I had two long features due last week, one for Oregon Business Magazine and one for Mothering magazine, and spoke to both of my editors about my articles today on the phone.
I’m so grateful for good editing and good editors. I think the editing stage makes such a big difference—converting an okay or just good article into something really worth reading.
It’s also helpful to talk about the content with an editor, to discuss how your ideas are coming across and how they might be perceived by readers. This is especially important if the topic is controversial, as one of these two articles is.
My mother was a genius with a red pen. Partly thanks to her, I’m a good editor—I can re-organize someone else’s writing; spot the clichés and revise them into fresh, original language; smooth out the prose; and help the writer craft what they want to say.
Click here to find out about my professional editing and why I even charge my friends for advice.
But it’s really hard to edit your own words.
You can be an excellent editor for someone else but not be able to do good editing on your own work. I find that something will niggle me about a story I submit but I won’t be able to figure out what’s wrong with it.
Which makes me even more grateful to be working with perceptive and skilled editors who help me bring my writing to the next level. Recently I’ve been writing Mind & Body features for The Epoch Times, an independently owned censorship-free newspaper with a very large circulation. My editors there are a husband-wife team. They’re fantastic.
If you’re not able to find good editing, and you need to edit your own work, what do you do?
- Shorten your sentences: We all make the mistake of writing sentences that are too long. Not every sentence needs to be short but chances are you can tighten up your prose by shorting your sentences.
- Pay attention to your verbs: Verbs matter. If you can, delete the adverbs and choose strong, interesting verbs instead.
- Have only 1 idea per paragraph: You have a lot to say! We all do. But you confuse the reader if you have too many ideas in the same paragraph. If you have 3 ideas in one paragraph, make that paragraph into 3 separate ones.
Related articles:
How to Get Started as a New Writer
Writing for National Public Radio
Just the Facts, Ma’am: Why it’s Important to Fact Check Your Work
Published: May 24, 2010
Updated: March 5, 2022
Alexandra Grabbe says
Totally hear you. I’m a good editor, too, but editing one’s own work can be a challenge. A second pair of eyes is always desirable.
Karen Bannan says
Totally agree! I can edit really well, but sometimes I miss issues in my own work.
–KB
Alisa Bowman says
Good editors deserve a star in Hollywood.
Sheryl says
I couldn’t agree more. Good editing is the topping on the cake.