Quick tip for self-copy-editing

Editing your own work sucks. Here’s a trick for basic copy editing of your own work, especially things that are missed by spellcheck/grammar check in your word processor.

  1. Make a list words you don’t want in your work (e.g. depending on your clients/audience, you may not want contractions)
    1. can’t
    2. won’t
    3. shouldn’t
    4. there (“There” is generally a lazy word, especially at the begining of sentences)
    5. etc.
  2. Make a list of common word misuses you make. I’m bad with words like “about”, “around”, “regarding” – phrases like “thinking around” vs. “thinking about” vs. “thinking of”.
  3. Do a series of Find and Replaces in your word processor.

These steps help clean things up before sending your work out into the world.