by Ruth Belena

Created on: January 04, 2009

Editing is an important part of writing. No professional writer would ever want their work to appear in print, or online, in the form of its original draft.

A good writer, journalist or poet should always read through their work before submitting it, and understand that their work can always be improved with some editing.

~ The Editing Process

Editing is not just cutting bits out. It starts with proofreading, checking through the piece for errors. In the initial writing, it is almost inevitable that there are some unintentional omissions, inconsistencies, over-repetitive use or misuse of words. The first draft will usually show some incorrect grammar, poor punctuation, bad sentence structure and possibly some dubious spelling.

Writers today have the great benefit of being able to edit their own work in progress. Editing no longer means using a red pencil, rewriting by hand or retyping pages of script. It is so much easier to delete, replace, revise and reformat work on the screen.

Long sentences should be viewed carefully. Ask yourself whether they could form two or three short sentences, simply by cutting out some of the "ands" and "buts".

Long paragraphs should be avoided too, particularly when writing for the internet. Editing allows you to chop up and change as much as you wish. You may consider adding subtitles, or inserting bullets, to break the piece up into smaller sections.

Make certain that the opening and closing paragraphs have the most impact, these should introduce and conclude the topic or story.

The meaning of a piece of writing is the most important consideration. Rewriting and rephrasing can help make the piece easier to follow and understand.

~ Professional Editing

When an author submits a manuscript to a publisher, it will go through the several processes of proofreading and editing before it appears in print. An article or short story will always be slightly edited when it is printed in a newspaper, journal or magazine. Web content may be reformatted and adapted before it appears on the internet.

Writers, publishers and webmasters often employ professional editors and proofreaders. Their job is to eradicate errors and inconsistencies. They may be required to condense the number of words, or alter the format if necessary. They can do this without changing the meaning or style of the writing, and it does not detract from the writer's skill and use of language.

A book editor will always work with the author, offering helpful suggestions for improvement, and asking for confirmation before making any major changes. The author will view all the proofs after editing, and can make further additions or alterations before a final proof is accepted.

~ The Purpose of Editing

Books are always a collaborative effort between the author and an editor employed by the publisher. Magazines, journals and newspaper require editorial input to keep the contents in line with house style.

An individual writer who publishes their own work really needs to edit, revise, rework and reconstruct what they have written, until they are satisfied that the work that appear under their name is of the highest possible standard, and that it can be read, understood and appreciated by all who read it.

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