Today I wanted to give you a glimpse into my editing process. From first draft, to final copy, the task of editing is thorough. A good edit can take a mumble-jumble of words and edit them into a clear, refined message.

My example today is a short email I wrote to my boss recently. You might think my first draft is fine, but a skilled editor is able to recognise unnecessary words, but still get the message across.

Here’s the final edited email that I sent:

Dear Mr Kensington,

Sorry for nothing.

Bradley

Short, sweet, it gets the message across. Very different from my long and drawn out first draft:

Dear Mr Kensington,

This is Bradley. On Friday you put me in charge off checking the blending machines in the kitchen and place them on the table for party guest to make there own drink with.

I must inform you that I did not complete my task. I did not check each blender on Staturday afternoon before placing them on the table. This was unnaceptable of me. Because I failed to complete my simple task no one knew that all the blender would start blending guests hand in there search for blood.

I’m very sorry for this and hope that both your hands recover before your Hall of Fame induction tomorrow.

Sincerly,

Bradley

This needed editing, not just the spelling and grammar errors, but it was also way too long. So I got rid of some of the fluff in my first edit:

Dear Mr Kensington,

I was in charge of checking the blending machines and setting them out.

I did not complete my task, I did not check each blender. Because I failed to complete my task guests suffered.

I’m sorry and hope that both your hands recover quickly.

Sincerely,

Bradley

That edit was very good, it cut down the length and mistakes. But I still felt more could be done:

Dear Mr Kensington,

I’m sorry.

I was in charge of checking the blending machines, I did not. Because I failed to complete my task guests suffered.

Sincerely,

Bradley

At this stage I was prepared to hit send, but I knew Mr Kensington was in intensive care and wouldn’t be up to much reading, so I shortened it further for his benefit:

Dear Mr Kensington,

Sorry for nothing.

Bradley

Now you have a very basic idea of editing out unnecessary words and still maintaining a comprehendible message.