Maybe you’ve never written anything before, or perhaps you’ve written plenty of things, but never edited them. If you’re new to the editing process, it may seem a little daunting. It can be difficult to get your ideas down on paper in the first place, but it’s something entirely different to polish and perfect your work.
But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Take a deep breath, and then try taking some of the steps below.
First things first: editing is a process, just like writing
Especially if you’ve been writing a longer piece, you probably didn’t finish writing your project in one sitting. In the same way, you probably won’t edit your piece completely in one sitting, and that’s a good thing! Giving yourself space from your project is a good way to have a different perspective when you return to it. It can help you catch consistency errors or other issues that you might not have noticed when you were in the thick of writing.
Don’t be afraid to take several passes through your project either. Just because you’ve read through everything once and think it looks good doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to be done. If you have time, try letting at least a few days go by, and then come back and read through your project one more time.
Of course, we don’t always have days, weeks, or months to perfect our project. Just remember, when it comes to editing, everything you write deserves at least one review.
Editing can involve looking at multiple things
Going through your writing means looking at all aspects of your writing, including grammar, spelling, and the flow of your work. But you don’t have to do that all at once.
Try creating a checklist of all the things you want to look at when you’re editing. If your writing is on a computer and the software allows it, you can also add comments to remind yourself of things to go back and fix. Each time you go through your work, you can check off comments or things on your list, until you’ve reviewed everything you need to.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Whether you invest in professional editing services or not, getting a second (or third or fourth) opinion on your writing is an important way to improve it. You might be too close to your story and can’t spot inconsistencies or a lack of information, or you may not have the expertise to spot errors.
If you don’t have a budget for editing services, try asking a family member, friend, or colleague to take a look at your work. They may not be able to catch everything, but the more people who review your writing, the better your odds are that it will be polished and professional.
Lastly, take your time, but don’t get stuck in the editing process
Your writing deserves a good review, but it’s easy to feel like there’s always something to improve on. Devote an appropriate amount of time to the editing process, but don’t go overboard trying to find more errors.
Do you have any tips from your own editing process? Leave them in the comments!
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