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Self-editing is a must for any writer. It is the act of reviewing and correcting your written work to ensure clarity, correctness, consistency, and flow.
For content writers, clean, clear writing reflects well upon the brand they are marketing.
Plus, those very qualities impact how easily someone can read and understand your writing. So, the readability of your content depends on a healthy round of self-editing.
Discover five best practices for self editing, so you can communicate clearly with your audience, efficiently review grammar, and optimize readability.
The process of editing your own writing is based on looking at your writing with a critical eye to find and correct anything that impedes the quality and clarity of your message.
To describe the big-picture and small details of self-editing, some editors refer to the four C’s:
Some writers and editors might include additional C’s in this list, such as confidence, conviction, courtesy, and captivation.
However you choose to describe it and break it down, what matters in the end is that your message is the best it can be before you share it with your audience.
The goals of self-editing overlap with the aims of writing for readability, and there are several best practices for addressing both in your writing.
Before you start looking for grammar issues or gaps in consistency, open your document and read it to yourself out loud. You might be surprised at what errors and misalignments you can catch when you hear your words out in the world.
According to Duke University, this is partly because our mouths move more slowly than our brains. As a result, when reading aloud, we slow down and consider our work more carefully.
When you read aloud, you also create some distance between the work and you as a writer. By listening to your words, you assume a role closer to that of a reader. As you slow down to repair flow or make a thought clearer, you are also making corrections that make your written work more readable.
In addition to reading aloud, take a step back from your work and review it as if you were a member of the audience you are trying to reach. Think about what you want your audience to experience from your writing, and ask yourself some questions to ensure your writing is up to the task.
By reading with your audience in mind, you will spot the bigger-picture issues that, once corrected, can strengthen your writing and make it more readable.
Grammar checkers can help catch minor, pesky grammar issues, such as misplaced commas or typos that may have gone unnoticed.
Grammar is important in good content writing. Poor grammar doesn’t reflect well on a writer or the brand they represent.
Poorly constructed sentences or misspellings can make your writing difficult to understand. Your checker may also detect passive voice and suggest changing to active voice, which is usually more concise and straightforward to follow.
In these ways and more, tidying up your writing with the help of a grammar checker can improve your readability.
Readability tools are excellent at picking up on text that is too difficult to read or not organized well enough to be understood.
They are also excellent partners in self-editing. Run your written work through a readability checker to highlight those sections that need improvement. Then, address the highlighted areas.
For example, if the readability tool detects a sentence that is too long and filled with overly complicated industry jargon, fixing it will make the sentence more readable, and, ultimately, help your text flow better.
Just as reading aloud causes your brain to slow down, getting a break from the screen when you switch to editor mode can help to reset your perspective.
The switch to paper can give your eyes a break and allow you to see things differently. For a change of pace, you can mark your edits with a pen, pencil or highlighter and address them on your computer later.
Editing your content carefully and mindfully allows you to share your best writing with the reader.
Sharing clean, clear and accurate writing improves the reader experience, leads to better engagement with your writing, and ultimately benefits your brand.
Conveniently streamline your editing process with the Originality.ai Grammar Checker.
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