by G.K. Dickey

Created on: May 14, 2008

Self-editing is an integral ingredient to the writing process. It begins with the first word written and continues until the particular project has been stitched together, massaged and polished. Even then, the job is not complete until the writer realizes it is time to welcome another set of eyes, which requires a willingness to consider at least some revisions.

Along this sometimes tortuous path, it is imperative to think like an editor by constantly asking questions: Am I focusing on my message? Am I keeping my target audience foremost in mind? Is my sentence structure pulling the reader along with a comfortable and compelling cadence? Does my conclusion logically support my body of evidence?

To self-edit is to be self-critical. Few writers are ever totally satisfied. There is always the compunction to take a given sentence and wonder: Would it be better if I said it this way? Robert Penn Warren spent seven years writing "All the King's Men" (published in 1946, awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1947) and still felt compelled to rewrite his own forward for the classic novel's last major reprint shortly before his death in 1989.

While the mechanics of grammar, spelling, punctuation and word usage deserve every attention to detail, it is the content of a given writing effort that is the prime directive. Of course, to most effectively communicate the essence of a writer's mission is to make certain the message is not muddled by poor mechanics.

Take time to brainstorm and outline, and collect your notes and other resource materials so they are on the desk for quick reference. Do not begin to write until ready because nothing impedes the writing process more than to have to stop in mid-sentence and go hunting for a detail you want to include. It is also critical to not allow self-editing to stop the natural flow of thoughtful expression. Write down all immediate thoughts before worrying about spelling. At the same time, it is rarely a good idea to say, "I know that word is spelled wrong, I'll catch it later." This is how embarrassing typos escape even multiple rereads. Key to the edit-as-you-go approach is to make sure an up-to-date dictionary/thesaurus is at your fingertips. Use your computer's spell-check feature as another arrow in the quiver but never rely on it as a foolproof tool for accuracy.

If you edit as you write, when it comes time to massage and polish, full attention can be given to the weave. Not unlike an expert quilter creating a complex pattern, the writer's

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