Tips for Strong Editing Techniques

I've been an editor for 7 years now. And here’s a truth bomb: 99% of editing advice online is generic. “Check grammar.” “Shorten sentences.” “Take a break.” Yes, but can we dig deeper? Today, I'm revealing the most underrated, unspoken editing hacks. No gatekeeping here: → Zoom Out to 50%: Sounds weird? Try it. Reducing text size makes formatting issues obvious. You’ll spot uneven line lengths and clunky layouts instantly. → Voice Note Test: Record yourself reading your draft aloud. Listen back without reading along. Awkward wording stands out painfully clear. → 'So What?' Technique: After every paragraph, ask “So what?” If there's no clear purpose—rephrase or remove. Keeps writing tight, engaging, purposeful. → One-Screen Rule: Keep each subheading's content fitting one screen. Scrolling mid-section causes reader fatigue. Break it down—short and crisp is key. → Color-Code Edits: Highlight different issues with different colors: 1) Pink for weak words (really, very, stuff). 2) Blue for unclear ideas. 3) Yellow for repetitive points. Visual cues speed up final revisions drastically. → Find-and-Replace for Punctuation: Search your commas, semicolons, dashes. Do you overuse them? Replace some with periods to punch up readability. → The Font Swap: Change your font temporarily. Your brain sees text as 'new' content. Mistakes and awkward phrasings jump right out. → Reverse Outline: Summarize each paragraph in 3-4 words. Is there logical flow? If not, rearrange or rework ruthlessly. Editing is surgery (don't question me). These hacks transform good content into remarkable content. But hey, I'm always learning. What's your top editing secret nobody talks about? Share it below 👇

I've written more than 50 articles in HBR, MIT Sloan Review, S+B, and others. Here's what I do to review and edit my work; it might help as you write articles or important Board/investor/stakeholder papers. The last thing you want to do is submit work that feels half-finished; it damages your reputation with the editor/colleague/sponsor. If they don't pick it up, somebody else will when it's shared more widely. Get ready to respond, and amend. Here's how to strengthen your article/paper in your final edits: - Do a spell check. So many people don't. - Read it out loud. Simplify it if it's hard to read, especially if you need more than a breath per sentence. - Summarise the main point in less than 2 sentences. Is it memorable? - Check for balance; long intros are dull, short conclusions feel like a missed opportunity to encourage action. - Review the title and opening paragraph. How well does it grab your attention? - Work through the evidence, examples, and illustrations. How well do they substantiate and visualise your points? - Look for the weakest parts (e.g. logic, structure, distinctiveness). What would your biggest critic to say to you after they read it; I think of specific people, past and present, as I do this! - Consider what somebody you admire in the field would say if they read it. Would they rate your work and respect you? - Think about whether you could use the advice in your own practice - in your next session with client, with your leadership team. What do you do to ensure your work is at its best before you finalise it? #strategy #leadership #impact #highstakes #writing Photo: excerpt from my writing page on my website (link below).

Ever wonder what great editing actually looks like? Here's a few real edits I've had recently: 1. Find 200 words to trim from the set-up. I was doing a big thought leadership piece - narrative intro, thesis up top, all that. And...I got a bit carried away. 200 words lopped off, got to the meat much quicker, everything better. 2. The H3s don't match. If you're writing a list of H3s, you want the same wording throughout to make it flow. Before: H2: Why BOFU content is so tricky for content marketers H3: It's highly context dependent H3: It's time-consuming H3: You can't go it alone After: H3: It's a completely artificial concept to begin with H3: It's time-consuming H3: It's impossible to create in a silo Better, no? 3. Paraphrase your quotes. I'd gathered a lot of interview content for a piece. So much, in fact, that I left some of it as a bit of a word dump. Spoken content doesn't always translate well to the page, even if you've trimmed out the "ums" and "likes". My editor suggested it would be much better to paraphrase and just keep a short juicy phrase or two from the SMEs. 4. BLUF throughout, not just in the intro. Putting the bottom line up front applies to paragraphs too. My editor pointed out that I'd ended the paragraph with my main point, instead of leading with it. With my weaker opening line, I'd missed out on an opportunity to give the reader a compelling reason to read that paragraph. 5. One comment that just said "noice." Definitely the best edit I've had in a while :D Also, joking aside, the best editors flag what they like (so I'll do more of it) as well as what needs fixing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm sharing these edits for a few reasons: 1. Maybe you, like me, need the reminder! I already knew all of these things but still made the mistakes :) These things happen. 2. I've been writing content for nearly 10 years now. I don't make many mistakes these days, but I still get a bunch of edits. Everyone needs editing, no matter how long you've been doing this job or how good you get. In fact, the better I get at writing, the more edits I get. Clients that hire top-tier writers care even more about quality and differentiation. Edits are less about "this sentence doesn't work" and more about "how can we make this piece stand out, connect more, perform better?" So, if you're a newer writer and you just got a draft back covered in red lines - congratulations! You've found yourself a client who genuinely cares about quality content. 3. If you want to get better at writing, don't take a course. Do whatever it takes to work with editors like these. Everything I know about content, I learned from working with amazing editors. 4. "No notes" is a lovely thing to see. But so are a ton of well-articulated edits. They make you better. What's the most helpful edit you've had lately?

