You’ve put together your first draft and run it through a copywriting software. After the automated corrections have been performed, it’s only prudent to give it a run-over to see what else needs extra polish.
While different writers will have varying weaknesses (hence, the frequent suggestion of maintaining a proofreading checklist), there are three points in most pieces of writing that should receive due attention. Some editors refer to it as the “danger points,” since it’s usually the areas that they end up having to revise.
The lead. How good is your lead at introducing the story? One trick that many editors do is to check how the article reads without the first paragraph. If the piece can stand without it, there’s a good chance that your real lead is in that second cluster of sentences, with the first paragraph being nothing but ineffective filler.
Transitions. You may have been mindful of your transitions, but that doesn’t mean it’s up to par with the standards of good writing. More than merely providing a segway from one paragraph to the next, strong transitions let the reader know why the next section is relevant and necessary to complete the picture.
Indulgent sections. Remember the writing advice that goes, “Find your favorite parts and remove it”? Yes, those portions of text that bring a smile across your face and makes you feel like you’re the best writer ever. Editors usually hate them and they do so for good reason: writing should be about being clear and informative, not brilliant or clever.
Tags: danger points, proofreading, revising
