Hi, I’m Ariel. For the past two years I’ve edited nearly all new content on Making Sense of Cents. I’m finishing a degree in English Literature at Washington University and have been accepted into their competitive Honors program. Although academic writing differs from blog posts, I use the same writing and editing strategies discussed here. I’ve also sought additional writing and editing support through my university to continue improving my skills.
In addition to editing this blog, I write knitting patterns and provide technical pattern support for other designers. That means I’ve gained experience across several types of writing.
Blogs occupy a unique space: they invite a conversational tone while still delivering professional, trustworthy advice. We’ve all encountered online content where a careless error undermines the author’s credibility. Editing, as the final step in the writing process, transforms your ideas into polished, cohesive content that helps readers trust you.
If you want to grow your blog through partnerships or affiliate marketing, companies need to see you can represent them professionally. I’ll admit editing can feel intimidating, but the strategies below will help you become a stronger writer and editor, build reader trust, and elevate your blog.
Why you should be a better editor.
A few years ago I submitted an essay and my professor noted, “You had me until this mistake, and from there on I wasn’t sure I could take you seriously.” That small error signaled a lack of care despite extensive research. That comment stuck with me, and I’m certain most readers have felt the same disappointment when they encounter careless mistakes online.
If you want readers to stay with you through an entire post, don’t lose them to spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes. Strong editing should also guide readers from questions to clear answers, preventing confusion. Taking that extra editing step preserves your readers’ attention and honors the time and effort you invested in the post.
A solid editing process ensures your posts are cohesive, thoughtful, and authoritative—qualities that make readers trust and return to your content.
The editing process.
Editing workflows vary, so find a process that suits you. For both my academic and professional writing I separate drafting from editing. During drafting I free-write without worrying about errors. I often write better at certain times of day and edit at others.
After drafting, I let the piece rest for a day or two before editing. Editing requires a quiet, focused environment because it’s more exacting than drafting. That break gives my mind space to reflect on what to include, what to omit, and whether the narrative structure needs adjustment.
You may need multiple editing passes—that’s normal. If you get frustrated, step away and return fresh. On Making Sense of Cents, every post is edited at least twice. When I edit Michelle’s posts, I often focus on individual words and read everything aloud.
Find an editing platform that works for you.
For the blog I use Google Docs so Michelle and I can view edits in real time and add comments. For academic work I either print documents for paper edits or send PDFs to my mom—my favorite editor—who marks changes in Adobe Acrobat.
Microsoft Word and other writing tools also offer track changes and commenting features. Try different platforms to find the one that’s most user-friendly for you.
Seeing tracked edits helps identify recurring mistakes so you can focus on preventing them in future work.
Organize your thoughts.
Prewriting organization helps both drafting and editing. An organized post guides readers smoothly from introduction to conclusion. Depending on your process, you might outline before writing (as I did for this piece) or free-write and then extract and reorder key points.
Even if you don’t follow a formal outline, having a clear idea of what you want to communicate gives you a useful reference during editing.
Create a style sheet.
A style sheet is a simple reference that ensures consistent formatting across posts. It can serve as a template for new content, covering things like fonts, subheading use, and list formatting. Consistent structure makes your blog more familiar and valuable to regular readers.
Do you need to follow a specific writing style?
Institutional styles—AP, MLA, Chicago—offer useful rules for consistency, including number formatting, Oxford comma use, and title styling. While blogs don’t have to adopt one style strictly, consistency in whatever rules you choose matters.
For my nonacademic writing I use the Oxford comma, spell out numbers under 10, and italicize book titles. If you hope to attract freelance work, consider aligning your blog’s style with the conventions used by the kinds of companies you want to work with; that familiarity can make you more appealing to potential employers.
Know your writing weaknesses.
Editing is easier when you understand your recurring errors—spelling issues, comma placement, dangling modifiers, etc. I used to overuse commas and still catch myself sometimes. Knowing your tendencies helps you focus your editing energy where it’s most needed.
Learning the reasons behind rules—rather than applying them blindly—helps those nuances stick. One of my editing teachers, a professional book editor, admitted she still makes mistakes; the difference is she knows how to spot and fix them in editing.
Create a help sheet.
A help sheet is a quick reference for recurring questions. For example, I keep a list of hyphenation rules because ages and compound modifiers often confuse me. Having that guidance open while I edit saves time and ensures consistency for Making Sense of Cents.
Know your voice.
Voice is one of the hardest things to develop. While accurate information matters, voice delivers it in a compelling way. Your voice can shift based on what you read; for example, intensive reading of 19th-century British literature once influenced my emails.
Developing your voice requires practice and self-review. Blogs are well suited to a conversational tone—write as if speaking to a friend, then refine punctuation and grammar in editing. Also consider your audience: different niches use different terminology. Read trusted writers in your field to incorporate relevant language naturally.
Energize your writing.
When you want to inspire action or clear understanding, favor active voice. Make your reader the subject so they’re doing the action rather than receiving it.
Example:
Passive: Financial independence brings you happiness and freedom.
Active: You will find happiness and freedom through financial independence.
Direct language helps readers understand what they should do or expect. If your blog is more of a personal journal, active voice may matter less, but for advice-driven content it’s usually more engaging.
Put your reader in your posts.
Speak directly to your readers. They come to your blog to learn how your insights apply to them, so address them personally.
Compare these sentences:
People will love trying this new recipe.
You will love this new recipe.
The first sentence talks about an unspecified group; the second speaks directly to the reader. During editing, substitute general phrasing with direct address to better engage each reader individually.
Concision is key.
Concision gives readers the clearest explanation of what they need. This often happens during editing—after letting a draft rest, read a paragraph, determine its main point, and if you can express it in one sentence, cut the rest. Concision respects your readers’ time without removing valuable material that could become a follow-up post.
It’s easy to write at length when you’re passionate, but remember readers are busy. Avoid going off-topic or repeating yourself.
Be an aware writer and editor.
Language and cultural norms change rapidly. As your social and political climate evolves, consider how your writing affects readers. Awareness means recognizing that your audience includes people with diverse beliefs and experiences.
During editing, ask if any phrasing might offend. If it might, either remove it or provide context. Contextualizing your perspective helps readers understand and trust your reasoning.
A useful example comes from the McElroy family of podcasts. They responded to listener feedback, acknowledged shortcomings, and adjusted their content—an editing process of sorts—and their audience grew as a result. Awareness develops over time as you listen and respond to your readers.
Get help when you need it.
Even top editors and writers need assistance. I continually work to improve my skills and use many online and print resources. For quick questions I’ll search a phrase to check spelling or punctuation. For deeper learning, read articles from professional editors, take an editing course, or borrow books from the library.
If editing is overwhelming or you prefer to focus on other parts of growing your blog, you can hire an editor to turn your draft into a polished, cohesive piece.
The bottomline.
Here are the main takeaways:
- Editing brings cohesion and professional polish to your blog or online content.
- Find a writing and editing process that works for you.
- Identify your weaknesses and work actively to improve them.
- Respect your audience by delivering content they can trust.
Don’t let editing stop you from writing. If you have something to say, publish it, do your best to edit it, and keep developing your skills.