Edit Like a Pro for New Writers
Use these 2 strategies to improve your writing
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I am a new nonfiction writer, on the steep incline of the learning curve. If you are also at the starting point of your writing journey, I understand how you feel about the different challenges along the road. Editing was a challenge for me, but I have picked up some editing techniques which I have organized into two strategies. Give them a try to improve your own writing.
Each of us writes for a reason. Some of us want to quit the daily grind and earn our livelihood writing; for others, it’s a source of additional income in uncertain times. Like many, writing is my therapy, and I take it seriously. It smooths the edges of my day, just like a couple of glasses of chardonnay used to (but that’s another story). I pour my heart out. I follow Hemingway’s advice, and I write the best story I can as straight as I can. It takes guts to hit the publish button, and once I do I always feel like I am walking down the street naked.
The hardest lesson I had to learn is that writing and editing are two different processes separated by a blurry line and equally important. I had to master how to edit my writing, and I began by reading as much as I could about editing before devising two strategies that work for me.
Once I have a solid first draft, aka I have poured my heart out, I put my story through two distinct steps: developmental editing and proofreading/line editing. I enjoy seeing the transformation and I know the additional editing time has enhanced my writing.
Editing strategy #1 developmental editing
My goal with developmental editing is to examine and improve the content and structure of my story. While developmental editing is most often used for books and novels and takes on such topics as pacing, plot and character development, it can be applied to shorter nonfiction writing or even blog writing.
This is when I confirm what my message is — has it changed from my original idea — and ask myself if I have conveyed it to the reader convincingly. In every nonfiction story, we are trying to convince or inform the reader of something. Do I lay out my arguments or information in a logical sequence to make it easy to follow? Do I have a strong introduction and conclusion? Do the paragraphs flow from one to the other?
I have learned to take the time to consider the big picture of my story. There is no point in going on to the next step of editing if the content (argument or information) or structure of my story is flawed. It’s a drag to have to rework a weak article that doesn’t hang together, but it’s lazy not to. Sometimes I put it aside at this point and go back to it later when I have fresh ideas that will help me get it right.
The following is an excellent article that takes a deeper drive into developmental editing:
https://medium.com/better-humans/the-5-step-guide-to-editing-your-own-nonfiction-writing-d6f0e1a1c114
Editing strategy #2 proofreading and line editing
Once satisfied I have achieved the goals of Strategy #1, I proceed to the next step. The purpose of proofreading and line editing is to deal with grammatical issues, sentence flow and word choices. I execute this strategy using a combination of steps and not always in a particular order. Depending on the story, I use three or four of the following editing techniques.
Grammar software apps
As I write I use Grammarly Premium, the awesome paid version, and then run the entire piece through the program towards the end before I hit publish. The difference between the free and the paid versions is like night and day. If you can afford to, try it for a month and see if you think it is worth it before subscribing. ProWriting Aid and Hemingway are free and useful software tools to try as well.
These apps catch spelling, grammar, syntax (the flow of phrases), punctuation issues and suggest alternative words. The app tells you when you use that wimpy passive voice. As insulting as it is to be notified by an AI grammar tool that your voice is passive, if I now use it, it’s a deliberate choice.
As good as these apps are, they are not human, and ultimately you have to decide about your ideas, words and sentences.
Sleep on it
We are all eager to finish a story or article and get it out there. I know the itch. Perhaps the story has been on your mind for days — every time you took a shower or went for a run.
It’s hard to put it aside, but letting the story sit a day or longer while you work on something else or go on with your life is a valuable editing technique. The benefits of fresh eyes and ideas when you take a break from your text are immeasurable. I always see it differently the next day.
Print it out
It may sound like a wasted effort to those who find writing and editing on a screen second nature. Still, it is a valuable editing tool, because you see your writing in a different format and notice things you did not see before. Take a pen and edit ruthlessly. The following is what I attack.
Remove unnecessary adjectives and adverbs.
Change words. Replace weak words. If you are not sure about cutting or changing a word or phrase, put a circle around it for the moment.
Circle sentences you are not sure about. When you are updating your draft on your screen, you can decide then.
Ensure there is one idea per paragraph. Divide long paragraphs into two.
Put a line through each word, sentence or idea that is unnecessary.
Retake a look at the structure: beginning, middle and end.
Next, I incorporate my edits into the draft on my screen. Save any bits you have chopped in a separate file, potentially for another article or inspiration on another day. Those potential gems will also always exist in the “see revision history” tab on the editing drop-down menu on Medium, which may make it easier to let them go.
Read it out loud
This is my favourite editing technique, and it is always in my arsenal. When you read your writing silently, errors and awkward phrases are not always obvious. As we read our writing over and over again on our screen, we no longer truly see it.
All the awkwardness of your writing jumps out and screams for attention when you read out loud. This method is excellent to smooth the flow of the words, particularly dialogue.
Tape it and listen back
Have your computer read it back to you. The voice is monotone, but it forces you to follow along and truly see the words. There are also several voice recorder apps you can download. I record on my phone and listen back.
One paragraph and sentence at a time
For this step, which is called line editing, my goal is to ensure every paragraph deals with one idea, and every sentence is “perfect.”
If the paragraph is too long, I break it into two. I check that the first sentence of the paragraph flows from the previous paragraph, or I add a sub-heading if I am changing ideas. I ensure the sentences within the paragraph are in a logical order. It is surprising how often they have to be re-ordered to improve the paragraph.
Finally, and admittedly a personal favourite, I focus on each sentence — length, unnecessary words, cliches, and punctuation marks (I tend to overuse semicolons, which is annoying for the reader).
Read on different devices
When you read your writing in a different format, you notice things you didn’t see before. If possible, read on your cellphone or an iPad. Reading on your phone allows you to focus on one small chunk, one phone screen at a time. It forces you to break up paragraphs that are too long. Many people will read your story on their cellphone, and a solid wall of text is uninviting.
Ask a friend or writing buddy
Still not sure you are ready to hit publish and send your work out into the world? Ask a friend or a writing buddy to look at your draft and to be honest. I find I always get useful feedback, and I rarely ignore it.
Editing is a skill I continue to hone. Initially, I had no idea that anything other than careful proofreading and a quick run through Grammarly was involved. I am glad I paid attention to all the admonitions to separate writing and editing and to devise these two strategies that work for me.
Edit fiercely!
Bonus: If you are going to read any book on writing, I suggest William Zinsser’s On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction.