6 Reasons Why Editing Your Copy Matters
Whether you’re writing with your website, newsletter or blog in mind, producing content that is sharp, engaging and to the point is a fundamental part of connecting with your ideal client. But, whilst it may be tempting to just hit the ‘publish’ button once you’ve completed your initial draft, it’s always best to hold off until your copy has gone through the editing process to ensure that it really hits the mark. So, why exactly is the editing process such an integral part of producing copy that converts?
1 It helps you trim, polish and strengthen
This might sound like an obvious one but it’s important. In your initial draft you’ve spent your time getting all your thoughts down on paper, but now it’s time for the edit you need to think about what you really need to say. What text actually needs to be there and what doesn’t? Any unnecessary words and phrases can be cut as part of the editing process. If they’re not adding value to your message, you don’t need them.
2. It helps you refine your language
Strengthen and polish your writing by making sure you’ve chosen words that are memorable and persuasive rather than bland and perfunctory. Try and use language that appeals to your readers senses and emotions, as this is much more likely to connect with them and make them feel something. Avoid overly long sentences and remove additional words such as ‘really’ or ‘very’. Simplify phrases, for example use ‘ask’ instead of ‘enquire’ or ‘buy’ instead of ‘purchase’. Use contractions where you can, so ‘can’t’ rather than ‘cannot’ or ‘you’re’ instead of ‘you are’. Less really is more when it comes to sharpening the focus of your copy.
3. It gives you some perspective
It you step away from your copy and come back to review it later (I’d usually suggest leaving it overnight) you’re far more likely to discover anything that isn’t working, or you might be able to come up with new suggestions or ideas to add. After you’ve put your writing away and come back to it the following day, when you look at it with fresh eyes, I guarantee you’ll spot things you didn’t notice in your initial draft and you’ll be able to tweak the copy to give it that last bit of polish.
4. It helps you avoid mistakes
As well as stepping away from your copy for a while, I’d also suggest printing out your work and reading your text out loud. You’re more likely to pick up on any errors and typos that way and you’ll find that your tongue will trip itself up if text is too long and wordy. One of my favourite things to say to my clients is, ‘if you wouldn’t say it, don’t write it’ and reading your copy aloud can really help you pinpoint anything that doesn’t sound natural or just isn’t ‘you’.
5. It helps you make the most of your draft
Editing allows you to retain the parts of your initial draft that are working well and ditch or improve upon anything that isn’t pulling it’s weight. You can tweak and refine your words during the editing process, to ensure you’re producing something that will really connect with your ideal client. I also think that having a first draft helps to take the pressure off when you start writing. Knowing you’re working on a draft version initially can help to remove that element of writers block and take some of the pressure away from feeling that you have to get everything ‘perfect’ on your first attempt.
6. it Allows you to use online tools
There are lots of tools and apps out there that can help you check your work, so why not make use of them? If you’re writing in Word, you can use the spellcheck and editor functions to help ensure that your work is error free. One of the most frequently used tools out there is Grammarly. This online resource can help you check your work for spelling and grammatical mistakes and, if grammar and spelling really isn’t your thing, it will help give you some peace of mind before you post your content.
And remember …
Editing can be tough. Taking the red pen to your copy and discarding content can be a difficult process, particularly when you’ve put time and thought into writing it in the first place. If editing your content is something that you’re struggling with, you can always reach out to a professional copywriter for support. Take a look at my Services page to find out more about how I can help.