by Laura Smith, @lsmith335
Editing Is Crucial
Let’s face it, even a good first draft can look like a hot mess when it’s first read. Every decent English teacher I’ve ever had has marked up my rough draft with a red pen and then said, “good job.” But we’re not in English class anymore, and we have to take the red pen to our work ourselves. That means catching everything from basic typos to cutting entire sections that don’t flow with the rest of the piece. It also means throwing away some basic knowledge that I learned in school and adapting to the age of writing online.
I have to admit, this was the most self-aware piece I’ve ever written. I had to make sure I was following my own advice as I was giving it. After all, what’s the point of offering advice if you’re not going to follow it yourself? Below are five of the major elements that I review when I’m editing my blog articles.Continue reading