MODULE 4
Self-Edit Like a Pro
Get comfortable with throwing away your writing
Here’s the most helpful piece of advice you’ll read in this module: Whatever thing you just wrote, didn’t exist before you wrote it.That’s the truth. And when you embrace that truth, you can stop worrying about throwing away your writing and thinking you’ll never write that thing again.
When I started my journey writing consistently, I told myself I’d be okay with trashing all of my writing. All of it. Looking back, I ended up throwing away 90% of my writing, which may seem like a lot, but it’s not 100%! That left me with a good amount of writing to use, share, and help grow my businesses and audiences. I’ll touch on how much 10% actually means in a moment.
Four strategies to start self-editing your writing, right now
#1 Read your writing out loud:
Remember Module 1 where we talked about embracing your weird and finding your writing voice? The easiest way to know if you’re writing like yourself is to read your writing out-loud. Does it sound not like you? Does it sound forced? Does it align with the three words taped above your writing desk? If not, fix it! Remove the parts that don’t sound like you, and add more stuff that does.#2 Cut your first and last paragraphs:
Sounds weird, right? What we’ve found is that when you’re done writing the first draft of whatever you’re working on, the first and last paragraphs tend to be the worst parts. The first paragraph is you warming up and trying to get into writing mode, and the last paragraph is often a scramble to make sure you said everything you’d intended it. Try to completely cut them and see if your writing still makes sense. If it doesn’t, it’s time for the second draft. If it does, move on!#3 Take a break:
It may not sound like a self-editing tactic, but it absolutely is. Go for a walk, move on to other work, do something to shift your mental gears away from your writing. You need to get AWAY from your words for a bit if you want to see them more closely. When you come back, you’ll read what you wrote with fresh eyes and thoughts. A good rule of thumb is at least 1 hour for breaks (but feel free to take way longer breaks).#4 Read your writing from back to front, word by word (proofreading trick!):
This is the simplest and best way to proofread and edit your own writing. When you read front to back (normal reading) your brain will fill in gaps or skip over words it doesn’t need. It’s a known weird thing about the human brain that we read the SHAPE of words rather than the words themselves, and that as long as the first and last letters are in order, we often can’t even see a misspelled word in our own or anyone else’s writing. Taht’s why yuo can sitll raed tihs setnence. When you read back to front, however, you’re forcing your brain to look at every word in a vacuum and compute whether it is correct or needs attention. This little self-editing trick works wonders.The editing octopus, or 8 things to look for when editing your own work
Tens of thousands of writers and editors have benefits from veteran editor Jim Taylor’s eight-step editing method. I call it the editing octopus just for fun. It works if you’re a pro or a novice, and it works every time. Here are Taylor’s 8 things to be ruthless about when you are your own editor:1. Shorten sentences.
Separate long sentences up into two or more shorter ones.2. Take out the trash.
Delete fatty words and phrases, or replace them with simpler alternatives. Industry jargon, inside jokes, “academese,” and obscure acronyms are the kiss of death. Does that sentence say the same thing as the one before it? Out it goes.3. Overcome the negatives.
Negative constructions interrupt understanding because they force readers to work through two mental stages: first to imagine something, and then to imagine its opposite. Instead of “Jason is not a rainbow unicorn,” (which makes us imagine a unicorn, and then a not-unicorn) try, “Jason is a purple cow.” (Bonus points if you get the reference.)4. Deflate pomposity.
Aim to sound like yourself, not some professor version of yourself.5. Eliminate the equations.
Equating verbs (also known as linking verbs) are versions of the verb “to be” that slow a reader down because they don’t actually convey any action. Instead of the slow-moving “Bill Watterson was the creator of Calvin and Hobbes,” try “Bill Watterson created Calvin and Hobbes.” Snappy!6. Activate the passives.
Using the passive voice adds complexity by reversing how action in a sentence should flow. Instead of “The game was played by two experts,” try “Two experts played the game.”7. Lead with strength.
Reorder and rephrase so that the most important and interesting information is at the beginning (of the sentence, paragraph, chapter, etc.).8. Parade your paragraphs.
Each new idea gets its own new paragraph; ideally, the first sentence of each paragraph will be a good summary of what’s to come in that paragraph.Why you should start thinking about hiring an editor
For me, Jason, hiring Chantel has been a game-changer for my writing confidence and output. While I was a fairly prolific writer before having Chantel in my corner, I never had confidence in that writing.Is what I just wrote any good?
Does this thing I wrote make any sense?
How the heck do I conclude this article topic??
Those thoughts led me to many-an-unfinished-article. My drafts folder started to pile up on top of itself and it became a black hole of sorts. When Chantel came into the mix, I was able to stop worrying about my writing being good, making sense, or having a legible conclusion. I let Chantel help make those decisions and be the Head Chef of my writing kitchen.
