When you finish the first draft of your copy, there’s a 99% chance that you’re too close to it. You’re too lost in your own words. And somewhere along the way, buried in the clickety-clack of your keyboard, you’re going to forget the point of your copy.
Unable to detach and see the big picture.
First drafts are messy. But that’s the point.
They’re supposed to get all the ideas out of your head onto the screen.
But what after that part is done? How do you go from there? How do you cut and chisel your copy, making it so sharp that it slices through all the distraction and hits the reader where you want it to?
You edit. Your final copy may look nothing like your first draft. And that’s okay. But editing is more than just removing typos and rearranging sentences.
Here are 11 tips to edit your copy and make it 11x better:
#1 WALK AWAY
Take a break from staring at your copy.
Chances are, the more you keep staring at it, the more perfect it will seem to you. We don’t want that. We need to be able to see the holes in our copy.
For that, you need to step away from the project for a day or two.
When you come back and read your copy again, chances are you will feel something like this:
All part of the process, frens.
#2 DON’T GET TOO ATTACHED
I know you poured your heart and soul into it. It doesn’t matter.
You need to remember – the purpose of copy is to sell. Or to take someone from one stage of awareness to the next.
If it doesn’t do that, toss it. “But this line sounds so cool!” Nope. TOSS IT.
And don’t take it personally. You’re just doing what needs to be done.
#3 SKIM
Your reader is going to skim. So you need to do the same thing.
Keep scrolling (don’t stop to admire your work lol) and see what words and phrases are standing out.
Are they the right ones?
Does just skimming the page – and reading just those words – convey the message you want it to? If not, you may need to switch up your formatting (make important things more visible)
#4 PRINT IT OUT AND READ IT OUT LOUD
This might sound boring and like a lot of work. But if you’re reviewing something super important, DO NOT skip this step.
Reading it out loud will make sure that it’s written in conversational style.
Also, you will realise if there are awkward gaps which need smoother transitions.
#5 REVIEW YOUR GOALS
What is the purpose of the copy? At what stage of awareness is the reader in?
Read it just from the perspective of whether it does a good job of taking the reader from point 1 to point 2.
Forget the nitty gritties. Do a big picture read.
#6 SIMPLIFY
We may not realise it – but our sentences are longer than they need to be.
Just use Hemingway editor – it will tell you which sentences are hard to read. Either split them into 2-3 sentences, or shorten.
The editor may sometimes highlight some adverbs or adjectives as unnecessary. Careful not to remove those that are important for your copy.
#7 CONGRUENCY
Ensure that the font is the same for the entire length of the copy. The brain can pick up even small differences like this, and it decreases trust. Be consistent throughout the page.
#8 ALTERNATIVE WORDS
If you find yourself using the same word too many times, consider switching it up.
Power thesaurus is a great tool for this – I find myself browsing and finding the “perfect word” a lot of times from here. (Hat tip to ROGUEWEALTH for the recommendation!)
(Side note: Repetition is powerful, but you want to say the same thing from different angles. Not just repeat yourself. Cool?)
#9 CUT IT OUT
A good rule of thumb is to reduce the word count by at least 30% when you edit.
I wouldn’t try to reach a certain word count, but the prime lesson here is :Be ruthless.
It’s okay to write longer copy, as long as it keeps the reader reading.
#10 BORING TEST
Do you find yourself skimming some parts because you’re too bored to edit them?
That’s probably what they are – boring.
Pay attention if something on that page bores you – it will probably bore the reader too. Spruce it up or take it out.
#11 MOM TEST
Give it to someone who isn’t familiar with the niche (Mom)
Simplify anything they didn’t understand.
And when your mom rolls her eyes at you yet again, because she still doesn’t get what you do and is waiting for you to get a “real job”…. give her a hug. Coz she’s the best.
That’s about it!
Do you guys use any other methods to edit your copy? Tell me in the comments below!
Hope big ideas and money flow to you easily,
Ash