Top 5 Editing Tips
for Freelance Writers
by Kristopher Broyles
Editing is a necessary part of any freelance writer’s process. As writers, we usually self-edit as we go. We aim for clarity, conciseness, and style in order to attract our readers.
In this guide, I’ll share some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years in my own writing experience. This guide will come in handy for any new writer or anyone looking to buff up their writing and editing skills.
My top 5 tips are as follows:
1. Double-check for your weaknesses.
2. Narrow your focus.
3. If in doubt, leave it out.
4. Keep the reader’s attention.
5. Listen to your writing.
Tip 1: Double-check for your weaknesses.
Too often, novice writers repeatedly overlook the same errors. You’ll spot these problems more easily as you progress as a writer, but we all make the occasional mistake. Be sure to look out for common misspellings and grammar mistakes (to and too, their, they’re, there, etc.).
Tip 2: Narrow your focus.
It’s easy to include too much information, especially when it’s a subject you’re passionate about. If you find too many tangents in your work, it’s time to narrow your focus.
What is the essence of the piece? Do your details and supporting paragraphs pertain to a central subject? Avoid filler and stick to the task at hand.
Tip 3: If in doubt, leave it out.
Does a line or phrase feel out of place? Let it go. If you think it doesn’t fit, most likely some of your audience will feel the same. Streamline anything that sounds awkward.
Tip 4: Keep the reader’s attention.
If you find yourself repeating content, your reader is likely to lose interest. Stale sentence structure can also affect audience retention.
Using a variety of content and changing up your sentence structure shows your versatility and, more importantly, keeps the reader’s satisfaction in mind.
Tip 5: Listen to your writing.
My favorite tip for writers at any level is to listen to your writing. No, I don’t mean listen to some inner voice telling you what to do. I’m referring to text-to-speech tools!
Microsoft Word has a great feature called Immersive Reader that allows you to convert your writing into speech. This is a great way to finds errors you may have missed during the proofreading process. You can also hear how well the piece flows and spot most pacing problems.
If you don’t have a good text-to-speech tool, read your writing aloud. Change the emphasis on different syllables so you can hear your writing from another perspective.
Feel free to use this guide or to add elements of it to your own editing process. Freelance writers need strong editing skills to stand out, and I hope these tips help you shine!
