Editing Mastery: How to Edit Writing to Perfection

1. The Magic of Deep Editing

• What is deep editing?
• The deep editing framework
• How is this going to work?

• What is the territory of the piece?
• Sample article
• What is its ultimate purpose?
• What are the individual points?
• Demonstration: Breaking up the points
• Does every point make sense?
• Demonstration: Making sense of each point
• Is every point relevant?
• Demonstration: Deleting irrelevant points
• Is every point worthwhile?
• Demonstration: Eliminating rambling
• Is every point unique?
• Demonstration: Getting rid of repetition
• Are all the "facts" correct?
• Demonstration: Verifying the "facts"
• Is anything missing?
• Demonstration: Adding in missing information

• What is the "angle"?
• Demonstration: Choosing your angle
• What are the key sections?
• Demonstration: Creating categories
• What is the narrative structure?
• Demonstration: Creating a narrative
• Are the points ordered elegantly?
• Demonstration: Ordering points within sections

• Is there narrative definition?
• Demonstration: Creating narrative "turns"
• Does it read well?
• Demonstration: Making the piece read well
• Is there any clutter?
• Demonstration: Clearing up the clutter
• Are the paragraphs in good shape?
• Demonstration: Arranging paragraphs
• Could it start better?
• Demonstration: Creating a jazzy intro
• Could it end better?
• Demonstration: Creating a snazzy ending
• Can we make it more evocative?
• Demonstration: Adding color to the narrative
• Is every person and entity correctly introduced?
• Demonstration: Tidy references

• Is the spelling, grammar, punctuation respectable?
• Demonstration: Taking care of the basics
• Do the headlines and text square up?
• Demonstration: Title matching
• Is everything consistent?
• Demonstration: Fixing inconsistencies
• Read out loud
• Demonstration: Addressing trip-ups

• Congratulations, you're an elite editor!
• Some final exercises