Editing techniques that improve your posts

Let’s put aside grammar and spell-checking and all of that for a minute. Everyone does some sort of technical or more substantive form of editing for their blog posts. But most editors use a combination of editing techniques to increase the value and the appeal of their content. Most of them are easy enough that anyone can apply them and it doesn’t take a whole lot of time nor expertise to do so. Perhaps you can use it to improve your own posts.

Open with a key point

I am guilty sometimes of being so taken away by telling a story that I forget to tell my readers what they are going to get out of it. You need to give your readers something to look forward to. It is basic human instinct to think “what’s in this for me?” and that’s a question you should look to answer from the get go. Readers need to know if a post is worth their time or not, and altering your posts to make sure that it does measure up to this test is the first of a few editing techniques you can use. The temptation is to make your point further into a post. Don’t. Hit early, hit hard and go home. Even if you are looking to tell a story, moving the key point up the order will not harm a story telling style. But it will affect the way your readers see the post, and that makes a big difference.

Mirror the content in the title

If I were to write a post that says “5 tips to get ready of that crazy girlfriend” (not that I am, sweetheart…I love you…really), then I’d number the sub-topics one through five. If it’s a list of positives and negatives, I’d make sure those are clearly mentioned. Make the content mirror the title and it will be a better fit in readers minds. The title is a promise, and the content should be its fulfillment. Failing to do so could leave your readers feeling dissatisfied.

Link back to a theme

Many posts, especially if elaborate, end up seeming disjointed. Don’t make a point in a paragraph or sub-heading and simply move on. End each paragraph with a concise point that sums everything up. Think of it as a takeaway, and it’s something for the reader to mull over, your entire argument in one sentence. It aids comprehension. And helps readers understand you better. If needed, add links or references as needed to support your argument and build credibility.