How Important is Editing?

As a writer and an editor, I have to say that editing is very important! :)

A good editor can help: 1) Read the piece as your intended audience to flag questions, gaps, etc. 2) Review structure, flow, tone... all that stuff that you're probably too close to see objectively. 3) Identify language issues that affect your message or your communication of that message. 4) Clean up grammar, spelling, etc.

When you work with an editor also defines what the editor can do for you. You may only contact an editor at the end of the writing process. But, you can also work with an editor earlier to come up with solutions to sticky writing problems (two heads are often better than one).

I'm lucky to be in a writing group with other editor/writers. I get help thinking through plot ideas, character description, motivation. I guess what I'm saying is that an editor can be one of your greatest allies.

What makes a strong edit depends on the type of writing and your goals. For highly creative work, like poetry or fiction, it is critical to keep the writer's voice and intentions. For technical work, it is often important to replace the writer's voice with the company's voice but still keep the information and intentions. Identifying the goals of your writing and what you want out of the editing will help the edit pass go smoothly.

If your goal is to make your writing the best that it can be (for example, to send out to publishers), then I suggest the following: 1) Choose the editor carefully. Make sure he or she has experience in your field. Go with referrals if possible. 2) Leave plenty of time for editing, reviewing the edits, and any possible rewriting. 3) Clearly define up front what you expect and want. 4) Discuss your preferred working style. (Do you want the editor to rewrite sections with changes tracked? Or would you prefer any suggested rewrites are outside of the document?) 5) As much as possible, leave your ego at the door. (Feedback and revisions can be painful, but looking at them objectively and considering them leads to better writing. Even if you ultimately do not follow a suggestion, it is worth thinking it through. Sometimes it sparks a new great idea!)

I hope this helps!

Easiest way to become a great writer is to become a great reader. Read the newspapers, read magazines, read books, read poetry, read anything and lots of it. Find an hour a day and do some reading and not junk novels as this will never help you.

Learn to listen, most people are so busy constructing their next sentence while others are speaking.

Consider the audience for your writing. Do not write down to them. Do not use terminology that does not fit the subject.

Find your voice when writing from your point of view. When writing on behalf of a client, a business or other third party, find their voice. Think of how they sound when they speak and then transform it but do not obliterate their style - just make it reader-ready.

Every email, every memo, every press release, every document must be clear, concise, well-written and convey the point you are trying to make with a clear request for their action.

Go out and buy William Zinsser's book "On Writing Well." This book may be instructional but it is so well-written that it is really enjoyable. A great thesaurus is imperative - The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale is my favorite along with The Pocket Word Finder and The Elements of Style. Another great read is Remix by Catherine Latterall - works through reading and writing via developing critical thinking skills.

Research makes you a great writer - look at the internet and see what others are saying about a topic and then put it in your own words - never plagiarize!

Think about flow between sentences and paragraphs. Each sentence, each paragraph must connect to the one before and after in a smooth and sensical fashion. You don't speak in non-sequituers so don't write that way.

After you draft something read it out loud - if it sounds good it probably is good.

Have someone read your document before you finalize it. It is very easy to see what you think you wrote instead of what is actually on the page.

Do not use contractions - they read poorly.

Make it interesting. Read articles and see how the journalist creates a lead-in to the crux of their story. This sets the stage, creates something people can relate to or want to know about.

Keep a word list comprised of words you do not know and have to look up and those you find that seem really interesting to you - find a way to use these words.

You are painting a picture with words - think about how to make it glow, shimmer with meaning, use words to make others laugh or smile with recognition.

Hope this helps!

Thank you for the compliments :)

Are you asking mainly about self-editing? I do a lot of that as well ;)

My best advice for self-editing is to separate the writing and editing phases as much as possible. If you have a day or two (or more) to let the writing sit before picking it up as the editor, you are much more likely to see what needs your attention.

Writing and editing require very different skills, in my opinion. If I have my editor hat on while writing, I revise before I fully think out my idea and get caught on details like spelling. If I have my writer hat on while editing, I read what I meant to say instead of the words on the page.

Dindy shares some great points above. Reading is invaluable. I think reading can help you develop your "ear" for flow and grammar. Listening is also critical.

Some advice will depend on the type of writing you are doing. For example, speaking to your audience is critical for technical and business writing but not as much for creative writing. In creative writing, finding your (or your character's) authentic voice is more important.

Cheers!