How do you revise your own copy like a pro?

I agree to get feedback if revision fatigue has set in. There are people who struggle to stop revising their writing....they return to tweak and tweak. I taught a workshop on how to edit your own work. One woman had been revising her book for over a year. She estimated another full year of work. I looked through the content. After some general structural editing it could be sent to a publisher. I asked her, "what is the payoff for you to not finish your book?" Writing this book also involved self validation and social approval, finishing it could leave a void in her life. She vehemently denied this observation and continued to find new problems with the content. A year later, I still had not heard of her book being completed or published.

Always use your brief as a checklist for your copy. Look for: 1. Are you speaking to the intended audience? 2. Have you used the right tone of voice? 3. Have you followed brand guidelines? 4. Is there a clear call to action?

Before starting your work, write down your goals to focus your mind for targeted copy. Include: - target audience - what do I want customers to THINK about the business/topic/content? - what do I want customers to FEEL about the business/topic/content? - what do I want customers to DO as a result of reading this copy?

I review the brief once again and ask myself, 'Have I addressed all the requirements within it?' Afterward, I double-check my important documents with colleagues and gather their feedback. I then set it aside for a while before revising it once more.

I will write content off the top of my head, whatever comes to mind, then put it away and come back to it the next day. Edit, edit, and edit again, until you can edit no more. Really, this is the only way.

While it's important to analyze for filler words, sometimes the 'fluff' is a creative, beautiful way to say something that will catch your reader's attention. Or it might add to the conversational feeling of the piece. Or it might be part of your brand voice and make your audience feel connected. A second read should look at the words to understand why they are there and what job they are doing. That often (but not always) means cutting.

Don't use additional words to add flair. For example, "you have to write more clearly" and "you must write clearly" mean the same thing. Analyze your copy for ways to communicate the same message with fewer lines.

It's amazing how word count improves when 'fluff' - cliches, modifiers, unnecessary words and phrases are deleted. I set myself a word limit before writing, then whittle text to meet that goal. Clarity and readability are the objectives.

As Gillian mentions,'filler' words can create elegant writing. But minimise those words,including those which intensify meaning,instilling depth and 'colour',so the narrative is taut and vivid. Easy to read. Interesting. Varying adjectives and adverbs, avoiding repetition - unless this is intended - and ensuring they are relevant (choosing the most appropriate nouns and verbs) maintains pace and reader attention.'Fluff' in this context means overdone description.

When describing a person or event, make sure no three sentences start with the same word, eg- ‘They were… They also… They’ No, keep giving variations, to make it interesting.

Don't research your topic, write your copy, edit your words, and proofread the final draft all at the same time. Take breaks between writing your copy and proofreading it - at least one day. This will reset your mind and help disconnect your emotional connection to your own writing. This will then help you address editing and proofreading as if you are reading someone else's work.

It's wise to leave at least one full day between completing your copy and proofreading it. This is how you get "fresh eyes" and a fresh mind to proofread. If you have links in your copy, make sure they are to website pages, rather than a link to a PDF which can be removed at any time.

Review your copy with a red pen in hand to catch mistakes. Reading your copy aloud will also help you identify errors by highlighting what does not flow well.

A different set of eyes is always helpful to find mistakes that you might have missed. - Ask your colleagues/ friends to go over your manuscript. - Take a break and get back to the manuscript after a while. This can give your brain some rest and trick it into thinking that you’re seeing the manuscript for the first time.

If your copy is part of a series, ensure a consistent theme runs through all of the articles or social media posts you are creating. This is how you create a campaign and build a bigger picture for your audience to clearly understand all aspects of what you are communicating.