Tag Archive for: editing

5 More Self-Editing Tips

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In the previous article, I’ve provided you 4 helpful self-editing tips. Because I know editing is a difficult task, I’ve decided to share more self-editing tips. Are you ready? Below, I’ve listed additional 5 self-editing tips just for you.

  • Tip 1: Don’t be too hard on yourself.

    • You don’t need to achieve perfection. If you have applied the previous 4 self-editing tips, remind yourself that there is NO such thing as a perfect post. You don’t need to beat yourself up. I’m not saying that you should settle for so-so.
    • All I’m saying is writing is a journey. Sometimes, the road is bumpy.  There’s an impending deadline and you need to publish numerous posts in a span of a few days. Scrutinizing every post won’t bring you closer to your goal. Just do the best that you can, and if you made some mistakes along the way, learn from it. Move on and do better next time.

  • Tip 2: Take a break.

    • When you are totally out of ideas, sometimes, it is best to give it a rest. Maybe you are stuck in a rut. Go out and get some fresh air. Order your favorite, and then, go back to where you left off. This time around, did you notice something different? Check out for anything that stand outs as coarse and bothersome. Try to rephrase it, and if it doesn’t work, delete it altogether.

  • Tip 3: Stop repeating the pronouns.

    • Refrain from starting every sentence with a pronoun. I wrote this. He fixed that. She made this.  It is perfect! No, it’s not. Frankly, these sentences follow a boring routine. Spice things up!
    • Try your best not to start with a pronoun. Change your sentence structure from time to time to keep your readers glued to their screens. Compel them to read by adding diversity to your work.

  • Tip 4: Avoid cliches!

    • Cliches are overused. When you are drafting your blog, find something unique. Search for uncommon terms and acquaint yourself with more ways to describe objects or circumstances.
    • If you ask me, writers are only effective if they are readers too. Reading helps widen your vocabulary, and most importantly, it broadens your perspective. You see things in a different light.  So, in order to write more, you need to read more.

  • Tip 5: Organize and prioritize.

    • When things get messy, simply declutter. Remove the words that create clutter. Your blog post should be organized neatly, and there shouldn’t be confusion. Every word should have a purpose. If a word is not necessary, remove it.
    • If you think that the given topic is too long, divide it. Arrange and plan carefully what goes first. Then, make a follow up post if you think there are other things you need to discuss thoroughly. You don’t need to dump everything in one blog post.
erasures on paper.

Don’t be afraid to make the necessary erasures.

Blogging is not an easy job, but with enough practice, you will get better. Don’t be afraid to start all over again. There are no standard rules here. It doesn’t follow the traditional norm. Feel free to experiment and break from the usual structure. Above all, dare to be different. Make waves and show the real you!

 

4 Helpful Self-Editing Tips

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If you follow the blog religiously, you know that I’ve given various writing tips already. So, let’s now proceed to self-editing tips. Blog writing can be tough, but editing is tougher. Contrary to popular belief, editing isn’t just correcting errors and deleting unnecessary sentences. The truth is that editing is more of seeing the blog post as a whole. Is it cohesive? Is it purposeful? Is it understandable?

girl writing on her notebook

Below are 4 important tips you need to know when you are self-editing your blog post:

  • Tip 1: Avoid redundancy.

    • Once you have you completed your blog post draft, read it again and check for words that are clearly recurring. Try to replace these words with their synonyms to avoid obvious repetition.
    • Almost every writer has that word he frequently uses when he needs immediate support. We tend to repeat certain words or phrases when we are out of ideas.
    • No matter how hard you try avoid it, you just can’t not use your “go-to” word. The best solution would be to identify what are your “go-to” words are so that you will be aware every time it repeats. Try to lessen its recurrence and consult a thesaurus if you need to look for similar terms.

  • Tip 2: Read it aloud!

    • It is important to read your work out loud because if your blog post sounds awkward to you, there’s something wrong with the flow. The whole article should sound natural and straightforward. If there are any hiccups, it would clearly stand out. So, don’t feel weird about it because your blog post will be  a lot better if you get rid of the obstacles that seems off and overdone. Repeat the process until the post sounds apt and uniformly neat.

  • Tip  3: Ask your friends to read it aloud.

    • If you are still a newbie blogger, asking a friend or co-worker might help you a lot! If your work sounds good to you, but does it have the same effect on others? Do other people find the flow polished and smooth too?
    • Your friends need not to be expert linguists because the purpose of this is NOT to search for grammatical or typographical errors. In reality, you just need their honest opinion regarding the flow of your work, and ask them if it does make perfect sense. Do they get your point? Is it too lengthy? Is the message clear? Is the solution you’re giving actually helpful? You need a fresh pair of eyes to answer these questions and  your teammates can help you with that.

  • Tip 4: Keep it simple.

    • It’s just a blog. You do not need to overanalyze it. Your readers will easily get your point if you keep the sentences shorter. Remember that you are blogging in order to offer some help and your purpose is NOT to confuse people.
    • You will be driving them away if you will present your thoughts and ideas in a very lengthy manner. The length does not define the usefulness of the article. It boils down to its ability to offer concrete solutions.
    • It is your job as a blogger to let people know about certain things. They won’t learn from your if you keep overwhelming them with enormous chunks of highfalutin words. Keep the sentences and paragraphs short. So, whether your audience is a 5th grader or a college student, they will still get your point.