Entrepreneurs wear many hats so they often write and edit everything of their own, from proposals to press releases. Below are the top ten questions I ask myself when I edit and proofread my own work.

Editing Checklist

Approximately how many errors do I expect
to find per page? (Knowing the density of errors common to the writer, even when
you are the writer makes you a more successful editor.)

Have I checked numbers, capitalization,
names of people and organizations, hyphens, punctuation, often-confused-words,
and difficult-to-spell words?

Have I reworked the sentences in the text
during which I hesitated or stumbled when I read the piece
aloud?

Is there any block of text that I can cut
without sacrificing meaning? On the sentence level, are there words I can cut
that do not add meaning?

Are there blocks of text or sentences that
would benefit from further explanation or clarification? If so, consider writing
one additional sentence.

Are there words I want to reconsider
because they lack precision, or because they are either too formal or too
informal?

What sentence most clearly and succinctly
captures the core of my message? Knowing where the heart of your meaning appears
allows you to consider its placement.

Which sentence in this piece would make the
best beginning? The best closing?

Are there any long sentences that would
read better as two?

Are there any ideas expressed in several
sentences that could be delivered in just one?