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Hey Reader,

Every time I write, I know what I want to say, but I’m not entirely sure how I want to say it. The art of writing sharpens my thoughts and turns them into digestible profundities.

(Yes, I had to Google if "profundity" is a word and was quite pleased to find it was. Yeah, yeah, it's not 'simple' or '5th-grade level readability,' but ya know what? Not today, bros, not today.)

When I’m done writing, I feel so relieved.

Here’s the problem with stopping here, though:

Feeling done is an emotional response, not a logical one.

You’re full of dopamine. You did it! If you’re anything like me, you think, “The world needs to see this!”

But as good ‘ole Yoda says, “Patience you must have, my young Padawan.”

Why?

Because writing is a blend of intuition and logic. If you rely on intuition alone, you’re skipping a logical sense check and will never overcome the interpretation gap. This is bad because the best writing:

• Talks about one idea and doesn’t waffle endlessly
• Is specific and avoids generalizations
• Is free of redundancy, filler, and wordiness
• Is cohesive, logical, and easy to digest
• Includes takeaways and next steps
• Meets intent and awareness levels

Editing is the process of checking if your writing meets these best practices.

It’s a sense check. A take two. A “What’s missing?” and a “What can I do better?”

It’s creative and analytical, which is why I view it as a recreating exercise.

I get it, though. It’s hard to return to a piece of work when you’re so relieved to be done. And it's even harder when you're time-starved or unsure how to edit in the first place.

Allow me to help a bit, if I may.

If you're time-starved, simply complete the easiest edit you can make

I've edited millions of words and the most common question I ask writers or content creators is: "What do you mean by this?"

When you ask yourself, “What do I mean by this?” I promise your answer will be more specific than what you wrote.

Somewhere in that answer lies your edit.

I can’t emphasize enough how simple this exercise is.

• Step 1: Re-read your work
• Step 2: Every single time you come across a general statement, stop
• Step 3: Ask yourself, “What do I mean by this?”
• Step 4: Note your answer down
• Step 5: Sift through your answer for gold

Watch me transform a super vague statement into something that actually makes sense in this past newsletter issue.

It's recreation in action, and you can try it on your own work immediately. Ah, the joys of simple edits.

If you're unsure how to edit in the first place, simply follow a checklist

What if you've got all the time in the world but have no idea how to use it?

If this is you, checklists are your friend.

There are three types of editing (in my opinion):

1. Developmental/structural (macro)
2. Copy editing (micro)
3. Proofreading (polish)

AI tools like Grammarly can handle most proofreading for ya (things like missed periods/full stops, or misspelled words), so you're good there.

As for the other two, I always recommend starting with macro edits and then zooming in. Otherwise, you risk copy editing sections you may end up removing or rewriting, which is a waste of time.

If you're new to this newsletter, go read a past issue I wrote that breaks down the three types of edits.

Then, feel free to snag my personal developmental editing checklist and my copy editing checklist.

These are from the workbook that accompanies my course Content Editing 101.

If you're struggling to edit or have no idea where to start, I highly recommend picking it up. 292 people have taken it and it's got loads of 5-star reviews because it's designed to make you feel like you've got an editor in the room with you.

These activities mirror the course lessons and give you space to not only practice but compare your answers to mine, like so:

It's also got parity pricing so the price adjusts depending on where you are in the world.

I'm currently in the UK, and it looks like I get 10% off! How cool. (Sorry, America.)

Right, speaking of the UK, I'm off to enjoy a Sunday roast at the pub. My English wife has been dreaming of this for an entire year so let's hope it's as good as she remembers!

Cheers,

Erica

Check out my 3 courses that 1700+ people have taken, loved, and gotten meaningful results from:

1. Long to Short: Turn one long-form piece into a month's worth of posts. A step-by-step system to repurpose, remix, and remaster your best ideas.

2. Hooked on Writing Hooks: Turn your ideas into content that actually gets consumed. Learn to write scroll-stopping hooks on social without resorting to clickbait nonsense that feels inauthentic.

3. Content Editing 101. Kill decision fatigue and build confidence as a writer and editor. A look inside a professional editor's workflow & best practices. Packed with lessons, examples, and a roadmap so you can stop second-guessing your writing & editing decisions.

Each course is AI-powered 🪄

You can go through them manually or use AI to play, get it done faster, and test your new skills in real time. My friend & prompt genius Rob Lennon wrote all the prompts and bots for the courses.

Want to work with me 1:1?

Check out my Content Sparring 🥊 offer: It's for seasoned solopreneurs who feel like they've hit a content plateau and want an experienced editor to ping-pong ideas and content with.

What'd you think of today's email? Reply and let me know.

Erica Schneider

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