Blogging Mommy: H is for… Editing

I couldn’t think of a blogging-relevant topic that began with “H” so I thought I would revisit my favorite letter in the alphabet, “E.”

Courtesy of writeanovelfast.com

Do you write in your blog, hit publish and forget about it? If so, you are missing a valuable opportunity. Write your post- go back over it and find ways to make it better. It’s true: the better editor you are, the better writer you will become.

When I think of an editor, a few things come to mind.

• Creating content/assignments
• Enforcing Deadlines
• Consistency
• Spelling/Grammar
• Word Count

Let’s start with the first…

Creating content/assignments

As a blogger, you are responsible for creating good content. This means, giving yourself stellar assignments. As an editor, if I get an idea, or know I need to write about a particular topic, the first question I ask myself is, “Why would anyone want to read this?”

If you don’t know the answer, you might need to reevaluate your editorial vision. Think about what you want to write, and how you can write it in a way that is appealing to your readers and potential new ones.

Enforcing deadlines

Deadlines are a way of life for writers, but so rarely do bloggers think of deadlines. I am guilty of not adhering to my own deadlines, and I am not sure why. I’ve found if I post a new post every day by 6 am, my site stats grow and grow. When I post at different times of the day, or not at all, my readership dies off.

Give yourself a goal of posting by a certain time every day. Try to stick with it, and your readers will expect your posts. I promise you’ll see results.

Consistency

If you look at any major newspaper, magazine, or communications department of an organization, you’ll find some sort of style guidelines. Maybe they adhere to AP style guidelines, or perhaps they have drafted their own set of guidelines, but whatever they use one thing is very important: consistency.

Are you consistent? If you need help developing your own style guidelines, check out these resources:

• AP Style Guide Online
• Web Style Guide

Spelling and Grammar

If you have spell check, use it. But word of warning:  don’t always trust it.

Word Count

I’ve heard it before:

I can’t limit my expression of creativity!

My readers love long posts!

I have so much to say!

And I am here to tell you this. No one – not even your Mother – wants to read a thousand words about your family’s vacation.

Put on your big-girl editing panties and get over it.

I try to keep my posts under 500 words. I appreciate when blog posts are short and sweet and to the point. If you need more than 500 words to get across your point, think about breaking up the post into two and creating a mini-series.

This is eighth in a series of blogging tips. A was for Audience, B was for Building your brand, C was for Creativity, D was for Design, E was for Evolution and F was for Fans and Followers, and G was for Google.