How to edit any piece

Originally published on The Pastry Box January 3 2015.

  1. Figure out what the point you’re trying to make is.
  2. Relentlessly evaluate every word and every sentence until it supports this point for this audience at this time.
  3. Stop when it’s good enough.

Notes:

  • #1 takes 90% of the time.
  • #2 takes the other 90% of the time and usually requires redoing #1 multiple times.
  • If you figure out how to do #3 reliably, please tell the rest of us the secret.