APU Careers Careers & Learning

Be Your Own Editor

By J. Mason
Online Career Tips Editor

Do not be afraid to “red pen” yourself at work. If you think you think you added too much fluff to something, like your review, then put on your editor’s hat and get down to business.

It is important to be critical of your work, but you’ll need to know how to “Edit Your Own Writing” first. Caroline McMillan, of LifeHacker.com and The Charlotte Observer, has some great points on how to edit yourself in the workplace. When you’re going through your annual review, print it out to check for errors before submitting. It is embarrassing to have your boss point out typos and discrepancies first. Another great point is reading your work out loud. If you don’t have an office, go to an empty meeting room for a few minutes to read it to yourself. When the words sound wrong being spoken, then they’ll read strange to your intended audience.

Cut down on the flowery language when necessary, unless you’re writing prose or poetry. It is possible to be your own copy editor, you just need a little practice and some patience to go along with it.

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