Top Ten Checklist To Edit Your Articles

Judy Cullins ©2005 All Rights Reserved.

Submitting articles once or twice a week can yield 15 or more subscribers to your own ezine each time. Read by thousands, even hundreds of thousands, your articles also bring people to your Web site to buy your products or services.

Knowing these benefits, you want to create and submit as many articles as you can. At times, you have the articles complete, but don't have anyone handy to edit them. While it's best to get at least two other edits from business associates, you can edit your articles yourself with a little help.

Use this checklist of the ways to edit your own work:

1. Start your introduction with a question or startling fact. You must hook your readers with something that reaches their emotions. Make it “you” centered.

2. Make your introduction only a few sentences. Your readers want to get to the heart of your book chapter or article fast. They want easy-to-read quick tips. Long stories can bring a yawn to your reader.

3. Make all of your sentences short. Since standard sentence length is 15-17 words, make most of your sentences under that number. Complex sentences and multiple phrases make the reading tougher. Make it easy for your readers to get the point fast.

4. Avoid dull, slow passive sentences. Start them with a subject, then follow with a verb to avoid passive construction. "The coach marketed her business and books through submitting articles online" is an active sentence. "The coach's books were marketed online through submitting articles" is passive. Drop linking verbs such as "is," "was," "seemed," or "had." Replace them with power, active verbs. Instead of "she is beautiful," you could say, "Her beauty compels you to stare at her".

5. Aim for compelling, clear copy. Write for the 8-10th grade reader. Always think "What's in it for them?"

6. Use specific nouns and names. General references don't engage your readers' emotions. Let them see the size, color, and shape. Rather than say, "Write your book fast to make lifelong income," say "Write and finish your book fast so you can take that long vacation to a Caribbean island such as Tobago." Money isn't a specific pull, but a vacation is.

7. Let go of adverbs. Words like very, suddenly, and sparingly, tell instead of show. Use adverbs only at Christmas.

8. Let go of unneeded adjectives. Instead of a super-intelligent person, you can say a genius.

9. Appeal to the senses of sight, sound, and emotions. Telling is not an effective. Instead of "Buy this book today because it is so useful," say, "Would you like to double, even quadruple your Online income in four months?"

10. Cut redundancies. Don't talk down to your reader with too much repetition. Be willing to part with your "precious" words. The first edit usually reduces the words by ¼ to 1/3. Don't use pompous words.

If you are a professional who wants your writing to reflect that, be sure to follow these editing tips. You can then be confident that what you put out to your market will be well received and your business will flourish.

About the author:
Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell, she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," and blog Q & A at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtmland over 170 free articles. Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com


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