Hello and welcome to the tenth lesson of the course “Copywriting from zero in 30 days”. In the previous episode we created our first draft wireframe. Today we will learn six basic text editing principles that will make our copy complete.

Principle #1. Check compliance with the task and common sense

First of all we need to check whether our text in general and its blocks in particular correspond to the task, the needs of the audience, initial data from analysis and common sense.

For example, on the first screen of the wireframe from the previous lesson, we promise delivery all over Italy in 1 day. This is great, of course. But let’s be honest: in this case, we are passing off a special case as a general rule. And this is a mistake that needs to be corrected. Certainly, there are regions where we can deliver spare parts in one day. But there are also regions, delivery to which takes much longer. And that means that we are misleading the audience and can’t write like that. To fix the situation, we have to edit the headline and change the preposition from “within” to “from”.

Another example. We wholesale office chairs in B2B segment. Our clients are small and medium-sized stores which buy them for resale. We check our text and find out that there is a block that suits for final consumers, but not for retail business. That is why we need to remove this block or replace it with another one that is more relevant to the audience and its needs.

This principle is one of the most important. With its help, we find logical inconsistencies in the text, which can sometimes be critical.

Summary: this principle includes checking the relevance of information, compliance with the initial data from analysis, the reliability of figures and facts, the compliance of the text with common sense and the interests of the audience. Everything that doesn’t contribute to the solution of the task is better to remove or replace.

Principle #2. Replace abstractions with specifics

We talked about what abstractions are in the third lesson. During the editing, our task is to find abstractions and other fragments of text that take up space, but do not carry a semantic load, and replace them with specifics.

Here’s an example. We have a text fragment which consists of two parts. The first part is full of solid clichés, narcissism and clericalism that do not make any sense. If they are removed, the text will only benefit from this.

The second part contains a lot of abstractions that take up space but don’t tell the reader anything useful. They need to be replaced with specifics. So with the same volume, the meaning will be many times more.

Principle #3. Maintain a dynamic rhythm

The rhythm of the text is the dynamics created by the length of the sentences. If the length of all sentences is approximately the same, then such a text will be monotonous and make the reader sleepy. It’s like swaying on the waves.

But if we dynamically change the length of sentences, then the reader’s attention becomes constantly focused. That means that the concentration on what we are saying is higher.

The easiest way to do this is to conditionally divide sentences into short (from 1 to 4 words), medium (from 5 to 10 words), and long (from 10 to 20 words). And then alternate them so that sentences from the same group do not occur more than twice in a row. Sentences of more than 20 words are difficult to perceive, and therefore it’s better to divide them into shorter ones.

Principle #4. Control the amount of text

Any text is initially redundant, and it can be easily reduced by 2 times, without losing its meaning. This is especially important to understand during the development of wireframes, when unwanted free spaces may appear.

These spaces may look clumsy, so, like in this example, we need to shorten the long text to align the left and right columns. To do this effectively, we can change the wording, replace long words with shorter ones, and remove insignificant fragments.

Principle #5. Simplify the readability of the text

In simple terms, text readability (or readability index) is a quantitative indicator that shows how many classes of education a person needs to fully understand the text. For example, if the index is 6, then a person needs 6 classes of education. If the index is 19, then the person must have an advanced degree, etc. There are several formulas that are used to measure this parameter. For example, Gunning FOG Formula, Flesh-Kincaid Grade level, the SMOG index and many others.

Regardless of what formula you use to evaluate the readability (there are a lot of paid and free services on the Internet to check the text), it is advisable to make sure that the readability level is no more than eight (the lower the better). In this case, it will be understandable to at least 80% of average readers.

The two main factors that affect the readability index are word length and sentence length. By playing with these two parameters, you can quickly make text more readable.

Principle #6. Check spelling, stylistics and punctuation

The final editing principle is to check the text for spelling, punctuation and stylistic errors. This can be done either on your own, or with the help of special programs and services, or by hiring a stylistic editor.

Grammatical errors can spoil the impression of the audience, so it is advisable to correct them, if possible, during the final proofreading.

Practical task on text editing

Now it’s time to practice. I have prepared a short text for you (see the link). Your task is to edit it using the six principles learned today.

1. Find and fix the inconsistency with common sense
2. Replace abstractions with specifics
3. Make the rhythm more dynamic
4. Reduce the volume by 2 times without losing meaning
5. Achieve a readability index of no more than 8
6. Fix grammar mistakes

Here’s the link to the answer to this task (if you need). You will succeed! Take care of yourself, subscribe and see you in the next lesson!

Best regards, Dan

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