5 editing tips for improving your writing

Is it the end of the earth if a sentence is poorly written? Do we care if an article contains an incorrect apostrophe? Does a split infinitive make you go boldly (not ‘to boldly go’, Captain Kirk) around the bend? If you want to improve your writing, read my editing tips.

OK, we’re not performing brain surgery, but there are reasons why your copy must be free of spelling errors and be both factually and grammatically correct. Here are just five editing tips for improving your writing:

Editing tips 1: Fewer mistakes, clearer meaning

My first editing tip is that if you want your readers to understand what you’re saying, don’t put barriers in their way.

The most common obstacles to understanding include poor punctuation, errant apostrophes, incorrect spelling, nonsensical structure and long-winded sentences full of abstract nouns. It’s an error that causes the reader to stop in the middle of a sentence, pause to read something twice or ponder the meaning of the writing.

Among the reader-confusing gems I’ve collected over the years are ‘It was a barmy evening’, ‘The reader begins to loose interest’, and (a personal favourite) ‘She earned her envy queue’. What each writer meant was balmy, lose, and NVQ.

2: Humiliation is less of a risk

Do you want someone to ridicule your work? Today, people can share your gaffe with the world in just a few seconds – and it will always be out there.

There’s nowhere to hide, whether you’re caught by punctuation crusaders like Twitter’s Apostroph3woman or experience the ultimate humiliation of having your publication trashed on national TV in Have I Got News for You.

Always get your copy proof-read to reduce the risk of this kind of bad publicity. Asda used a possessive apostrophe on a Father’s Day T-shirt, triggering a flurry of angry responses on Mumsnet.

Or what about these billboard blunders? A sub-editor or proofreader would have checked that they were up to scratch before being printed. Remember, your error could be fair game everywhere – forever.

3: Accuracy is good for business

Businesses must build the trust of their customers and clients – and the simplest way is to give them correct information that they can rely on. And that starts with the facts. It’s not just about errant apostrophes or an annoying overuse of exclamation marks! For example, one wrong figure in a postcode could have your customers turning up at your competitor’s offices. Writing instructions but accidentally missing steps five and six means your customer can’t finish that DIY project. And if that marketing report is too dull, who will finish reading it?

We’re used to people boycotting unethical companies. How about groups that boycott businesses that can’t handle basic English?

That’s the aim of the Facebook group The Apostrophe Police. The Grocer’s Apostrophe irritates them – a lot. It means apostrophe misuse in plural words like apple’s and pear’s.

Incidentally, I never go to a garage that offers MOT’s – if they don’t care about an apostrophe, what are they going to do about my brake pads?

Ask yourself, do you want to risk losing any business, however small, over something as easy to correct as an apostrophe in the wrong place?

4: Slapdash errors imply slapdash work

If your marketing material contains a mistake, it implies that you’re also slapdash in other ways. Why would anyone buy from you?

You’re opening yourself even more if you advertise yourself as having an eye for detail or being fastidious, meticulous or thorough when your copy shows you’re not.

Schools today place a massive emphasis on good grammar and punctuation. Students who have benefited from this are becoming hotshots in the workplace – and they’re your competition. Make sure you can keep up with them.

5: Inaccuracy could be dangerous

The last of my editing tips is to remember that errors are potentially dangerous. They could even result in you facing a court case or being considerably out of pocket.

Libel and factual errors can all get you into hot water with the law. Earlier this year, a woman received a £200,000 legal bill after libelling her ex on Facebook. Good sub-editors are also aware of libel law!

And, of course, the wrong advice in a medical book could jeopardise someone’s life or future happiness.

Factual errors can slip in inadvertently – and even minor slip-ups can lead to disastrous, unintended consequences. For example, when reporting court cases, newspapers generally use the terms ‘admit’ or ‘deny’ rather than ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ because the risk of using the word ‘not’ is too high.

Minimising the risk…

Proofreaders or sub-editors are grammar and punctuation experts and know common mistakes to look out for. They not only fact-check copy but ensure it is easy to read. Subs and proofreaders can suggest different sentence structures or choose better words to highlight your message and sell it even better.

These experts are the fresh eyes that read your words before your client or customer does.

Clear, concise and accurate copy is the key to communicating your message to clients. Showing you care about getting it right demonstrates that you care about the rest of your business.

Remember, to err is human. We all make mistakes – always have your copy proofread by a professional editor. Thank you, Tessa Evans, for casting your expert eye over this!

Find out how long editing takes.