The most popular writing advice:
Edit your work.
The least common follow-up:
How to edit your work.
I've edited 3+ million words in 5 years.
Here's the process I use to deliver A+ work that meets clients' expectations and converts:
Edit your work.
The least common follow-up:
How to edit your work.
I've edited 3+ million words in 5 years.
Here's the process I use to deliver A+ work that meets clients' expectations and converts:
From editors to influencers, this advice is everywhere:
"Step away for 12 hours, then edit."
"Write drunk, edit sober."
"First drafts are for your eyes only."
It's common because it's true.
So why is 'how to do it' often left out?
It's very hard to explain.
I've got you β
"Step away for 12 hours, then edit."
"Write drunk, edit sober."
"First drafts are for your eyes only."
It's common because it's true.
So why is 'how to do it' often left out?
It's very hard to explain.
I've got you β
There are three editing types.
1. Developmental editing or DE (macro)
2. Copy editing or CE (micro)
3. Proofreading or PF (polish)
I do them in that order.
Start with the big picture, then zoom in.
1. Developmental editing or DE (macro)
2. Copy editing or CE (micro)
3. Proofreading or PF (polish)
I do them in that order.
Start with the big picture, then zoom in.
π DE: What it is
Checks high-level structure:
-Intent (does it answer 'the why' behind queries?)
-Sections (is the narrative ordered correctly?)
-Angle (is the perspective reflected?)
-Audience (is targeting on point?)
-Action (are CTAs strategic?)
Foundation πͺ
Checks high-level structure:
-Intent (does it answer 'the why' behind queries?)
-Sections (is the narrative ordered correctly?)
-Angle (is the perspective reflected?)
-Audience (is targeting on point?)
-Action (are CTAs strategic?)
Foundation πͺ
π DE: Why it's important
Every piece of content needs a goal and purpose.
Otherwise, you're speaking to everyone, for no particular reason.
That's not very impactful.
Developmental editing ensures content meets its goals and purpose.
Skip it, and strategy goes to waste.
Every piece of content needs a goal and purpose.
Otherwise, you're speaking to everyone, for no particular reason.
That's not very impactful.
Developmental editing ensures content meets its goals and purpose.
Skip it, and strategy goes to waste.
π DE: How to do it (1/3)
The setup:
1. Return to your draft after time away
2. Re-read the brief (or notes if no brief)
3. Read the draft WITHOUT editing
This gets you in the right mindset.
You're remembering 'the big why'.
And making sure your work aligns with it.
The setup:
1. Return to your draft after time away
2. Re-read the brief (or notes if no brief)
3. Read the draft WITHOUT editing
This gets you in the right mindset.
You're remembering 'the big why'.
And making sure your work aligns with it.
π DE: How to do it (2/3)
The editing:
1. Reorganize/remove sections
E.g. For an article on pricing strategies, you don't need an H2 on cash flow.
2. Edit the intro
Does it hook & communicate what readers will learn?
3. Check arguments
They must tie back to the purpose.
The editing:
1. Reorganize/remove sections
E.g. For an article on pricing strategies, you don't need an H2 on cash flow.
2. Edit the intro
Does it hook & communicate what readers will learn?
3. Check arguments
They must tie back to the purpose.
π DE: How to do it (3/3)
A few tweets in a thread can't do this justice.
Luckily, I was a guest on The Cutting Room.
And spent:
-30 mins discussing DE
-30 mins live editing a draft
Watch it here: youtu.be
A few tweets in a thread can't do this justice.
Luckily, I was a guest on The Cutting Room.
And spent:
-30 mins discussing DE
-30 mins live editing a draft
Watch it here: youtu.be
π CE: What it is
Checks low-level structure:
-Sentence structure (does it paint a clear picture?)
-Redundancy (are ideas/words repeated?)
-Readability (are ideas easy to digest?)
-Friction points (does it make sense?)
-Flow (are paragraphs connected?)
-Sources
Design πͺ
Checks low-level structure:
-Sentence structure (does it paint a clear picture?)
-Redundancy (are ideas/words repeated?)
-Readability (are ideas easy to digest?)
-Friction points (does it make sense?)
-Flow (are paragraphs connected?)
-Sources
Design πͺ
π CE: Why it's important
The best content is easy to digest, interesting, and engaging.
