1/How To Write Like An Editor -- a THREAD. 🤔👇✍️
As a writer & editor, I think about writing daily.
With more & more ppl starting newsletters & blogs, I often think about how ppl can level-up their writing skills. 🚀
Here's a crash-course in how to bullet-proof your writing.
As a writer & editor, I think about writing daily.
With more & more ppl starting newsletters & blogs, I often think about how ppl can level-up their writing skills. 🚀
Here's a crash-course in how to bullet-proof your writing.
2/First thing: grammar.
Poor grammar will kill great writing potential. 👉 Every. Damn. Time.
I'm not referring to style here; if you have shit grammar, you're telling me that you're too lazy to fix it.
Use @Grammarly & edit your damn post.
Learn to love multiple drafts. 🙌
Poor grammar will kill great writing potential. 👉 Every. Damn. Time.
I'm not referring to style here; if you have shit grammar, you're telling me that you're too lazy to fix it.
Use @Grammarly & edit your damn post.
Learn to love multiple drafts. 🙌
3/Next: spelling.
This one is basic: we live in the era of google & spell-check -- don't get lazy here! 🤦♂️
If you don't care enough to correct your spelling, why should anyone care enough to read it?
☝️ Ftr, I'm talking consistent mistakes, not minor typos every now & again.
This one is basic: we live in the era of google & spell-check -- don't get lazy here! 🤦♂️
If you don't care enough to correct your spelling, why should anyone care enough to read it?
☝️ Ftr, I'm talking consistent mistakes, not minor typos every now & again.
4/Keep your tenses straight.
Tensing is hard sometimes -- I struggle with it too at moments -- but consistent tensing leads to the best flow for your piece. 🌊
Don't know if the tense of something is right?
😉 Editor's secret: Read the wonky sentence aloud to yourself.
Tensing is hard sometimes -- I struggle with it too at moments -- but consistent tensing leads to the best flow for your piece. 🌊
Don't know if the tense of something is right?
😉 Editor's secret: Read the wonky sentence aloud to yourself.
5/Look & feel (visual format) 🧐
Is it too blocky? Is it hard on the eye to read?
All these questions matter, esp. in the age of online media.
😮 In this context, break-ups are good! The "new paragraph" button is your friend & 2-5 sentences per paragraph is *plenty.*
Is it too blocky? Is it hard on the eye to read?
All these questions matter, esp. in the age of online media.
😮 In this context, break-ups are good! The "new paragraph" button is your friend & 2-5 sentences per paragraph is *plenty.*
6/Remember: "IBAC" 🤔
Stands for: Italics, Bold, All Caps.
Get them under control.
Too much bold & you're shouting at me; too many italics & you're making me read a French recipe. 🇫🇷🥖
All caps is akin to more yelling -- I'm not saying don't do it, but sparingly please.
Stands for: Italics, Bold, All Caps.
Get them under control.
Too much bold & you're shouting at me; too many italics & you're making me read a French recipe. 🇫🇷🥖
All caps is akin to more yelling -- I'm not saying don't do it, but sparingly please.
7/Next: bullet-points. ⚫️
Love 'em, use 'em. But don't go overboard, I beg you.
⚫️ Would you wanna read that?
⚫️ Something like this?
⚫️ Wouldn't it annoy you?
Unless it's actually a list, you don't need them in every paragraph.
I'm reading your article not your grocery list.
Love 'em, use 'em. But don't go overboard, I beg you.
⚫️ Would you wanna read that?
⚫️ Something like this?
⚫️ Wouldn't it annoy you?
Unless it's actually a list, you don't need them in every paragraph.
I'm reading your article not your grocery list.
8/Punctuation.
Please for the love of all that's good, check your punctuation. Learn the difference between a dash & a hyphen & use them to break up your text.
☝️ Rule: Hyphens are for combining words (like punk-rock) while dashes are used to break sentences.
