- Editing refers to the preparation of a text for publication, by correcting & revising the draft
- Revision & editing play an important role in the completion & composition of a professional/official writing
- Accuracy, transparency & effectiveness — the prerequisites of professional/official documents
ADVANTAGES OF EDITING
- Perfection needs practice
- Just as actors need long rehearsals to fine-tune their stage performances, careful editing makes the written work error-free & polished
- The third step in the writing process (step 1 > planning what to write; step 2 > writing it)
- Improving what has already been written
- Editing cannot coincide with the writing of the first draft
- The first draft is spontaneously written
- The writing of the first draft becomes slow & tedious if we try to improve it bit by bit and achieve perfection
- Worrying too much about the final outcome distracts the writer from building the main text of the document
VARIOUS STEPS IN THE EDITING PROCESS
- Reading the entire manuscript thoroughly
- Checking for accuracy
- Identify the errors related to usage, grammar, punctuation & ensure that the language used is accurate & appropriate
- Deleting unnecessary parts
- While revising the first draft do away with all unnecessary words/ phrases /sentences / expressions & paragraphs
- Augmenting unsubstantiated & depleted sections
- Add the relevant material to those sections of the document lacking in specific details
- Recasting paragraphs
- Paragraphs must be recast to ensure consistency in the ideas projected & to create the desired impact on the reader
- Moving paragraphs around
- The written manuscript must be unfolded in a logical & systematic manner
- Rewriting the Beginnings & Endings
- The beginning & the end of a passage/text is likely to be remembered for a longer time
- Editing the opening & closing paragraphs of a document is essential to make it effective
- Checking for Consistency & Balance
- Care must be taken to change/alter/delete portions of the text for the sake of proper arrangement of ideas
- Restore balance by giving each part of the discussion its due attention, focus & weightage
- Introducing variety
- Repetitive words, similar phrases etc. make a text monotonous
- Variety in style should be made by
- Mixing simple, compound & complex sentences
- Using an elaborate sentence structure
- By using more verbs than nouns
- By avoiding long strings of compound nouns
- Using transitions wherever required
- Linkers must be effectively used to communicate the overall idea in a coherent manner
- Restoring order & shape
- Writing a document in various writing styles confuses the reader
- The style of various sections must be harmonized to give the document a unified coherent image
- Choosing appropriate tone & style
- Ensure that the text has the desired tone & style
- Putting mind over matter
- Avoid expressions that may sound controversial, bizarre & libellous statements
- Ensuring Consistency in Documentation
- All the references in the text must be properly cited
- The bibliographical details should be sequenced as per MLA/APA/Chicago Manual format
- Ensure that all the pages in the document are correctly numbered & the chapters numbered with consistency
- Match the items listed in the table of contents to the text of the document
- Ensure consistency in the space b/w paragraphs & in the margin on both the sides of the text
English Helping Hand 