“Don’t write something in 1,000 words that could have been said in 600.” – Robin Henry
Have you ever had a friend or relative who seemed to ramble on and on, so much so that you found your mind wandering toward more interesting things like, “Should I make that dentist appointment for next Tuesday or Wednesday?” Or “Is it true if you eat a polar bear’s liver, you will die of a vitamin overdose?”
Don’t be that person … in your articles that is!
So much emphasis is placed on proofreading that many Expert Authors forget a step: Revising. The result may fashion lackluster, boring, rambling, and occasionally confusing articles.
The solution? Guarantee yourself a more powerful message by keeping your articles short and sweet with these tips.
7 Tips to Revising Articles
First, let’s discuss the difference between revising and proofreading, which are often mistaken as the same step in the writing process. Proofreading occurs when you read your article for grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors (often after the revising process). Revising occurs when you reread your article to ensure your message is clear, concise, and logical. Think of it as pumping more “oomph” into your articles.
Ready? Use these tips to get started:
Cut Verbiage: Words like “just,” “really,” and “very” slow down the power of your message. When revising, ask yourself, “Is this wordRemove Redundant Words: “I’ll meet you at
Discard the Inessential: Consider whether the article’s focus is too wide or too narrow based on your user’s needs. Remove sections of inessential text to get to your point faster and add text (as needed) to ensure reader comprehension.
Stay Organized: Check the flow of the article. Does the pattern make sense? Are the transitions smooth? Should one point occur earlier for better readability?
Keep Promises: Did you follow through on promises made to the reader in the article’s title, introduction, or any other part of the article?
Use Active Voice: Rather than the subject receiving the action, ensure the subject acts or performs the action in the sentence. For example, “The mime was waved to by the child” (passive) vs. “The child waved to the mime” (active).
Be Precise: Simplify your verbs by using concise language. For example, replace “He argues for the importance of the idea” with “He defends the idea.”
Have You Tried the Paramedic Method?
Take your revising skills to the next level! Expert Authors can polish their writing skills using Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab. To improve readability, they recommend utilizing Richard Lanham’s Paramedic Method. Here’s how:
Sample Sentence Before Using the Paramedic Method
In this paragraph is a demonstration of the use of good style in the writing of an article.
Circle the prepositions (of, in, about, for, onto, into)(In) this paragraph is a demonstration (of) the use (of) good style (in) the writing (of) an article.
Draw a box around the verb “to be” forms (is, am, are, was, were, been, being).In this paragraph [is] a demonstration of the use of good style in the writing of an article.
Identify the action and convert it into a simple verb.In this paragraph is a demonstration of the use of good style in the writing of an article.
Convert passive text to active by moving the doer into the subject (Who’s kicking whom)In this paragraph is a demonstration of the use of good style in the writing of an article.
Eliminate any unnecessary slow wind-upsIn this paragraph is a demonstration of the use of good style in the writing of an article.
Eliminate any redundanciesIn this paragraph is a demonstration of the use of good style in the writing of an article.
Revised Sentence Using the Paramedic Method
This paragraph demonstrates good style in articles.
How do you keep your articles short and sweet? Do you have additional revising tips you would like to share? Have you tried the Paramedic Method or any other revising method to revive your articles? Let us know – we’d love to hear from you!
Posted by Penny, Managing Editor on October 18, 2013 at 9:20 am | 1,738 views
