Whether you are a seasoned writer or a small business owner blogging for the first time, writing is the easy part. It\u2019s the spelling, grammar, and editing that gives people fits.<\/p>\n
If you have the first draft of your blog post done, good news: the hard part is over. Once your ideas are on paper (or on screen), it\u2019s a lot easier to refine or rewrite them. We\u2019ve put together a few editing tips that will take your rough drafts from paltry to publishable.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t go straight from writing your post to editing it. Take a walk, run an errand, hit the gym \u2013 just get away from your post. I like to return to my rough drafts a full day later. Looking at your writing with fresh eyes will help you see the flaws in your logic, delete what is unnecessary, or determine what needs to be expanded.<\/p>\n
When you edit, always ask \u201chow does this help my reader?\u201d You\u2019re writing the post because it has value for your audience, so make sure that value is clear to you and to them.<\/p>\n
Passive voice is when something happens to someone; active voice is when someone does something. Here are some examples \u2013 which sentence sounds better?<\/p>\n
Jim was running to the bus.
\nJim ran to the bus.<\/i><\/p>\n
Probably the second one, right? That\u2019s because the second one is in active voice, not passive. Active voice indicates confidence in your argument, makes your writing punchier, and clarifies your point.<\/p>\n
Confusing active and passive voice is common blogging blunder, along with these 10 common grammar errors.<\/p>\n
Longer sentences are harder to understand, so keep your sentences short and to the point. Don\u2019t be afraid of sentence fragments. Seriously. They help break up your content, and they\u2019re a great way to express your personality and keep your tone light-hearted and enjoyable.<\/p>\n
Unless you\u2019re writing for a very specific audience, use plain English words that anyone can understand. Jargon can alienate your audience and make your argument unclear.<\/p>\n
Use exciting verbs. Instead of \u201cwalked,\u201d try \u201csauntered.\u201d Or instead of \u201cate,\u201d try \u201cdevoured.\u201d Boring verbs are, well, boring.<\/p>\n
Using animated verbs eliminates the need for adverbs. For example, instead of staying \u201cJim ran quickly to the bus\u201d, try \u201cJim sprinted to the bus.\u201d Only use an adverb if it changes or affects the ultimate meaning of your sentence \u2013 if you\u2019re using an adverb to intensify an action, pick a punchier verb.<\/p>\n
I always read my blog posts out loud because it helps me find sentences that don\u2019t flow properly. Blog posts should be conversational, and reading your writing out loud helps you find where your post reads a bit too formal or informal. It also helps me locate any wayward typos or grammar errors, even ones that I missed on my first four or five rounds of editing.<\/p>\n
The editing phase is when you take your blog posts from average to extraordinary. Don\u2019t be afraid to completely rip apart your first draft! That\u2019s what first drafts are for. If you still think your posts need improvement, have a writing buddy edit them. A fresh pair of eyes is always a good idea!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Whether you are a seasoned writer or a small business owner blogging for the first time, writing is the easy part. It\u2019s the spelling, grammar, and editing that gives people fits. If you have the first draft of your blog post done, good news: the hard part is over. Once your ideas are on paper…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":259,"featured_media":4254,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2171],"tags":[19,109,110,1910,1911],"class_list":["post-4253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beyond","tag-email","tag-marketing","tag-blog","tag-edit","tag-post"],"yoast_head":"\n