Effective Editing: It Spells the Difference!

If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing is a lot more than just scrutinizing your manuscript for misspelled words or missing punctuation marks.

As a whole:

Edit only *after* you've written the *whole* piece. If you stop to edit after every paragraph or sentence, you will disrupt the flow of your thoughts.
It is better to take a break before starting to edit a long manuscript so you'll have a fresh perspective.
Revise only *hard copy* especially if your manuscript is quite long. Revising from a monitor is confusing.
Verify the spelling of names, figures, dates, and addresses. These are the most murdered items in manuscripts!
Be sure of what you put between those quotation marks! Otherwise, rephrase the line and omit the quotation marks.
Did you follow the writer guidelines? e.g., number of words required, font/font size specified, spacing, margins...

Edit your content:

Be sure that you did not stray from your topic. Are your paragraphs coherent?
Did you fulfill your purpose for writing that piece? Is your entertainment feature article entertaining enough? Did your personality sketch bring out your subject's unique and distinct qualities?
If necessary, did you provide enough supporting data (graphs, charts, figures) for your piece?
If applicable, did your article answer the 5 Ws and H? Who, what, why, were, when and how.

Edit for tightness:

Remove redundant and useless words.
What about diction? Did you use the right word to express what you mean? For example, "He stared at her" is more intense than "He looked at her." "Devour" is not the same as "eat."
Did you vary the length of your sentences? Combining long with short sentences makes your article easier and more natural to read.
Did you check that the body of your article is longer than the introduction (lead)? Some writers get carried way. They focus on an effective lead to hook the readers but neglect the body of the article!

What about tone and style?

Does your work reflect your writing style or does it sound like a copied work?
Did you use the active voice? Are you consistent with the point of view you used?
Do your title and the words you used match the tone of your piece?

About The Author

Lizzie writes features, literary pieces, radio and comics scripts, and school supplemental reading materials. She is the author of two print books. Her e-book, Appetizers for Creative Writers: A Workbook for Writers, is published by iMusePub.com and it's at http://imusepub.com/lrsantos-1.php

MORE RESOURCES:

Josh Schwartz writing #39;X-Men#39; sequel: OMFG or WTF? - Entertainment Weekly

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b69550_new_x-men_getting_oc_treatment.htmlcid=1272117988ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNF-rILJGNiaPjHkt0ECL5HiFi9fswimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=N6W0d-LbTU8Jimgurl=images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20080723/425.jackman.xmen.072308.jpg width=80 height=59 alt= border=1brfont size=-2E! Online/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/11/josh-schwartz-x.htmlcid=1272117988ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNG9_fvnz-QOlRseOeQgGPoijpfF5wJosh Schwartz bwriting/b #39;X-Men#39; sequel: OMFG or WTF?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEntertainment Weeklynbsp;-/font nobr22 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1And that#39;s why I#39;m more than a little perturbed by the news that Josh Schwartz (exec producer of GG, as well as The OC and Chuck) will be bwriting/b (and b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-1fd=Rurl=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/arts/20arts-001.html%3Fref%3Dartscid=1272117988ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNELYAOSsPde2NprkfAk1uansTycAg‘X-Men’ Heads Back To Boyhood/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNew York Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-2fd=Rurl=http://www.empiremovies.com/index.php%3Fid%3D25039cid=1272117988ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNHpWYR7GKycuvu8-s9FDpT3vlLGtAJosh Schwartz bWriting/b X-Men: First Class/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrEmpire Movies/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-3fd=Rurl=http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/11/19/gossip-girl-writer-still-scripting-x-men-first-class-not-directing/cid=1272117988ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNHJ_EbYe8vh-TIX9481R1DAe-5p5A‘Gossip Girl’ Writer Still Scripting ‘X-Men: First Class’; Not b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrGeeks of Doom/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-4fd=Rurl=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b69550_new_x-men_getting_oc_treatment.htmlcid=1272117988ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNF-rILJGNiaPjHkt0ECL5HiFi9fswnobrE! Online/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-5fd=Rurl=http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/11/18/fox-moving-forward-with-gossip-girl-young-x-men-spin-off/cid=1272117988ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNECG2S03FBz4cRUsidVuj1DLvuzagnobrFirst Showing/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272117988hl=ennobrall 71 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Novi resident offers insight to world of writing - Novi News

