Believe it or not, solid writing skills still count for something in today’s world. When you craft a brochure, a business report, or Web site copy that reads like a third-grader wrote it, it reflects poorly on you and your business. Lifehack.org aims to make you a better writer by making you a better editor. Start with these excellent tips:
- Read out loud: Reading a piece out loud helps you to identify clunky, awkward passages that seem to make sense to the eye, especially to the author’s eye.
- Cut, don’t add: We are almost always too wordy. While you may need to add a word or two while editing, for the most part you should be removing words. Concise writing is more powerful and easier to read than lengthy prose.
The author provides plenty more good advice, so be sure to check out the complete post. In the meantime, allow me to add a tip of my own: Borrow a second set of eyes. Ask a friend or co-worker to read what you’ve written and highlight any areas that seem awkward or incorrect. Any writing/editing tips of your own to add? Hit the Comments and add ‘em!