Copy editing ensures that within each section:
-The narrative flows smoothly
-Every sentence adds value
-Questions are answered fully (what + why + how)
Bad structure ruins everything.
The best content is easy to digest, interesting, and engaging.
Copy editing ensures that within each section:
-The narrative flows smoothly
-Every sentence adds value
-Questions are answered fully (what + why + how)
Bad structure ruins everything.
π CE: How to do it (1/3)
The editing:
1. Reorganize/remove paragraphs
The right structure depends on many factors.
In general:
Set context, add supplemental info, and end with a takeaway.
2. Make sure the reason/benefit is clear
Never make readers guess "why?"β
The editing:
1. Reorganize/remove paragraphs
The right structure depends on many factors.
In general:
Set context, add supplemental info, and end with a takeaway.
2. Make sure the reason/benefit is clear
Never make readers guess "why?"β
For example:
"Put your phone on airplane mode during deep work."
Cool idea. Why?
"It takes 23 minutes to refocus after a distraction. You'll get more done, faster, by eliminating notifications."
Good copy editing gets ahead of questions.
"Put your phone on airplane mode during deep work."
Cool idea. Why?
"It takes 23 minutes to refocus after a distraction. You'll get more done, faster, by eliminating notifications."
Good copy editing gets ahead of questions.
π CE: How to do it (2/3)
3. Check for readability
Even complex content must be simple to digest.
Change passive --> active voice
Remove fluff
Kill redundancy
Vary sentence length
Avoid generalizations
More here:
3. Check for readability
Even complex content must be simple to digest.
Change passive --> active voice
Remove fluff
Kill redundancy
Vary sentence length
Avoid generalizations
More here:
π CE: How to do it (3/3)
4. Check for credibility
Bad sources are everywhere.
Blogs that link to other blogs that link to 2010 stats π«
99% of people make up stats on social,
but that doesn't fly anywhere else.
Check that sources are:
-Original
-Accurately interpreted
4. Check for credibility
Bad sources are everywhere.
Blogs that link to other blogs that link to 2010 stats π«
99% of people make up stats on social,
but that doesn't fly anywhere else.
Check that sources are:
-Original
-Accurately interpreted
π PF: What it is
Checks the fine print:
-Dialect discrepancies
-Punctuation hiccups
-Spelling errors
-Grammar (within reason, given that you can break some 'traditional' rules)
Details πͺ
Checks the fine print:
-Dialect discrepancies
-Punctuation hiccups
-Spelling errors
-Grammar (within reason, given that you can break some 'traditional' rules)
Details πͺ
π PF: Why it's important
Tiny errors look bad and can harm credibility.
It's amazing how the tiniest typo can distract readers and ruin flow.
Once flow is broken, who knows if they'll continue reading or decide to do something else.
It's not worth the risk.
Tiny errors look bad and can harm credibility.
It's amazing how the tiniest typo can distract readers and ruin flow.
Once flow is broken, who knows if they'll continue reading or decide to do something else.
It's not worth the risk.
π PF: How to do it
You can either copy edit first then proofread, or, combine them.
I personally:
1. Copy edit and proofread at the same time
2. Do a final proofread at the end
Grammarly is hit or miss with copy editing but it's great for proofreading.
Polish that gem.
You can either copy edit first then proofread, or, combine them.
I personally:
1. Copy edit and proofread at the same time
2. Do a final proofread at the end
Grammarly is hit or miss with copy editing but it's great for proofreading.
Polish that gem.
Content is like a puzzle.
Developmental editing checks you have the right pieces and separates the corners from the rest.
Copy editing is the practice of fitting the pieces together.
Proofreading ensures each piece is firmly connected so it looks good.
Developmental editing checks you have the right pieces and separates the corners from the rest.
Copy editing is the practice of fitting the pieces together.
Proofreading ensures each piece is firmly connected so it looks good.
There you have itβan editing process.
If you've found this valuable:
-Follow me @ericasmyname for more content writing, editing, and marketing tips
-Click the tweet below to go back to the top, then retweet it
If you've found this valuable:
-Follow me @ericasmyname for more content writing, editing, and marketing tips
-Click the tweet below to go back to the top, then retweet it
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