Every blogger has a writing idol that inspired them to start writing but no matter how hard they try, they just can’t seem to get their thoughts out in an effective manner. Ever wondered how the bigger bloggers seem to write so well in each and every post? It’s simple – they don’t just take the writing seriously, they edit seriously. A lot of them also take external professional help to write and edit for them. Editing involves a lot more than spelling and grammar checks, it’s the way you make sure that your readers understand your point.
While there are numerous editing tips for bloggers, things have slightly in the last year. Here are some up to date tips for editing:
Build it up over time
Editing does not come naturally to every writer and many consider it to be a chore, rather than a tool for enhancement. To get away from this mindset, build up editing habits over time. Some of the best ways to build your editing skills is to read your favorite author’s work or listen to the words in your favorite – these help you identify a style that you like and when you’re editing your blog, you can stick to this style. another way is to write random content unrelated to your blog and edit it for practice.
Take responsibility for everything you say
When editing your work, know that you are responsible for every word on that document. The way you present your ideas and thoughts to your audience has to meet the needs of desires of the audience, if they are to stay engaged. Look at each sentence carefully and ensure that it meets the bigger picture. On the flip side, do not obsess. Everything does not have to be perfect, it just has to be a perfect representation of your worldview.
Ask the important questions
When editing, take it paragraph by paragraph and see if it sufficiently answers the questions raised by the topic. Ask yourself if a certain point can be simplified further, or if the introduction needs more spice. Once you’ve satisfactorily answered these questions, you can move on to the next bit.
Make it unique
It is highly impossible that you are the only one writing about a certain topic or answering a certain problem. While your draft may have all the answers, editing is the step where you infuse some individuality into your work. Don’t be a Wikipedia page, write from your own perspective and develop individuality.
Never get attached to your words
You know that feeling when you think you’ve crafted the perfect sentence? Let it go when you’re editing. Cut out anything that you deem superfluous or unnecessary. writers are often advised to take a break between writing and editing for this purpose. A breather gives you the time to detach yourself from the first draft and allows you to be ruthless when editing.
Proofread more than once
Ideally, bloggers should proofread once immediately after writing. Take a break after that and then edit the document. After this is done, proofread once more. Here’s the thing, after proofreading for a second time, bloggers post the blog but to get the best work out there, proofread the article again, but this time in a different location. It’s intriguing how a change in scenery can affect your perception.
Careless proofreading that leads to spelling and grammar mistakes will disturb the reader’s journey through the story. It will disenfranchise them and create extra work, where they’re trying to understand what you mean. Inspect every word and make it right.
Be accurate
This one is a bit of a no-brainer. When bloggers right about events, products or specific facts, there is no excuse for being inaccurate. A single dot in the wrong place could drastically change the statistics of a study. In the same way, when talking about this study, you have to be accurate about everything you’re saying. Misspelling brand names and products or announcing the wrong date for an event will lead to distrust and users will doubt the credibility of your words.
Take your blog seriously and portray your best self. Sloppy work will get you nowhere, especially in the blogging world where there are millions of users.
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