Editing can be fun. Just drop the ego.
Previously, Kelly Shen and I wrote about how writing is a deeply personal act that requires empathy for yourself and for your reader. If you want to be a good writer, you have to anticipate what your reader needs to know, make it easy for them to get the information, and decouple the reader’s reaction from your own self-worth. That blog post sparked a lot of conversations within my own team about their evolving writing processes, including the time of day they write, where they write, how long their sessions are, etc. These conversations then segued into other conversations about editing. Indeed, editing is an essential partner to the writing process. This then prompted one of my team members to ask the following question—are there any tips for editing, either for your own work or someone else’s? This week, we will tackle editing your own work, and next week, we’ll get into strategies for editing your colleagues’ writing.
So, let’s get into it…
Whereas writing asks us to empathize with the reader, editing challenges us to set aside our ego for the sake of clarity, connection, and impact. You will not get the writing perfect in the first, second, or possibly even third draft, and that’s ok; it’s even expected. But, if you want your final product to be the best that it can be, then you have to first get over your fear of either admitting to yourself that your work is not perfect, or—even scarier—letting someone else see your less-than-perfect work. Remember that perfection isn’t a thing, and that even the best writers in the world have editors. Editing your own work, or soliciting the feedback and help of co-authors, colleagues, or professionals isn’t an admission of failure, and it isn’t punishment. Editing actually gives you the best opportunity for your ideas to shine. Take it as a delightful challenge to see just how much you can improve your communication so that your ideas will engross and inspire others to think in new and interesting ways. And isn’t that really the goal?
Alongside this mindset shift, here are 6 practical tips to help you edit your own work:
1. Don’t edit as you write. Editing as you write can disrupt the flow of ideas, hamper creativity, and ultimately slow down your writing efforts. Do what I like to call an initial ‘brain dump’: put down all the words rumbling around in your head, in whatever order they come out, and trust in yourself that you will smooth it out later.
2. Give it a couple of days. It can be helpful to edit your work after you have a few days of distance from your last writing session. This will allow you see your writing with a fresh frame of mind that is a bit detached from all of the emotions you were feeling as you were writing.
3. Read it out loud. Reading your written work aloud can highlight where you’ve gone off the rails. Run-on sentences will start to leave you breathless, oft-repeated words will be easier to notice, and if you lose your train of thought while speaking, your reader will lose theirs while reading. Fix the spots that don’t sound great to your ear.
4. Have a second (or third) reader. I have colleagues that I absolutely love giving my writing to because they are such great editors. They see the spots that are a bit sticky, pointing out places where the language and the transitions don’t flow as smoothly, which helps me see where the ideas might not yet be fully fleshed out in my own head. They also see the connections to other research in the literature that I have missed. Their grammar skills are better than mine and they shore up my words (n.b.—make friends with people who are better than you at grammar). Am I afraid that they will think I’m a terrible scientist or writer? Absolutely not. Why? Because they are gifting me their time to help me become the best communicator I can be. They are lifting me up, not judging me.
5. Understand the style guide of the publication. As scientists, we can fall into the trap of thinking that style doesn’t matter, only the data do. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Particularly if you’re aiming for a high-impact journal, you will need to communicate your ideas in a clear and compelling way that’s accessible to audiences outside of your area of expertise. Likewise, if you are writing in different formats (e.g., op-ed, scientific commentary, blog post) across various media outlets, you will need to understand the specific tone, audience, grammar and language use, and even the fonts that are used. Many, if not most, publications have a published style-guide (you can usually find it in their submissions guidelines), especially for higher impact journals, newspapers, and major magazines. Look at previously published works from your outlet of interest and see what they have in common stylistically; how do these works embody the publication’s brand?
6. Don’t be afraid to call in the professionals. There are professional editors for a reason; this stuff is hard. I even give these blog posts to my husband to edit because this a new medium for me, and he’s got an English degree and an editing business (thanks for the help, Jeremy!). There’s a difference between copyediting, proofreading, and manuscript or grant development, and unless you specifically went to school in one of these areas, it’s likely you didn’t receive much (if any) training on them. If your research budget allows for it, or if your university has these supports in place, getting an editor’s eyes on your work can be the difference between a rejected paper and a highly-regarded publication, between a grant that’s not funded (yet again) and one that gets awarded in the first submission.
Editing isn’t about proving perfection—it’s about clarifying your words, crafting compelling arguments, and elevating your ideas. Don’t let your ego or fears get in the way of asking for help. Whether it’s done by a thoughtful colleague or a paid professional, good editing is a generous act of collaboration.
Want to build a writing and editing process that actually works for you? I work with early-career researchers to create a sustainable and enjoyable workflow that helps them succeed. If you’d like support, reach out for a free discovery call!
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Next week: Editing your colleagues’ writing: from big picture to small details.
