I am a Writer, and then I’m an Editor.
I can’t do one without the other. It’s like Lay’s Potato Chips – you can’t have just one.
All day long, I write – social media posts, advertisements, website content, internal and external communications, and the list goes on. If you’re a writer like me, you have to edit everything you write. It’s more difficult to edit your own writing – one tends to scan the copy more because your mind has already decided all is okay. If you edit someone else’s writing, it’s easier to catch mistakes because the copy is fresh and your brain doesn’t automatically scan over it.
Editing Tricks and Tips
Whether your are editing your own work or someone else’s, there are a few tricks and tips to help your eyes catch these bad boys more often.
- Spelling
Pay special attention to words with a lot of ‘i’s in it because that letter is so easy to miss. Examples: Compliance, complaint, mischievous. Also, stop at common words that are often used incorrectly, such as its and it’s. And, of course, double check every city name, street name and proper name. - Numbers
Look at every DATE. Get your calendar out and check that the day of the week pairs correctly with the calendar date. (Is it Saturday, the 3rd? Or is the 3rd actually Sunday so readers don’t know what day?) Also double check every PHONE NUMBER by dialing it. It may be awkward (and kinda funny) when there’s an answer, but it’s waaay better than putting an ad out there with the wrong phone number, right? - Commas
Stop at every comma. Is it needed? Are you a comma-holic and have too many commas? There are great online tools out there to help editors decide about comma usage – I highly recommend! - Active vs Passive
The bike was ridden by the girl with green eyes. (passive)
The green-eyed girl was riding the bike. (active)
When you can, use an action sentence rather than passive. A writer and editor’s job is to help the reader read smoothly. We don’t want the reader to get hung up trying to decipher the meaning – it takes away from their enjoyment and the pace. Keeping sentences active adds to the flow of the sentence, makes the sentence stronger, and action is more exciting to read. - Grammar Girl https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl/
When I was teaching editing at the university, I always recommended this website to my students. Mignon Fogarty offers great grammar tips in a fun way. Her tips are short and easily digestible and always helpful. Check her out on her website, LinkedIn and her podcast.
Renee Montgomery 