8 things that I do to edit my research manuscripts as an award-winning researcher: ✅ CARVE OUT SHORT PERIODS FOR EDITING Good editing requires focused energy. It’s helpful to edit over multiple, short periods to maintain focus. So, find 30 to 60-minute periods in your day that you can dedicate to the editing process. Once this time is over, stop and schedule another editing phase for a later date. ✅ PRINT OUT A PHYSICAL COPY OF THE MANUSCRIPT Reduce distractions in the editing phase by having a physical copy of the manuscript. Doing so helps to increase focus on the content by limiting computer interruptions. An alternative is to edit the manuscript on a tablet. Either way, making physical edits with a pen and paper can be beneficial. ✅ READ YOUR WRITING OUT LOUD You can hear bad grammar or awkward phrasing easier than you can see it. Additionally, if you find yourself running out of breath while reading a sentence, it may be that it’s a run-on. This simple step will help you to understand how your audience will perceive and interpret your writing. ✅ FOCUS ON ONE LINE AT A TIME Treat each sentence as a standalone piece of the editing phase. Avoid glossing over your writing by highlighting each sentence or using a sheet of paper to cover the sentences below. It’s all about focus, so do whatever you need to concentrate on each sentence. ✅ COMPARTMENTALIZE DIFFERENT EDITING PHASES You can edit a paper for (a) structure and format; (b) narrative flow; (c) grammar and spelling; and (d) writing style. It’s difficult to edit for each type all at once, so do each one separately. ✅ FIND GOOD READERS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK It’s difficult to edit your work with complete objectivity. So, find trusted advisors and colleagues who can provide you with critical feedback to improve your manuscript. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, others will need readers too. ✅ REALIZE THAT EDITING IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS The editing process is not something that is done once. You have to edit your research proposal, outline, and each section of your manuscript multiple times. Every time that you do so, ask yourself, “How can I make this 10% better?” 🔑 KEY TAKEAWAY Editing is a key step in the research process. It helps to make sure that your findings and implications are communicated clearly to your readers. So, take the time to go over your work carefully using the strategies shared above. P.S. Do you like to edit your manuscripts electronically or on paper? I like paper, but maybe I'm just old school. ➖ ➖ ➖ ➖ I'm Joseph Rios, the founder of Grad Student Academy. Follow me if you enjoyed this. I write about graduate school and professional development issues for PhD students. My mission is to unveil the hidden PhD curriculum to all, not just the privileged few. Learn the strategies I used to go from being rejected by nearly every PhD program to: ✅ obtaining a top-notch industry job ✅ landing a tenure-track faculty position ✅ becoming an award-winning researcher