I started writing consistently in January 2014 and didn’t hire an editor until mid-2015. My first editor was a copyeditor that came recommended from a friend. While she was good at fixing my grammar, what I really needed was a structural editor. Someone to read my writing and recommend where things need to be added, removed, expounded upon, etc.
I look at paying an editor, like Chantel, as an investment in my writing. Not only is it an investment in helping me get over my own self-doubts with my writing, but she’s also a great litmus test to make sure I’m writing in my voice and writing useful content. Again, she’s trimming, spicing-up, and telling me when I need to go back to the drawing board.
I know I’ve become a better writer with an editor at my side. It’s an expense I’m happy to pay each month.
Questions to ask if you’re ready to hire an editor
Are all editors the same? Noooooope. For example, some of them would insist that word is spelled with only one O.As discussed, you probably don’t want to hire me, Chantel, if you’re looking for someone to just eliminate all the spelling mistakes. I can do that (or at least recommend a proofreader for you), but my specialty is in a totally different stage of editing, one that happens well before it’s time to fix typos.
Did you know there are different stages of editing, and that most editors work in only one or two of them? If not, you’re going to love this. Editors can help with all kinds of writing challenges, from the big-picture stuff to the smallest of hyphen-related infractions, but not every editor does every kind of editing.
So here are some questions to consider if partnering with an editor is in your future:
What kind of editing do I need?
There are four—count’ em, FOUR—stages of editing that a piece of writing would ideally pass through before it gets published. How often does that actually happen? Not often, sadly, but many editors still self-identify according to one of the four stages.First up is developmental editing,
which is what you need if you have an idea or an incomplete rough draft piece of writing that needs some outside perspective to become its final self. A developmental editor can help you make sense of what you have, identify any gaps in your research, and (ding ding ding!) help you find and work with a formula that best expresses your ideas.Next up is substantive editing,
when you’ve completed the rough draft independently or with a developmental editor, and now want to take your work to the next level. A substantive editor will help you eliminate the fluff, put everything in the right order, and ensure that your themes, paragraphs, and ideas flow logically from one to the next.Third is copyediting,
which is most effective after developmental and substantive editing have been done, and is focused on the sentence-level edits for clarity, readability, and consistency. Copyeditors are eagle-eyed and detail-oriented, and they’ll help you make sure each sentence and word is working as hard as necessary.Finally, and only finally, is proofreading,
which is a final pass or two to check for typos, spelling mistakes, and adherence to the chosen style guide. Proofreaders are the gatekeepers between you and your audience, and they’ll open the gate only when they’re certain they’ve saved you from embarrassing typos.The steps don’t really work out of order, so if you try to hire a proofreader before your work has been substantively edited, they may make the work factually and grammatically correct, but they won’t make you a better writer. Likewise, a developmental editor will help you get really clear on your message and overall argument, but by the time they’ve worked through your piece a few times or more, they won’t be able to see the typos any better than you.
Four levels of editing = four different kinds of editors.
Now, again, most writers do not work with four separate editors every time they want to write something, but I do strongly recommend that you have at least two other people take a look at your work before you publish it, especially if it’s an important piece for you and your brand. Developmental editors are often comfortable in the substantive role, and copyeditors are usually great proofreaders, too, so that halves the requirement in the professional sphere. Alternatively, you can reach out to friends, colleagues, or even (gasp!) your old English teacher. Ask for feedback from someone who understands who you are and what you’re trying to do, and get some outside perspective so you can feel confident that you’re communicating the thing you want to communicate. Whatever you do, don’t just publish it with no editing or attempts at improving it. That’s not fair to you, your craft, or your audience.
Do we mesh?
Editors enforce the standards of language and challenge our writers to become better, which often gives us the reputation of being...uh...terrible people. People who write letters to Quiznos CEOs, and tear apart things you’ve worked really hard on, and point out all the places you’ve done it wrong.Now that I’ve reformed, or at least gone a little soft in my old age, I can tell you that one of the most important qualities you’re looking for in an editor is their personality. An old curmudgeon who loves words and hates people might be right up your alley, or maybe you’d prefer a softer style with lots of encouragement. Editors all have our own styles, preferences, and biases when working with text, so it’s a good idea to hop on the phone with your prospective editor to see how they feel about the things you feel strongly about. If you love to use random tangents and parentheses (holla, Jason), you need an editor who won’t edit those out every time. If you need to be yelled at, Biggest Loser-style, you want to know if your editor can pull that off. You may not know what you need, but feel strongly that you struggle with X. Bring that up, and see how your editor typically addresses similar things. Chat it out—you’ll both learn a lot.