Please for the love of all that's good, check your punctuation. Learn the difference between a dash & a hyphen & use them to break up your text.
☝️ Rule: Hyphens are for combining words (like punk-rock) while dashes are used to break sentences.
9/Here's a biggie: Quotes
Here's the basic rule: double quotes (" ") are for the beginning/end of any quotation, while single quotes (' ') are for a quotation 👉 within 👈 a quotation.
Also, block quoting is helping for longer quotes in your pieces.
Here's the basic rule: double quotes (" ") are for the beginning/end of any quotation, while single quotes (' ') are for a quotation 👉 within 👈 a quotation.
Also, block quoting is helping for longer quotes in your pieces.
10/Colons & semi-colons
Please god don't use colons or semi-colons if you're not sure which one works. Your writing won't suffer much (or any) by not using them. (Rules in next tweet). 👇
😱 It will suffer A LOT by using them incorrectly.
☝️ Write at your own level of comfort.
Please god don't use colons or semi-colons if you're not sure which one works. Your writing won't suffer much (or any) by not using them. (Rules in next tweet). 👇
😱 It will suffer A LOT by using them incorrectly.
☝️ Write at your own level of comfort.
11/Colons & semi-colons, cont'd:
👉 Colons (:) usually break a sentence before a list or before you move to a new clause/phrase meant to clarify the previous one.
👉 Semi-colons (;) are usually used to break a sentence into 2 independent clauses tackling the same idea.
👉 Colons (:) usually break a sentence before a list or before you move to a new clause/phrase meant to clarify the previous one.
👉 Semi-colons (;) are usually used to break a sentence into 2 independent clauses tackling the same idea.
12/Very important! 👉 Brackets [ ]
Brackets are used to tell the reader that you're altering the original quote, but mostly for formatting or tensing reasons.
Example: "Kurt Cobain drew influence[s] from many different artists."
💥 [Brackets] are NOT the same as (parentheses).
Brackets are used to tell the reader that you're altering the original quote, but mostly for formatting or tensing reasons.
Example: "Kurt Cobain drew influence[s] from many different artists."
💥 [Brackets] are NOT the same as (parentheses).
13/Ok, now: Thesis
This is the “idea” we all learned about in 3rd grade that “goes at the end of your first paragraph.”
Except that’s bullshit.
Your thesis is your main concept & doesn’t necessarily need to come at the end of your 1st paragraph. It goes wherever it fits best.
This is the “idea” we all learned about in 3rd grade that “goes at the end of your first paragraph.”
Except that’s bullshit.
Your thesis is your main concept & doesn’t necessarily need to come at the end of your 1st paragraph. It goes wherever it fits best.
14/Don't feel bullied into putting it in a particular place because -- like the "5-paragraph essay" -- it's how you were taught.
I'm certainly not criticizing teachers.
Recognize that we're likely taught this way because these are teaching devises, not rules carved into stone.
I'm certainly not criticizing teachers.
Recognize that we're likely taught this way because these are teaching devises, not rules carved into stone.
15/Embrace the flexibility! 💪
There is no 1,2,3-step process for plugging in paragraphs and building an essay that way. It's more nuanced than that.
Experiment with what looks & sounds good; learn to love the flexibility, starting with your thesis.
There is no 1,2,3-step process for plugging in paragraphs and building an essay that way. It's more nuanced than that.
Experiment with what looks & sounds good; learn to love the flexibility, starting with your thesis.
16/Now onto your argument:
Repeat after me: Your thesis is the concept or topic you’re going to tackle; your argument is how you hammer your points home. 🔨
You got the main idea down -- now hit me with those links, quotes, & nuanced data points to make me listen!
Repeat after me: Your thesis is the concept or topic you’re going to tackle; your argument is how you hammer your points home. 🔨
You got the main idea down -- now hit me with those links, quotes, & nuanced data points to make me listen!
17/Lemme circle back to my shade re: the 5-paragraph essay:
It's meant to be a learning tool, not something you *need* to do.