Write First. Edit Later. Twice the Impact. Most of us think leadership writing is about grammar. It’s not. It’s about results and intent. And the fastest way to write with impact (active, brief, clear) is to invest in your editing muscles. Here’s the paradox: the first draft should be “shitty.” Seriously. Get your ideas out, with your audience, intent, and message in mind. Don’t block yourself with perfection. Then step away. Stretch. Grab coffee. Return later with fresh eyes. That’s when the magic of editing begins. 1. Read your work aloud. Your ears will catch what your eyes miss. 2. Notice repeated words, long sentences, or moments that stumble. 3. Mark places where the audience might ask questions or lose interest. 4. Swap “I would suggest” → “I suggest.” 5. Replace long phrases with single verbs: “makes you feel motivated to” → “inspires.” 6. Remove information your audience already knows—or anything hedged with “I think.” 7. Break long sentences into digestible pieces. 8. Scan your titles and headings: if someone skipped the body, would they understand the main point? If not, revise. Extra tip: trade drafts with a colleague. Seeing your ideas through another set of eyes helps you spot patterns and improve clarity... not just for this draft, but for your future writing habits. Editing is a gift: first, the freedom to write without constraints; second, the perspective to craft your best, most persuasive work.

You don’t need to be a “great writer” to produce great writing. You just need a better system for editing. That’s the difference most people miss. They write a draft and keep fiddling with it forever—changing a word here, a phrase there—hoping it’ll eventually feel “done.” It never does. Because they don’t have a process. They don’t know what to look for, or when to stop. Here’s what to do instead: Use this 4-pass editing system—one lens at a time. 1️⃣ STORY Does every word serve the story? Does it reinforce the core message? If not, cut it. Mercilessly. 📝 Pro Tip: Before anything else, write down your *one-sentence* core message. Then highlight your 2–3 key findings. Everything else must support them. 2️⃣ STRUCTURE Now zoom out. Do your paragraphs flow logically? Does each start with a clear point and end with a takeaway? Are any paragraphs dragging or jumping around? 📝 Pro Tip: Try the “1-3-1” structure for paragraphs: → 1 strong declarative sentence → 3 pieces of supporting evidence → 1 summary line that ties it together. 3️⃣ SENTENCE Now go line by line. Trim fluff. Break long sentences. Make the verbs punchier. Cut the jargon. Choose clarity over cleverness. 📝 Pro Tip: Vary sentence lengths—short for emphasis, long for flow. Read it out loud. If it sounds clunky, it is. 4️⃣ DETAIL The final polish. Are citations consistent? Do tables/figures match the text? Are journal formatting guidelines followed? 📝 Pro Tip: The audience is giving you their attention — you owe it to them to make it as polished as possible. That’s it. No fancy editing tool needed. Just one sharp lens at a time. Grab the last thing you wrote. Give it these 4 passes. Watch it transform. Great writing isn’t born. It’s edited. ------- P.S. Join my inner circle of 4000+ researchers for exclusive, actionable advice you won’t find anywhere else — link in the comments below. BONUS: When you subscribe, you instantly unlock my Research Idea GPT and Manuscript Outline Blueprint. Please reshare 🔄 if you got some value out of this...

The best learning during my time at Amazon was improving my writing. Here is my list of how to edit your writing to improve it and how to get an idea down on paper in the first place. TL;DR craft compelling documents by anticipating reader needs, addressing potential questions, and clearly articulating the desired outcome. This will take time and a lot of editing. Make your writing better, editing tips: A. Use data and logic to lead the reader to a conclusion. Using adverb and adjective is less effective. B. Eliminate weasel words C. Use readable scores to get data on how readable your doc is now and improve it D. Use read-a-loud extension or read it out loud yourself E. Edit words that don't add value. Look for repetitive language. Don't tax your reader with big words How to crafting an idea in writing: 1. Start with bullet list of what your thinking about 2. Start by writing with limited edits. Sleep on it and then edit like crazy. 3. Know your reader and write for them. 4. Write down FAQ to the end of a doc that you think your reader will have. If you can, you should answer these in your writing but it's not always possible.  5. Take ownership not ask for ownership. If you are asking for ownership or asking the reader to force someone to do something you are doing it wrong.    6. Ask why 5 times on customer facing questions to get to the detail why this is important 7. Think in 3s. How would you explain this with a 3 word (The Title), 3 sentences (TLDR), 3 paragraphs (a 1 page page overview), 3 pages (longer form with more detail). 8. Bonus: add some long term thinking topics to your doc. If the reader is excited about what you are writing about, give them more and think big about the future. 9. Close with what decision you need help from the reader 10. Finally writing a couple page document should take a week(s) not days or hours to complete.

