Ernest Hemingway once said, “write drunk, edit sober”. Wise words indeed, as even the most experienced writers rarely create masterpieces after just one draft. The secret to clever copywriting is careful editing and meticulous proofreading – and with any luck, you’ll be transforming rough diamonds into rare gems of work in no time.
If you’re constantly spotting typos when it’s too late or wondering how to achieve that perfectly polished blog post, here are a few tricks of the trade that will give your content the boost it needs…
Take a break
When your head is full of thoughts, it’s easy to second-guess that sentence without taking in what’s actually on the screen. Tired eyes don’t do well when confronted by ‘their’, ‘they’re’ and ‘there’ all in one paragraph. Take a break and come back to edit your work later with a much-needed fresh perspective – you’ll be amazed at how simple errors become glaringly obvious.
Listen back
We all have our own way of learning. Not everyone is a strong reader, which can make spotting those pesky typos especially difficult. So to ensure you don’t miss a letter, enable text-to-speech on your computer and play back your copy as you read along. You’ll find it much easier to identify mistakes that may have otherwise slipped through the cracks.
Cut the waffle
Never say in ten words what you can say in one. There’s nothing wrong with an 800- or even 1,000-word blog post, provided it’s rich with fresh information and perspectives. Does your content feel a bit repetitive? Are you overdoing it with the thesaurus? Cut down the copy to make it concise and to the point… your readers will thank you for it.
Edit and edit again
Once you’ve gone through the copy with a fine-tooth comb and made your edits, have a final read through to ensure it still makes sense. Sometimes, correcting one sentence can take another out of context or leave your wording feeling clunky. Even if you only proofread the section in question once more, ensure you’re 100% satisfied that it reads well before moving on.
Outsource your editing
Still not feeling confident with cutting, refining, and triple-checking your work? Partner with a team of self-professed perfectionists. Many business owners and marketers are comfortable writing but use copywriters for their proofreading and editing to ensure the final version is spot on. An alternative perspective and a second pair of eyes will give you the peace of mind that your content is engaging and easy to understand.
Making You Content offers proofreading and editing services, as well as copywriting from scratch. Get in touch to request a quote today.