A big part of writing is learning when you’ve done all you can!

Editing comes after thoughts about your blog post get organized, clarified, and deposited onto a blank page. But part of blog post editing, besides checking for grammatical errors and typos, is knowing when you’ve done enough.

Whether you’ve edited it yourself or had someone else look over your work, at some point, you have to submit or push the publish button.

This article will dive into the three main types of editing and why you can’t get caught up in the pursuit of perfection.

Don’t you want it to be perfect?

I’ve written eight novels in addition to writing for various restoration blogs. A question I was recently asked, which inspired this blog post, was why I didn’t hire an entire team of editors.

“If your name is on it, shouldn’t you make sure it’s as good as possible?”

Well, besides the cost of hiring scores of editors, there’s the genuine chance they have conflicting views about potential changes.

Blog post editing is no different. Sure, you could get hordes of editors searching for the perfect turn of phrase, but at a certain point, your piece is good enough.

There are people out there waiting to hear your message, just as you deliver it.

3 types of blog post editing

The three main types of blog post editing are:

1. Self-editing
2. Peer editing
3. Paid editing

They each have their merits and shortcomings. Let’s take a look at all three.

Self-editing

Regardless of whether your content is going out to a client’s or your website, reading it over yourself is the bare minimum type of blog post editing. 

Read through your words and decide if your message is clear and polished, following logically from one point to the next. Then, put your piece through editing software like Grammarly, which searches for both typos and general writing errors.

The main benefit of self-editing is the saved time. Out of all the blog post editing tactics, this is the quickest and can have you pushing the publish button sooner than the others. The other benefit is longer-term: you will get better by reviewing what you do wrong.

There are numerous drawbacks, including missing errors in logic you find apparent. Having another set of eyes read over your work will eliminate this issue. Also, stylistic choices that don’t work are often missed in this type of blog post editing.

Peer editing

Peer editing is the middle tier of editing options and is used for the blog at Algorithmic Global. 

After reviewing your work yourself and changing any issues, send your content to a colleague for another round of blog post editing.

There will be a delay in the finished project, usually a few days, but a peer-reviewed blog post turns out better every time. Another person, someone who doesn’t view the content through your lens, reviews your piece’s logic and ensures it makes sense.

The drawback of peer editing is that your colleagues aren’t always wordsmiths themselves. If they aren’t frequent writers, take their suggestions about wording with a grain of salt.

Paid editing

A quick web search will turn up thousands of paid editors. This type of blog post editing will result in the best possible finished product.

Paid editors can help with clarity issues and make sure your words pack a serious punch. Seeing the changes helps you become a better writer.

The drawbacks? Professionals who specialize in blog post editing will need time to complete the project, which might not align with your publishing schedule.

Then there’s the cost. Paying for every round of blog post editing can get out of hand quickly. Reserve paid editing for the most important content. 

How do you edit a blog post?

We follow a straightforward rule for finishing blog post first drafts: you can’t edit what doesn’t exist. Get the words down as fast as you can, trusting your future-self will know what to fix.

The first step in blog post editing is the writer going through line by line, making sure each sentence is informative, useful to the overall piece, and said in the best way possible. Then, the writer puts the blog post through Grammarly.

Our second step is sending the piece over to our in-house editor. We recognize not everyone has an editor on-staff, so think of this step as sending it to a colleague. This person repeats the process of going through line by line, polishing each sentence until they shine. The final step is another round through Grammarly.

Can you edit a blog post after publishing?

YES! Every blog has the potential for editing after it’s posted.

Blog post editing post-publishing is an option if you have a tight deadline for your piece and don’t have time for any of the editing strategies. Post it, then perform one of the blog post editing strategies on this list, knowing you can tweak the post it’s been published.

When are you done editing?

You’re done editing when the piece is as good as you can make it at that particular moment.

Think of each blog post as a step in your progression. Whenever you write a piece of content, the quality is limited by your skill at that time.

Your writing will get better over time. So, when a blog post is as good as you can make it right then, go ahead and publish, knowing your next piece will incorporate all you’ve learned during its creation.

The blog post editing strategies listed above will help you polish your creation, but don’t get bogged down with over-editing your piece.

Blog post editing

Regular writing helps clarify thinking, organize arguments, and enhances communication.

A finished draft is the first part of the march towards publishing. Blog post editing is a crucial part of the strategy for putting your best words out into the world.

Remember, although anything can be edited, again and again, at some point, you have to accept it’s as good as you can make it at that point in time–and that’s ok!

If you are looking for help with your blog post editing, the professionals at Algorithmic Global can help! Reach out to us via our contact page, and our experienced team will follow up with you and find out how we can work together on making your words shine.