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://hometownlife.com/article/20081120/LIFE/811200351/1106/NEWS13cid=1272586162ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNFSj8mggzfYPOVrRmBCypddSAMgZANovi resident offers insight to world of bwriting/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNovi News,nbsp;MInbsp;-/font nobr28 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Kelly Murad • STAFF WRITER • November 20, 2008 quot;There#39;s A Book In You is bwriting/b in its simplest form,quot; said Durant, 72. quot;It#39;s about understanding the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Rapper gets 20 years after writing shooting song - The Associated Press

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jQUZaPLYcXsZAbUiOd_xe7VbRprgD94I7Q7G0cid=1272355186ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNG3wWpVyrHWh19NbARRhRiTLmWOQgRapper gets 20 years after bwriting/b shooting song/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Associated Pressnbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1DUBLIN, Ga. (AP) — He shot a man twice and felt so good about it, police said, a rapper wrote a song describing the shooting and calling out the victim by b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

OneRepublic Writing For New Album - Billboard

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GEORGETOWN: Ex-trooper admits writing phony tickets - Delmarva Daily Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20081120/NEWS01/81120010/1002cid=1272551038ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNFl2tbfALHfEsIktrmnWJZRGS6aYQGEORGETOWN: Ex-trooper admits bwriting/b phony tickets/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDelmarva Daily Times,nbsp;MDnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1GEORGETOWN -- A former Delaware State Police trooper from Georgetown has pleaded guilty to charges he wrote phony traffic tickets to fictitious people. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Teenager murdered for writing love letter - Times Online

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5197439.ececid=1272548634ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNHgAQ2gKbGc9C5H3YASWVRjKeKV0QTeenager murdered for bwriting/b love letter/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTimes Online,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;The accused killed the boy for bwriting/b a love letter to a girl of the same village. There was a scuffle, and he was pushed in front of a train,quot; b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Simpsonville woman charged with writing bad checks for jewelry - Greenville News

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20081120/NEWS01/811200331/1071/YOURUPSTATE01cid=1272341092ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNGwIAgB19XtdeC9U6lU0SIMRnCRxASimpsonville woman charged with bwriting/b bad checks for jewelry/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGreenville News,nbsp;SCnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Paul Alongi • STAFF WRITER • November 20, 2008 Greenville police are warning businesses to watch out for a Simpsonville woman who was charged Wednesday b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Bloomfield schools benefit from writing project - Farmington Daily Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.daily-times.com/ci_11027781cid=1272548632ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNEcLmkTO99OMa1cYJgUg9D4M2-O8ABloomfield schools benefit from bwriting/b project/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fFarmington Daily Times,nbsp;NMnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By G. Jeff Golden The Daily Times As part of the Bisti bWriting/b Project, local artist Margaret Katirgis visited students at Blanco Elementary School this b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

MBA Writing Tips - BusinessWeek

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/nov2008/bs20081118_490130.htm%3Fchan%3Dtop%2Bnews_top%2Bnews%2Bindex%2B-%2Btemp_business%2Bschoolscid=1271920639ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNHL8w4J0_goxzrxkalDVrg_xULaTwMBA bWriting/b Tips/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBusinessWeeknbsp;-/font nobrNov 18, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Alison Damast MBAs may be good at analyzing spreadsheets and reading financial statements, but many cringe when faced with a lengthy academic bwriting/b b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

McCartney Thinks of Lennon When Writing New Music - kypost.com

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://www.kypost.com/content/wcposhared/story.aspx%3Fcontent_id%3Dc54db30d-7e00-4b5d-a120-c9e64a9199eacid=1272537921ei=koklSYriPI3I9ASp3-29AQusg=AFQjCNG_JxxqFMrQ2fJ4-apMPTXgPK9RlQMcCartney Thinks of Lennon When bWriting/b New Music/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fkypost.com,nbsp;KYnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1ELVIS LONDON (AP) -- Even when Paul McCartney makes new music, he still thinks of how John Lennon would do it. McCartney is putting out an album as The b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Writing - Google News

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