Category: proofreading

editing, editing your writing, improve your copyediting, improve your editing, improving your copyediting, improving your editing, improving your writing, proofreading

5 Ways to Improve Your Editing

1. Read – Well-written books and articles can help you improve your editing through exposing you to different words and writing styles. Grammar and editing guides also offer plenty of advice on English usage.

2. Cut – Try removing words from your sentences; if they don’t add to the overall meaning, they’re often not necessary.

3. Get expert help – If you’re uncomfortable with words, or feel you need more than a little advice, talk to someone you trust who knows English well. Ask them to mark up one of your pieces so you can see where you need to improve. Or talk to an experienced pro (like me). Many of us are better at editing others’ work than we are at our own.

4. Use software – Grammar apps and software with spell-check can help. If time is tight, they can ease the editing process, but they don’t catch everything.

5. Practice – As your confidence grows and you gain a better understanding of the basics of good writing, edit others’ work. One way to do this is to join a writing group.

What has helped you improve your editing? Feel free to comment below.

Need help with your editing or proofreading? Contact me to fix the flow and sound like a pro.

Quotes

“In art, economy is always beauty.” ~ Henry James

“When in doubt, delete it.” ~ Philip Cosby

Comments? Suggestions? Need help with your communications? Contact me.

business communication, business writing, editing, editing your writing, proofreading

5 Do-It-Yourself Business Writing Proofreading Hacks

by

Michelle Troutman

1. Know your weaknesses – Do you tend to write long sentences, repeat certain words, or have other verbal tics? Being aware of your bad habits can help you focus on what to cut in a pinch. For example, you can search your copy for repeated words or phrases and replace them with appropriate synonyms to improve the flow.

2. Change the font size or color – This tip has helped me see my copy in a new way. Errors seem to pop out more, especially after I get used to reading the same text over and over. Just remember to change it back to normal later, if necessary. 🙂

3. Remember readability – Microsoft Word and similar software use the Flesch-Kincaid readability scale to score your writing by grade level. Grade eight or nine is common for easy reading, but some grammar experts suggest you aim for a sixth-grade level. The Hemingway App follows an algorithm. To improve readability, use few, if any, words with three syllables or more. And shorten your sentences.

Example: Individual (five syllables: in/di/vid/u/al)
Revised: Person (two syllables: per/son)

4. Use a checklist – Grammar and style books sometimes have lists of common errors at the back, which can be especially helpful for new writers. This is among the proofreading hacks that are best to save for last. My newsletters also offer some usage tips.

5. Keep it in context – Does everything make sense? Does it add up? Names and numbers can be easy to gloss over. Even if every statement is correct, your wording could confuse readers. This is a sometimes overlooked part of making your writing easy to understand.

What are some of your favorite proofreading shortcuts? Feel free to comment below.

Need help with your editing or proofreading? Contact me.

Quotes

“Let the reader find that he cannot afford to omit any line of your writing because you have omitted every word he can spare.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Write without fear. Edit without Mercy.” ~ Unknown

editing, editing your writing, errors, mistakes, proofreading, Uncategorized

Common Online Content Errors: Examples

The good thing about mistakes in online copy is that if you control the publishing platform (blog posts, newsletters, social media), they’re fairly easy to fix. But, that’s no excuse to make them. 🙂  These are some of the ones I see most often, with corrections.

1. wrong tense

Example: We’re double-checking our verbs so that we’re ensuring they’re correct.
Revised: We double-check our verbs to ensure they’re correct.

2. unnecessary punctuation

Example: Everything that could go wrong, seems to go wrong.
Revised: Everything that could go wrong seems to go wrong.

3. No punctuation when punctuation is necessary.

Example: The marigold like the zinnia is an annual flowering plant.
Revised: The marigold, like the zinnia, is an annual flowering plant.

4. misspelled words

Examples: Explicatives are considered foul language.
Revised: Expletives are considered foul language.

5. missing words

Example: There seem to questions about proper lifting techniques.
Revised: There seem to be questions about proper lifting techniques.

Which mistakes do you tend to make?

For help with these and other online content dilemmas, download my free ebook, 5 Common Online Content Problems Solved!.