Editing on Your Own? Do what the Editors do!

Producing quality web content, that generates clicks, comes with a responsibility. There's more to editing than running the spell check. Reading your article through once, twice, even three times will help you find common grammatical, agreement, and punctuation errors.

For most web publishing, you are your own editor. So, what do you do? Do what the editors do!

With regard to revision and publication, editors look at certian criteria. Here's the guideline:

• Content

1. Information: Are the facts true and the sources reliable? Is the content original, authoritative, and are opinions backed up by supporting information?


2. Analysis and Interpretation: Is the author's voice resonating throughout the piece, not a regurgitation of other's work? Are ideas, facts, or premises presented in an organized manner and analyzed using facts and personal input? Is the hard stuff made easy to understand? Is the article better than it's sources?


3. Balance: Does the article present both sides of the story? Are the author's voice and facts discernible? Will the reader consider the article reliable through the presentation?


4. Originality: Does the article give a fresh look to the subject? Does it allude to prior thoughts on a topic and surpass them?

• Readability

1. Appeal: Does the article grab the reader and compel him to continue to read? Does the interest maintain momentum? Does the organization flow? Are the concepts and facts presented with clarity, related to the subject, and leading to create value for the reader?


2. Concreteness and Clarity: Is the article more concrete, does it have a solid foundation with real tangible ideals or is it comprised of abstract details? Does the article get to the meat of a subject? Does it encourage the reader to think about, talk about, or act on the subject?


3. Color and Tone: How is the author's voice? Does it talk at or with the reader? Is it active or passive? Is the use of story, humor, contrast or irony appropriate and presented in a sincere rather than condescending manner and flows as part of the article?

• Impact

1. Enlightenment: Is the article educational, beneficial, and stimulating without being preachy? Does the article have that Aha factor?


2. Force: Goes along with balance, does the article offer authority and persuasion without being overbearing? Will the article stand the test of time? Is it intense, logical, and touches on fads but is independent of them?


3. Relevance: Is the article subject up to date or enduring? Will readers find it as an extension or reward to their interests? Challenging or opposing interests is good too, writing this way feeds controversy.

Adapted from: The Elements of Editing. By Arthur Plotnik