One of the biggest mistakes I see writers make is that they worry too much about grammatical accuracy and spelling when they’re drafting a report or email. Quit trying to do so many things at once!
That’s why I love teaching the Process Approach to writing: you’ll be less overwhelmed when you have to write if you know how to break down the task step-by-step. And the last step should be editing.
Trying to edit while you write is like trying to pull up your socks while running: it seems like you’re going to save time by not stopping, but you’re messing up your rhythm anyway.
In the Process Approach, you wait to the end — after you brainstorm, outline, draft and revise — and then edit once your content is good. (Email me if you’d like the video I’m making about the Process Approach. It should be available mid-January.)
Whether you’re editing a Christmas letter or your out-of-office email response, here are some tips for making sure what you write is both readable and accurate.
Some strategies for editing
- Give yourself plenty of time. Look away from your writing every few minutes. Take a break and relax. Go for a little walk, and then return to your writing. Reviewing with a clear mind will help you find errors.
- Read your writing aloud. This will help you notice errors you might miss when you’re reading silently and quickly. You’ll also hear if a sentence doesn’t sound right or is far too long.
- Read from bottom to top. If you’ve been working on this draft for a while, your eyes are used to skimming over the parts you’ve already seen several times. Reading from the last sentence to the first forces you to slow down and look at the grammar and spelling more carefully.
- Be aware of your own individual error patterns. Check your writing carefully for mistakes you know you make often. For example, if you frequently forget to put the -s on 3rd person singular verbs in the present tense, read through once just checking each verb for that specific error.
- Rephrase the sentence. If something seems awkward and incorrect, you may be able to fix the problem by deleting the whole sentence and rephrasing it, rather than trying to fix a specific grammatical issue that you are uncertain about.
- Get a second pair of eyes on it. If this piece of writing is important, always be sure to ask someone else to help you edit. They will see errors you’ve stopped seeing, and they can also identify areas that aren’t clearly explained.
- Use tools like Grammarly. Don’t be afraid to “cheat”. I love the free version of Grammarly. It’s like a super-duper spell checker that’s really good with grammar and even checks if your tone is friendly or business-like. Of course, the grammar and spelling recommendations aren’t always correct, but overall it’s an excellent tool to help you. (Note: You can install it as a browser extension to check your writing on websites and social media comments as well.)
Need help?
If you have an upcoming writing project, and you could use some advice and editing help, schedule a free consultation with me.
My rates are based on those of the Editorial Freelancers Association. I bill in 15-minute increments. I’m happy to review your work in order to give you a free quote! Just ask!