Stop Editing Your Own Writing But Pay Attention to These 9 Things Before You Click Submit!
It is a rule
rather than exception that you do not edit your own writing or work. This does
not mean that you are not the first and last person to see your content when it
is completed. Double-check and pay adequate attention to the nine important
things highlighted here before you eventually press the submit button.
1. You’re Vs Your
We are all guilty
of this one as editors and writers, but we angrily correct those who misuse it.
But when your in the writing zone — can you see what I did there? — It’s very
easy to commit errors and allow your brain to fill in automatically. You might
gloss right over and not even notice.
If you are not
sure, just Ctrl + F “your” then read all occurrences as “You are” to establish
if you have used it rightly.
2. Double Spaces
In the days of
typewriters and typesetting, two spaces after a period or full stop was the standard.
But in the 1950s, this changed to a single space. If you still space twice after
a period by accident or by habit, use Ctrl + F to double-check your space bar.
3. Direct Quotes
Spelling
everybody’s name right and ensuring that you don’t misquote is what you first
learnt on the first day of Journalism 101. Whether you’re working as a fluff
reporter or hard-hitting investigative journalist, ensure that your quotes are
accurate and just the same.
4. Fillers
Economizing
words in writing means tight writing. Therefore, don’t allow fillers to take up
space in your work.
Common fillers
include:
- Repetitive phrases such as “this time
around” or “safe haven”. By definition, a haven is safe and you can ditch “around”
without losing any meaning.
- Fickle phrases and words like a bit, sort of,
maybe, almost, and “just,”
- In order to and
That: You can “in
order” and always delete “that”
- Adverbs such as especially, particularly, actually.
5. Numbering
If you say
there are going to be five things on your list — such as 5 balls to
Take to the Field — make sure there are actually five balls, not seven
or eight. In addition, if there is any adjustment to the number, make sure it
matches your introduction.
6. Guidelines
Add just three
sources and an internal link, if the guidelines ask you to add three sources
and an internal link…. Follow the personas when writing. Do not skip over
directions, particularly when they’re easier to double-check.
7. Stats
You are not
the person to mix up 45% and 54%, whether you are guilty of working extremely fast
or just a little dyslectic. Thus, double-check stats against their sources to
make sure you have cited the right number and to ascertain that you have not
misconstrued the data to mean something different.
8. Sources
Make use of primary
sources. Sites such as Statistic Brain or Wikipedia (secondary sources) make it very easy to just
grab information easily, but the Internet is a large, tangential place and
sourcing necessitates for us to narrow in on the data we need. Look for information
directly.
9. Formatting
Formatting is
very important in writing. Breathing funny or copying and pasting can make your
formatting wobble. For this reason, make sure your headers are consistent (H3).
Check and make sure the font is the same all through, insert spaces between
your em dashes, and indent or block out your paragraphs. Make it look clean and
professional.
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