How I Became a Ruthless Self-Editor and Much Better B2B Writer

[sarah_manning]

Here is a blog I wrote years ago on, well, blogging. I hope it helps some of you translate your thoughts and knowledge into compact, clear and useful content!

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Writing isn't so hard when nobody's going to read it. Like me, you might be able to fill three journal pages in ten minutes of scribbling. But if I'm on a deadline, I run into two opposing problems:

1. Writer's block. A form of anxiety whereby nothing seems perfect enough to make it onto the page. Everything in my head sounds rough-drafty and not at all ready for critical eyes.
2. Inability to self-edit. Deleting my own words means detaching my emotions from the time and energy I just spent creating them. Plus, I like what I wrote and the way it's phrased. I just can't bring myself to cut anything.

These are self-inflicted problems, of course — ones I'm sure I share with many. Recently, however, I took some time to observe my own writing process over 4 drafts of one piece. As a result, I came up with some tips to ensure quick, smooth, succinct writing, every time.

To become a ruthless self-editor and much better writer, you simply need to:

Start with research.

Read your assignment sheet (if you have one), do some third-party reading, and become well-versed on the subject. Take your time with this, and trust that your brain absorbs information whether or not you're conscious of it.

Then, just write.

As they say, "don't get it right, get it written". Record your thoughts on what you researched in any order. What would your audience want to know? What kinds of problems do they face? What do they care most about?

(P.S. I started this very blog post in the exact same way. I wrote in a stream-of-conscious, head-clearing manner for a whole hour. Then I took a break and came back to it with new ideas and a fresh perspective.)

Do take a break.

When you return, look for some trends in your notes. Do any themes build on their own? Is there a logical outline or structure to the piece? Start to cut and paste and move things around. Refine your wording, grammar, and vocabulary as needed.

Think chronologically.

If someone was to actually take your advice, what would they do first? Write your blogs like a lively, entertaining instruction manual. This will also help you understand the topic better.

Think, "who cares?"

Ask yourself why you included each sentence. Cut the fluff: does every paragraph say something new or useful? You probably said the same thing twice somewhere. Admit it, then cut it. It's freeing.

Give it shape.

Define paragraphs, lists, and create more white space. Basically, you want to take a big idea and turn it into bite-sized chunks. If that means you end up turning one blog into two, great! More content for you and your readers.

Be ruthless.

Ask yourself, if I had to cut the word count in HALF, what would stay and what would go? This will cause you to write the highest quality, most information-dense sentences and paragraphs you can. You don't actually have to delete half of your content, but pretend like you do.

Practice makes...

Better. You won't get it right on the first try. Don't fool yourself into thinking you will, either. No writer is perfect, not even Thoreau. (Ok maybe, but you get the idea.)

Now go on, write it out like nobody's watching.