Why It’s Hard to Edit Our Own Writing?

Simple steps for breaking through

Whether you have three books to your credit or agonize over a monthly blog post, there are at least a dozen reasons why it can be challenging to edit our own writing effectively. How many of these traps below sound like you? If you answered, yes to three or more, I have some suggestions for you at the end of this post:

1.      Familiarity bias: We are intimately familiar with our own thoughts and writing. This can make it difficult to spot errors or areas that need improvement. Our brains tend to fill in gaps and overlook mistakes because we know what we intended to say.

2.      Emotional attachment: We often develop an emotional attachment to our writing, making it hard to be objective and critical when editing. We may be reluctant to make significant changes or cuts because we've invested time and effort into the piece.

3.      Lack of distance: When we're deeply involved in a piece of writing, it's hard to step back and view it with fresh eyes. We may be too close to the material to see it from a reader's perspective.

4.      Confirmation bias: We tend to focus on information that confirms our existing beliefs or interpretations. This makes it harder to identify flaws or weaknesses in our arguments or explanations.

5.      Blind spots: We may have blind spots or areas of our writing that we simply can't see objectively, whether it's due to our writing style, subject matter expertise, or personal biases. Sound familiar?

6.      Editing fatigue: Editing requires sustained concentration and attention to detail, which can be mentally draining. After a certain point, our ability to spot errors or willingness to make improvements will diminish.

7.      Difficulty with self-criticism: Some writers struggle with being overly critical or not critical enough when evaluating their own work. This makes it hard to strike the right balance.

8.      Perfectionism. I need every sentence to be perfect before I go on to the next. Instead, write quickly in a stream of consciousness style and then go back and revise, revise, revise. As Voltaire liked to say: “Don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good.”

9.      Data dumping. I want to share everything I know about a subject. Spoiler alert: Nobody cares how extensive your knowledge is. True genius comes from distilling complex subjects into easily understandable bite-size nuggets. Doing so will prevent you from succumbing to Smartest Kid in the Class Syndrome.

10.   Hubris. I handle complex multi-state tax returns, multimillion-dollar estate plans and retirement plans for Fortune 1000 executives. How hard can writing be? Probably harder than you think.

11.   Impatience/tech reliance. I don’t make my living as a writer. I don’t have time for this. Why can’t I just let AI/Grammarly and software do it for me? How well did those Cliffs Notes work out for you in college?

12.   Procrastination.  Writing is something many people find unpleasant. It’s easy to put it off and avoid it until the inevitable deadline comes bearing down on you.

Tips for editing your own writing

1. Take breaks from your writing. Set your timer for one hour or a specific time of day. Then hit the save button on your work. Walk away for several hours or better yet, for at least a full day. You’ll come back with a fresh set of eyes and usually a surprising amount of clarity.

2. Seek feedback from others – people who you can count on to give you to tell you the truth.

3. Read your work aloud. Is it cringeworthy? Where does it start to drag?  Does it sound like you?

4. Start with the end in mind. What are the three most important takeaways you want your reader to gain from reading your work? Write them at the top of your piece and make sure you have answered them clearly. In your conclusion, remind the reader the expert insights you just shared with them. Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell them. Then you tell them. Then you tell ‘em what you just told ‘em.

5. Create an outline before writing. Start simply with the introduction, then the purpose of your piece, followed by the three to four main points and a conclusion. After that, it’s just a matter of filling in the blanks.

6. Just get started. If you’re a procrastinator or perfectionist, taking the first step is the key. As the old saying goes: “You can always edit a bad page, but you can’t edit a blank page. Your first draft is supposed to suck. Just get your thoughts on paper and revise, revise, revise.

7. Get an accountability partner who will keep you on task. It could be a trusted colleague, good friend or even a writing coach who can make sure you have your outline, rough drafts and final drafts completed by the dates to which you committed. NOTE: I don’t recommend using your spouse as an accountability partner unless you can prevent criticism of your writing from spilling over into other areas of your relationship. That said, you can always do what our client Kyle Walters recommends and use the ‘Call Your Mom’ Strategy. She’ll always tell you the unvarnished truth.

8. Make a hard copy and use a pencil. Not to be anti-green here, but before you submit your final draft, make a hard copy of your work (print on both sides) and take out a pencil to do a final review of the piece. Personally, I’ve found it useful to read the hard copy to myself aloud. Using a pencil and reading aloud slows your brain down and forces you to listen – really listen -- to what you’re trying to say.

As Ernest Hemingway liked to say: “Write drunk, edit sober.”

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter how well you know the numbers, without having a solid command of the English language you won’t be taken seriously. After all, You're an Elite Professional; Don't Sound Like a Jamoke

 
#grammar, #businesscommunication, #selfediting, #thoughtleadership,