I've been in the field of #ContentWriting for 7+ years, and over the years, I've made mistakes, learned from them, and evolved as a writer. For the first few years, I used to write great content and leave it as it was. The editor then came up with 100+ comments and suggestions, which added a sense of frustration. After a few years of experience, I had a few chats with my Manager and Editor. They told me to focus on #editing and #proofreading skills. Here is a checklist I follow for self #editing and #proofreading: ✨ Write short sentences (1-1.5 Lines or 12-15 Words). ✨Write short paragraphs (3-4 lines max.); Start new para if they’re not conveying the same meaning. ✨ Try to keep the introduction short and crisp. (Max. 140-150 Words) ✨ Don’t blindly accept Grammarly’s suggestions. (Moreover, As a result, In addition to, But, etc.) ✨ Always try to see if you can shorten sentences without changing the context. ✨ Try to make H2’s - actionable and conversational. ✨ H3’s - should have the same pattern (Either actionable or advice, not a mix of both) ✨ Avoid using unnecessary and/or (Quickly and effectively, friendly or good). ✨ When adding a Case Study of a renowned company - Try to bring the benefits of using particular tech and not highlight the company. ✨ Work on the transition between two sections; Avoid repeating the same pattern. ✨ Write 2 to 3 lines when starting a new H2 - to add context. #editing #proofreading #contentwriting #contentmarketing #growth #tuesdaythoughts

Sharpen your writing by ditching the qualifiers that soften impact. WEAK: Prospects with limited budgets usually ask for price concessions. STRONG: Prospects with limited budgets demand price concessions. WEAK: Customers often hesitate when pricing isn’t clear. STRONG: Customers hesitate when pricing isn’t clear. WEAK: Buyers typically avoid complicated onboarding. STRONG: Buyers avoid complicated onboarding. When you edit your copy and content, consider eliminating qualifiers such as: Sometimes Usually Often Generally Typically Frequently Rarely Seldom Possibly Probably Mostly Largely Occasionally Potentially Commonly Somewhat Every “usually” is a missed opportunity to be strong, confident, and clear. 

In the early stages of my editing career, I was certain that my zeal for error-free writing would be my winning recipe. Little did I know that an editor's biggest strength and task isn't just in correcting errors, but in “enhancing” and “refining” the personality of a piece. You really could be immersed in the technicalities – the spelling, the grammar, the punctuation – while ignoring the tone and rhythm that actually brings the text to life. Striking the right tone is often what makes the difference between a good and a truly captivating piece. The question is how do you strike the right tone in a piece? Here are three steps to guide you: 1. Understanding the Genre's Core Every genre has its own melody, a unique way of expressing itself. A heartfelt letter craves warmth and sincerity, while a technical report thrives on precision and clarity. Understanding these core values lays the foundation for your tone. In this regard, go beyond the surface. Explore the genre's nuances: An engaging storytelling blog post demands a sense of wonder and discovery, while a sharp, probing tone elevates a critique piece. Delving into these nuances allows you adapt your tone even further. 2. Know Your Audience You can imagine your audience as the radio station you're trying to tune into. Consider demographics: A younger audience might connect with a conversational and lively tone, while professionals may prefer a more formal and structured approach. It’s like speaking their language fluently. Context also matters. Where and how will your audience engage with your work? Will it be a quick read on a mobile device, or a detailed exploration on a desktop? Context adds another layer to tone adjustment. 3. Read Aloud and Revise The effect of hearing your words cannot be underestimated. Words can look perfect on paper yet transform into tongue twisters when spoken. Reading your work aloud reveals the natural flow and highlights areas where the tone may falter. This practice brings your writing closer to perfection, ensuring it resonates well with your intended audience. 📍 Mastering tone isn't a one-time fix or a secret code. It's a journey that requires dedication, research, and practice. Read widely within your target genre, immerse yourself in successful examples, and don't be afraid to seek constructive feedback. Happy New Week!