Clunky sentences can trip up your reader. Reread and edit before you hit SEND on your e-mail message, or PUBLISH to your blog post, etc.
Read your post or message out loud, then bravely ask the tough questions:
1. Does this make sense?
2. If I need action from the reader, is the action clear?
3. Are all dates, deadlines or pertinent information written clearly and double-checked?
4. Are all these words necessary?
5. Have I been redundant?
Obviously, this list of questions is not all-inclusive, but you get the point. Self-editing means you get out of your writer role and be the reader – and have the courage to cut, clean and rewrite if necessary.
Thank goodness it’s still vogue in our haphazard, hasty world to write well!
Here’s to clearing the clunk!
Filed under: 18354993, Editing, Writings About Writing, reread, self-editing, writing | Tagged: Editing, flow, reread, self-editing, sentence structure
