How often does your writing fall flat?
Here’s the truth: it’s not because you’re bad at writing. The secret I’ve realised is this: most people are rubbish at editing.
As a portrait photographer in the beautiful Surrey Hills, I spend a lot of time writing. I write everything from blog posts and social media updates to the captions that accompany my images and emails to clients.
Over the years, including as the author and co-author of several books, I’ve learned that editing is where the magic happens. Here’s why.
Writing is just the beginning.
When you first write something, it’s only ever the jumping-off point.
The first draft is a lot like capturing a raw image with my camera. It might (hopefully) have potential, but it’s not ready to share yet.
Editing written copy is similar to editing a raw photo—adjusting the lighting, cropping, and colour mix.
Similarly, your initial draft needs to be honed, refined, and gently polished through editing.
Tools like ChatGPT are brilliant for generating ideas and even for creating rough drafts, but they are far from perfect.
The real work comes after the generative AI has spewed a first draft onto the screen.
If you rely solely or too heavily on these tools without putting a significant amount of effort into editing, you will end up publishing generic, uninspiring nonsense.
Effective writing needs a human touch to add personality, clarity, and nuance.
Editing is about correction and improvement.
Run your copy through a tool like Grammarly to pick up the silly grammatical and spelling mistakes. Read it twice, (and read it backwards, a sentence at a time) to spot those silly mistakes.
Editing proper is about improving structure, flow and reader engagement.
Every piece of writing can be improved, and if that means going through one, two, or even three rounds of revision, that’s great.
Each edit should focus on a different goal – clarity, detail, and polish.
Back to everyone’s favourite brainless robot, ChatGPT.
Before you ask it to spew out written content, spend time thinking about your prompts. Clear, detailed prompts always lead to better initial drafts.
If you skip past this ‘pre-editing’ stage, you will have more work to complete later.
Thorough preparation saves time and effort in the long run and results in more compelling content.
Everyone can improve their writing through editing.
Even as a photographer, I appreciate the power of editing copy.
Whether it’s a blog post about a recent client shoot, a social media update, or an email to a prospect, spending time on editing always pays off.
Good writing (and editing) isn’t just for professional writers; it’s a skill for everyone.
Next time you write something, don’t settle for the first draft. Invest a little more time in the editing process.
Take your writing through multiple rounds of revision. Focus on clarity, detail and polish.
Remember, editing transforms your writing from good to great. Or, if you use ChatGPT, from awful to acceptable.
Get in touch if you need a fresh perspective on your content or want to chat about photography and writing.
I would love to help you make your words as stunning as your photographs.
