complete, go through your work line-by-line to check for small details such as spelling, grammar, word choice and punctuation.
Conceptual Editing
When you begin to edit at the conceptual level, try to approach your work as though you were the intended reader instead of the author. In your role as reader, look at the introduction. Is it compelling? Do you clearly understand what the topic, major points and slant of the communication will be?
Then look at the body. Do the ideas flow well, or are they confusing? Are they presented in some kind of logical order? Do concrete details help to paint a clear picture? Are any stray ideas lurking in unrelated paragraphs?
Does this communication seem to be written for you? In other words, do you feel like you are its intended audience, or does the writer fail to explain concepts, terms and acronyms you don't understand? Is the voice of this communication appropriate? Is it too formal? Too informal? Just right?
Did the writer insult your intelligence by repeating the same ideas over and over? Or did the writer present a strong, clear, coherent argument that you understood immediately? Finally, what is your overall impression of this communication (and its writer)? Positive or negative?
This technique of reading what you have written as though you were the intended audience will help you see your communications from a different perspective. Some of what you discover may surprise you. Make any changes that are necessary and then proceed to line editing.
Line Editing
The final step in the editing process is to go through your document line-by-line to check for errors in mechanics (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation), word usage and format.
If you included tables or figures, be sure to check that the captions are correct and that you entered the data correctly. Also be sure you have expressed your ideas as succinctly as possible. If you find your sentences are filled with empty, unnecessary words, delete them.
Try This!
If you are having problems "seeing" your errors at the line level, go to the end of your document and read the last sentence. Then read the second to last sentence. Continue working from the end to the beginning until you reach your opening line! This technique keeps your brain from automatically reading what you think you wrote and helps you see what is actually on the page.
A Special Word About Homonyms
The English language has many words, called homonyms, that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. The four most common sets are: their/they're/there, too/to/two, your/you're, and its/it's.
These are FREQUENTLY used incorrectly! Even when you know the difference between them, it is easy to type the wrong word when you are concentrating on getting your ideas down on paper. Unfortunately, ordinary spell-check programs cannot distinguish between homonyms that are used correctly and those that are used incorrectly. Therefore, always pay special attention to these words when you are conducting a line edit.
Editing Tip #3: Always Spell-Check Your Work
It is amazing how often writers fail to perform this final edit--especially since it is so easy to do! I will agree that spell-check programs attached to word processing software cannot detect homonyms, that they highlight unfamiliar words that are actually spelled correctly, and that the grammar check is frequently just plain wrong.
On the other hand, they do pick up incorrect spacing between words, highlight a few grammar problems correctly, and catch most of your misspelled words. The process doesn't take very long and is easy to perform. In the end, you have nothing to lose by taking this final step and potentially much to gain!
Clarice Kyd Dankers, M.A., offers editing and coaching services to business and academic clients around the world. Her work incorporates eight years of experience in business communications with extensive experience in linguistics, publishing and university teaching. For more information about her services-or to sign up for her free monthly newsletter-go to http://www.polishyourwriting.com
cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareImagine a three hundred page book was in the author's... Read More
One of the best ways to blow someone's winning streak... Read More
So you've decided to crown yourself with a title that... Read More
There is one key difference between reports and most other... Read More
The short-short story has been likened by some as being... Read More
Remember back in the dark days of your school years... Read More
If you have an online home based business you know... Read More
1 - Join a reading or writing group. Ask members... Read More
The hardest part of nonfiction writing is finding a subject... Read More
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More
Charles Dickens was born in Portsea, England, in1812. His father... Read More
Most of us hate housework.Nevertheless, even the most hopeless slobs... Read More
First impressions count in writing too! So it is always... Read More
What do people expect when they join a writing group?The... Read More
If you are a serious writer who wants to publish... Read More
How many of you take the time to really write... Read More
FIVE MINUTES ... Is All You Need ........to phone a... Read More
The first five pages of a novel are critical.Editors make... Read More
Everone knows that comedy is mostly about timing. If you... Read More
Started a book and then got bogged down? Like many... Read More
ELICIT, ILLICITElicit means to extract or draw out; illicit means... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More
Prolific authors write; they don't just dream about it. A... Read More
Based on the feedback that I have been getting from... Read More
I've been in the communications business a long time?over 25... Read More
limo O'Hare Glen Ellyn ..1. Set aside a time to write and keep it... Read More
So you want to be a successful author? You want... Read More
Screenwriting is a competitive trade. To distinguish yourself as a... Read More
In large publishing houses, many manuscripts penned by first-time authors,... Read More
We've all heard a politician on their soapbox, pushing for... Read More
Have you ever wondered why certain writers are able to... Read More
ELICIT, ILLICITElicit means to extract or draw out; illicit means... Read More
All your publishing options are as follows:--Conventional publishing--Vanity or subsidy... Read More
The freelance writing market is a growing market to be... Read More
If you are a serious writer who wants to publish... Read More
~TYPES~You Want Us to Write What? Understanding the Task AssignedWhich... Read More
I went to school to be a teacher. In fact,... Read More
Peter Mayle was born in England in 1939.His fascination with... Read More
Sit back, and imagine what it feels like to be... Read More
Whether you're interviewing for a new job, trying to woo... Read More
Freelance writer STANLEY BURKHARDT has a passion for animals. He... Read More
Building a new website can be extremely exciting. Seeing your... Read More
"You should write a book." For years, I had been... Read More
It's a good idea to use TextPad because all opt-in... Read More
1) Convince yourself you want to do something else. If... Read More
Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More
One morning, you open your inbox and find several e-mails... Read More
"No one will ever know who I am, I'm a... Read More
Traditionally, business writing uses the "one thing after another" format,... Read More
So you've got your plot outlined, a title lined up... Read More
Writing |