The document provides tips for self-editing one's own writing. It notes that many media outlets now require writers to edit their own work due to job cuts. However, writing and editing require distinct skills. The document recommends 11 steps for effective self-editing, including being accountable, getting comfortable, admitting weaknesses, researching thoroughly before writing, keeping writing simple, doing multiple edits, changing perspective, skimming before and after edits, reading aloud, printing drafts, stepping away, and pretending to be the audience.

1. Be Your Own Best Editor
DAVID SHEETS, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS

2. The ACES program that shows how to make life
easier for yourself.
(And who doesn’t need that?)

3. Because life has changed drastically for writers and
editors, in less than a decade.
Electronic media technologies improved, ending
print media’s dominance among readers.
Of course, print media’s mistakes in managing its
future hastened that decline.

4. The “anyone can publish” movement spawned a raft
of mainstream-media imitators/substitutes.
They wanted to be fast, nimble. Copy editing was
an extra step; it slowed them down. Furthermore,
copy editors were not seen as “content creators.”
To save time, and money, new and old media
decided, “Let the writers edit their own copy.”

5. This strategy
also has cost
thousands of
journalists
their jobs ─ an
estimated
40,000 jobs
since 2007.*
Source: Paper Cuts

6. Yet, we read more words than ever …

7. And with more words comes more chances
to make errors. …

8. So, this may be
turning into a
golden age for
copy editing.
Businesses realize
good grammar
builds credibility.

9. Still, nobody’s rushing to hire copy editors.
(We’ll never see
a copy desk of
this kind or
this size again.)

10. The new paradigm:
It’s all up
to you.
(Writing and editing)

11. The writing part may be easy for you.
But what about the editing?
Despite what many people believe, it’s not
“the opposite” of writing.
The two talents require distinct skills.

12. Writing and editing
are right brain /
left brain functions.
You must shut off
one to do the other,
even for an instant.
*Source: Funderstanding.com

13. So, get your mind ─ both sides of it ─ in the
proper condition to edit.
The better you prepare, the better you serve
your writing, your readers/viewers,
and yourself.

14. Step 1: Be accountable
• Shut off the social media
• Make a to-do list of what you want to accomplish in a certain
time frame.

15. Step 2: Get comfortable
This may take awhile. Find a space
where you can work without interruption for long periods.
Seek silence, or seek noise. Sometimes, our efforts at
blotting out ambient sound help us focus.

16. Step 3: Admit your weaknesses
Keep a second list ─ one that contains your pet peeves about
the language, words you never remember to spell correctly,
grammar rules that flummox you, or anything you consider
a hindrance to smooth, consistent workflow.

17. Step 4: Research hard, write and edit easy
The more work you do before sitting down to write, the less
painful it will be to write or edit.
“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
─ Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, metal detector,
hydrofoil and wireless communications (among other things)

18. Step 5: Keep it simple
If rewriting is your responsibility, just one
idea per sentence and two beats per word.
Simplicity begets clarity.

19. Step 6: Plan for at least 3 edits
• One for spelling
• One for structure
• One for sense (If you must, highlight all the punctuation.)

20. Step 7: Change your perspective
• Alter the font size, background color.
• Read the story backward.
• Change browsers / platforms.

21. Step 8: Skim
You should skim the material before editing but also after.
This helps you understand the material and see whether
your changes affected that understanding.
Bill Cosby says, “Think of your eyes as magnets. Force them to
move fast. Sweep them across each and every line of type.
Pick up only a few key words in each line.”

22. Step 9: Read it out loud
Give your eyes a rest; let your
ears do the work. They may
pick up tone and inflection
the eyes miss.
Or, find a friend to read it aloud to you.

23. Step 10: Leave no doubt; print it out
Sometimes we see words and sentences better
on paper than on a screen.

24. Step 11: Step away
Put time and distance
between yourself and
the work, to clear your
mind of it.

25. Other editing advice:
Be patient ─ Good work takes time; give yourself enough of it.
Be honest with yourself ─ Admit when you have a problem.
Don’t fall in love with the words ─ You may have to kill
some of them. (Good writing is mostly rewriting.)
Don’t fall in love with tech ─ Spellcheck can help, and hinder.

26. Last but not least …
Pretend you’re the audience
(Put yourself
in their
position.)