Simple and Useful Editing Tips for Business Writers

If you are required to write for your company, you know that having proper grammar is extremely important in order to ensure that your readers understand the information you’re trying to convey. Whether you’re asked to write blog posts, white papers, press releases or any other type of correspondence, it’s important that you always proofread and edit your work. Here are a few tips to help you.

Write for your readers.
It’s very important that your writing is geared towards your readers. Make it something that they want to read and that they can relate to. Use “you” so that you are talking directly to them. This will resonate much better with your audience and help your writing be clearer.

Stay focused.
Before you write, you need to know the purpose and topic of your writing. This will help keep you on track, making your writing easier to understand.

Remove unnecessary words and phrases.
We all tend to throw some additional words or phrases to supplement our writing, but doing so can cause confusion among your readers. Instead, make sure that you are only keeping in the words and phrases that are absolutely necessary for your writing to be understood.

Use your manners.
If you are writing directly to someone, say in an email, make sure that you still use your manners. Even if you are pressed for time, a “please” and a “thank you” can go a long way. People appreciate being asked and thanked with respect than they do being demanded.

Use spell check.
Spell check is a great tool to use when you write. Your word processing software should have a spell check installed, but keep in mind that most of these only tend to proofread for spelling and not grammar. For example, most spell check programs will not pay attention to the difference between homonyms, such as your and you’re. To double check your grammar, you may want to invest in a grammar checker, such as Grammarly or Grammar Base. Both of these tools will check your writing for both spelling and grammatical mistakes to help you write effectively.

Proofread.
Even if you use a spell check and grammar check, you should always proofread your own work before having it published or submitted. Read through your work carefully to ensure that it sounds correct, uses the write word choices and is spelled correctly. If you think that you may not do a good job, you can always ask a friend or coworker to read through your document. This will give your writing a fresh pair of eyes, and this person may be able to catch mistakes that you overlooked.
Writing for your business requires you to have great grammar and flawless writing. Any mistakes will be frowned upon by not only your boss, but also by your customers, clients and anyone else who may see the mistakes. This is why it’s very important that you know how to properly write, proofread and edit your work.