In the first read-through, check your ideas flow logically. If the thought of editing your own work terrifies you, break down the tasks into a series of manageable steps. It’s currently $39, but with advice covering every aspect of the mechanics of writing, you’re investing in your future as a writer. If you write for a living, consider paying for an annual subscription. The well-known writing guide to style, usage, and grammar is now accessible online.
#HOW TO WORK TEXT EDIT MANUAL#
Subscribe to The Chicago Manual of Style Online After you’ve used Grammarly a few times, you’ll start to see common weaknesses in your writing. The Grammarly proofreading tool looks at spelling and grammar mistakes and checks more than 250 advanced rules to find mistakes such as double negatives, run-on sentences, and dangling modifiers. Strong sentence: He was terrified of snakes. Weak sentence: He was really scared of snakes.
When describing nouns and pronouns, use more powerful adjectives and avoid the words “really” or “very.” Stronger sentence: The editing process repulsed them.
Strong sentence: They hated the editing process. Weak sentence: They were not enjoying the editing process. Replace “am,” “is,” “are,” “was,” “were,” “been,” and “being” with stronger alternatives. Using versions of the verb “to be” can weaken the words that follow. This is more effective:Įditing your own writing is fun. The sentence formation weakens the writing with unnecessary words that lack focus. Use your word processor’s find functionality to search for “there,” “here,” and “it” to find redundant words and phrases. Use a word frequency counter to find repetitive words and scan a thesaurus to find alternatives. Try not to rely on certain words or phrases to make your point readers will notice when you repeat yourself. If you use phrases like “seems to be” or “could be a reason for,” you sound indecisive and it weakens your message. Good communication sounds authoritative, so avoid wishy-washy sentences. The best writing sounds smooth, so if you find yourself stammering through poorly worded sentences, you know it needs improving. To discover the rhythm of your writing, read it out loud. When you return to it, you’re more likely to spot awkward phrases and obvious mistakes. Putting a literal distance between you and your work also creates an emotional distance.
Let your writing rest for a few hours or overnight. These techniques will help you see your content from an “outsider’s” perspective and give you a more critical eye.
#HOW TO WORK TEXT EDIT PDF#
Alternatively, convert your Word document to PDF format, or change your text to a different font, color, and size.
#HOW TO WORK TEXT EDIT HOW TO#
You’ll learn how to improve the structure and style of your writing, communicate more clearly and eliminate grammatical errors.Ĭompanies want copy that reflects well on their business, provides value to their readers and drives sales, so well-edited content will also look more attractive to content buyers.Īre you ready to become a better editor? You may not have access to a professional editor, but you can use the following tips to help you edit your own writing more effectively. The Importance of Self-Editingīecoming a good editor of your own work takes time and practice, but it’s worth it. It’s one of the most important aspects of the writing process, but a surprising number of writers underestimate its value. Good editing can transform a mediocre piece of content into something great.