After investing so much time and dedication into writing an insightful, engaging blog post, the editing process can seem tedious or even painful. However, proper editing truly transforms those disjointed initial drafts into polished masterpieces ready to publish and share with the world. Meticulous editing is what takes your good content and elevates it to greatness. These seven comprehensive editing tips will guide bloggers through effectively refining their writing to create compelling, professional-grade content worth reading. For bloggers short on time, hiring reliable writing services in Canada is another option to ensure blog posts shine.
Read Out Loud
Once a draft is fully completed, resist the urge to immediately publish it. Instead, the first invaluable editing step is reading the entire post aloud, word for word, from start to finish. Our eyes often skim over small mistakes or disjointed phrasing when reading silently to ourselves. But when forced to articulate the words out loud, we are required to vocalize each sentence carefully and catch awkward passages that do not flow smoothly when spoken. Oral editing also reveals places that could use stronger word choices or tighter sentence construction for optimal cadence and clarity. Any clunky sentences or clumsy transitions become glaringly obvious when you give voice to the words. This technique identifies problem spots so you can refine paragraphs and optimize the natural rhythm.
Scrutinize Structure
After auditing the post orally, shift into examining the underlying structure. Assess whether the introduction effectively draws readers in and provides a compelling opening that grips their attention. Determine if the conclusion provides satisfying resolution to the premise or leaves the reader hanging unnecessarily. Do the section transitions make logical sense in the order presented? Is any confounding information revealed too late in the piece that warrants moving earlier? Are there redundant passages or irrelevant asides that dilute or distract from the central theme? If needed, shuffle paragraphs into more optimal positions or expand certain sections to enhance the overall flow and continuity. Reposition excessively detailed anecdotes or tangents better suited for sidebars into more fitting locations. Prune any unnecessary content that meanders too far outside the core of what this particular post aims to convey. Streamline everything to amplify the primary message.
RAED ALSO: 6 AI ARTICLE REWRITING TOOLS – CONTENT SPINNERS
Verify Factual Accuracy
Next, double and triple check any statistics, data points, or other facts cited in the post. Confirm any quotes match the referenced sources word-for-word without errors. Review spelling of names, companies, products, or other specific facts meticulously. Pinpoint any questionable claims lacking attribution and be sure to insert links to validate them. Scrutinize any numbers or percentages to verify calculations are correct. Double check that any offers or event/sale dates referenced have not already expired. Investing time to thoroughly investigate and confirm factual accuracy lends great credibility to your work while also protecting your reputation as a reliable source. Leave no room for accusations of falsities, misinformation, or outdated references – a few quick confirmation checks can safeguard against embarrassing corrections down the road.
Trim Wordiness
While lively bloggers should maintain an expressive and engaging writing style, sentences that meander endlessly with excessive verbiage can quickly cause readers to lose interest and tune out. In concise writing, each word carries impact and weight to propel the ideas forward. As you edit, be ruthless about pruning unnecessary words that pad sentences without adding extra substance or meaning. Eliminate meaningless intensifiers like “very”, “really”, or “extremely” preceding strong verbs that already stand alone just fine on their own. Cut repetitive phrases or pointless buzzwords that diminish clarity rather than enhance it. Replace convoluted wording with simpler, more straight-forward alternatives that convey the core point or imagery more accurately. Sharpen the prose so the message retains maximum punch and focus without wasted diversions into pointless verbosity.
Vary Sentence Length
During the editing phase, flow disruptions also frequently emerge from stacks of similarly structured sentences that start to sound repetitive. When editing, consciously alternate longer, more complex sentences with shorter, more staccato ones. Break up chunks of longer sentences together with occasional tight phrases of just 3-5 words for emphasis. Begin some sentences with dependent clauses or modifiers like participles and adjective phrases. Start others with prepositional phrases or adverbs instead of the standard subject-verb pattern. Insert the occasional fragment for dramatic effect or impact. The goal is to create rhythm and variability using creative syntax to keep readers engaged and interested from start to finish.
Scrutinize Adjectives/Adverbs
Descriptive language can enliven writing when used judiciously to paint a vivid picture. But unrestrained streams of unnecessary adjectives and adverbs muddle paragraphs tonally and slow down the prose. As a general rule of thumb when editing, limit descriptive modifiers to no more than 1-2 per sentence max. Only use an adjective or adverb if it reveals something specific that the noun or verb itself does not already convey. Weed out clichéd descriptors like “utterly devastated” in favor of a more unexpected, nuanced verb like “crushed” or “shattered”. Eliminate redundant or duplicative pairings like “brightly lit” room – “bright” would suffice alone here. Preserve select adjectives and adverbs with maximum contextual impact to amplify imagery while cutting the rest.
Proofread Meticulously
After addressing higher level writing issues during previous edits, the final stage focuses on meticulous proofreading to polish each post to a shine. Verify impeccable grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation throughout, correcting any errors or typos one by one. Check the formatting, font size, and text styling for complete consistency. Closely review the headline, subheadings and image captions. Scrutinize all hyperlinks to guarantee embedded URLs are still active and direct properly. Read the post backwards sentence by sentence hunting for small errors your brain tends to skim over when reading forward. For bloggers seeking professional proofreading, a site like Canadianwritings.com review offers may provide objective final editing. Run a final thorough spellcheck as the absolute last step before publishing a squeaky clean, error-free piece.
Streamline For Scanning
In addition to tightening prose, also ensure the post structure enables easy scanning for the modern web reader. Break content into short paragraphs of 2-4 sentences max separated by ample line spacing. Include bulleted or numbered lists for simple skimming. Limit paragraph length and density. Highlight key points with bolding, subheads, or pull quotes for fast absorption. Insert ample header tags (H2, H3, etc) and anchor links for quick navigation between sections. Integrate optional summaries or “TLDR” synopses at natural break points for recapping. Optimizing scan-ability allows busy readers to rapidly sieve through and digest your perspectives.
Check Mobile Layout
Since many readers access blogs on the go via mobile, reviewing the edited post on a smartphone is recommended. Check how headers, images, text spacing, and other elements display on the smaller screen. Click hyperlinks to confirm they are sized appropriately for comfortable tapping. Break up any sections that appear as dense walls of text on mobiles. Tweak text sizes or spacing as needed so the layout is clean and paragraphs remain legible when viewed on phones. A quick mobile review prevents formatting issues or excessive pinching and zooming that frustrates mobile users.
Invite Objective Feedback
After incorporating your own edits, consider inviting a trusted volunteer to provide an additional round of feedback before publishing. An outside perspective often catches issues that blog writers may be too close to notice themselves. Ask them to assess from the reader’s view – does the content flow logically? What points could use clarification or expansion? Are there areas that come across as confusing? What parts drag or fall flat? Which passages captivate their interest best? Incorporate constructive critique into revised drafts. Acknowledge when a second pair of eyes illuminates improvements you may have overlooked alone.
Conclusion
Dedicated editing may require time and diligence, but significantly improves blog writing to engage and inform readers. Follow these comprehensive editing tips to methodically elevate draft posts through thoughtful revisions that enhance quality, presentation, and impact. Every minute invested in refining the structure, precision, readability and polish of your content will return manifold benefits in terms of audience appreciation. With practice, you can master the editing phase and see your articles shine.