Verbalize your copy
When you are all done writing, and the copy is on the page, take a few minutes and the read your words out loud to yourself. If the copy doesn’t flow or sound natural, rewrite it so it doesn’t sound mechanical. You might need to do this several times, but at least in the beginning and end of the editing process.
Remove unnecessary words
I’m as guilty as the next person when it comes using too many adjective, adverbs and unnecessary words. It more cases than not you’ll say more with less. Do this several times and you’ll be surprised how many words you delete.
Take a break
After your first round of edits, walk away and take a break for at least 30 minutes. Fresh eyes will catch all kinds of typos and grammatical errors.
Ask a friend for help
If you are writing a piece that is very involved or complicated, it is always a great idea to have a friend give the article a glance. They will catch things that you don’t know matter how many times you review your own words.
Susan Sullivan
Susan lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area with her husband and children. She is an avid distance runner, environmentalist, part-time beekeeper, chicken farmer and amateur photographer.