Often it’s too constraining & makes people put in (or leave out) points depending on how many spots they have left between their intro and conclusion.
It's meant to be a learning tool, not something you *need* to do.
Often it’s too constraining & makes people put in (or leave out) points depending on how many spots they have left between their intro and conclusion.
18/Now that you've laid out your thesis & have your argument bubbling, hammer it home.
If I can drive a truck through holes in your argument, reexamine it. 🚛
Leave some flexibility for yourself so you don’t back yourself into a corner, but make your argument solid.
If I can drive a truck through holes in your argument, reexamine it. 🚛
Leave some flexibility for yourself so you don’t back yourself into a corner, but make your argument solid.
19/Ok...let's talk length:
In our bite-sized, bloggish culture, the concept of writing anything long is considered “old” & “ramble-y.” Posts that appear “too long” are labeled “tl;dr” and relegated to the bottom of the pile.
But the reality is that some pieces should be longer.
In our bite-sized, bloggish culture, the concept of writing anything long is considered “old” & “ramble-y.” Posts that appear “too long” are labeled “tl;dr” and relegated to the bottom of the pile.
But the reality is that some pieces should be longer.
20/Length cont'd:
Or maybe not.
If you’re giving me a list of tips, let me know at the beginning that it’s a listicle.
If it’s just a fleeting thought, don’t gear me up for a long thought-piece, otherwise when you end abruptly, it feels like the bottom just dropped out.
Or maybe not.
If you’re giving me a list of tips, let me know at the beginning that it’s a listicle.
If it’s just a fleeting thought, don’t gear me up for a long thought-piece, otherwise when you end abruptly, it feels like the bottom just dropped out.
21/Even more on length...
But if it’s an argument that demands long-form length, then be damn sure you give the piece what it requires.
😱☝️ Trying to squeeze too much into a bite-sized article tells your readers you have no idea how to articulate what you want to say.
But if it’s an argument that demands long-form length, then be damn sure you give the piece what it requires.
😱☝️ Trying to squeeze too much into a bite-sized article tells your readers you have no idea how to articulate what you want to say.
22/Learn to cut well. ✂️
Be honest with yourself: if those extra 2 paragraphs don’t serve your argument or style, kick ’em to the curb.
There’s nothing as paralyzing as “blank-page” syndrome, but there’s nothing more unsightly than flabby content that serves no purpose. 🤮
Be honest with yourself: if those extra 2 paragraphs don’t serve your argument or style, kick ’em to the curb.
There’s nothing as paralyzing as “blank-page” syndrome, but there’s nothing more unsightly than flabby content that serves no purpose. 🤮
23/Here's the editor's secret: 🤫
😃 If you write 3 pages & delete everything except for the 1 paragraph that’s exceptionally promising, it’s a good day!
Now you have something concrete to build on. 🏗️
Knowing how to use length well in your writing is as important as anything.
😃 If you write 3 pages & delete everything except for the 1 paragraph that’s exceptionally promising, it’s a good day!
Now you have something concrete to build on. 🏗️
Knowing how to use length well in your writing is as important as anything.
24/Style -- it's what can make your writing incredible or boring.
It's your choice!
🎸 Style in writing is like style in music: take influences from people you like, but never try to copy them.
Find your own voice & lean into it! 🗣️
It's your choice!
🎸 Style in writing is like style in music: take influences from people you like, but never try to copy them.
Find your own voice & lean into it! 🗣️
25/So that's the basic rundown.
Start doing those things tomorrow & I guarantee your writing will feel tighter & more focused almost immediately. 😎
For a little more depth, check out my article, from which this thread was adapted. 😆🚀
End (for now).
medium.com/startup-grind/…
Start doing those things tomorrow & I guarantee your writing will feel tighter & more focused almost immediately. 😎
For a little more depth, check out my article, from which this thread was adapted. 😆🚀
End (for now).
medium.com/startup-grind/…
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