Top Ten Questions to ask Yourself While Editing Your Own Writing

Entrepreneurs wear many hats so they often write and edit everything of their own, from proposals to press releases. Below are the top ten questions I ask myself when I edit and proofread my own work.

Editing Checklist

Approximately how many errors do I expect to find per page? (Knowing the density of errors common to the writer, even when you are the writer makes you a more successful editor.)

Have I checked numbers, capitalization, names of people and organizations, hyphens, punctuation, often-confused-words, and difficult-to-spell words?

Have I reworked the sentences in the text during which I hesitated or stumbled when I read the piece aloud?

Is there any block of text that I can cut without sacrificing meaning? On the sentence level, are there words I can cut that do not add meaning?

Are there blocks of text or sentences that would benefit from further explanation or clarification? If so, consider writing one additional sentence.

Are there words I want to reconsider because they lack precision, or because they are either too formal or too informal?

What sentence most clearly and succinctly captures the core of my message? Knowing where the heart of your meaning appears allows you to consider its placement.

Which sentence in this piece would make the best beginning? The best closing?

Are there any long sentences that would read better as two?

Are there any ideas expressed in several sentences that could be delivered in just one?