'Everybody Needs an Editor': Expert Tips to Instantly Improve Your Writing

In a time when technology seems to be streamlining everything from how we order food to researching complicated subjects, it might not seem important to sharpen your communication skills. Rapid-fire texts and emails may fill our inboxes and screens, but whatever the medium of written communication, don’t discount the impact of a concise, well-crafted message.

Understanding the importance of proper punctuation, grammar, and tone can make the difference between a bad presentation and a business’s success. A well-written grant application can mean extra money in a nonprofit’s bank account to help better fulfill its mission and serve the community. Everyone, including professional writers, struggles to find the correct tone for a sympathy or thank-you note, letter of complaint, recommendation, wedding toast, or email to colleagues.

It’s not too late to sharpen your writing — and it doesn’t have to be a drag, thanks to a new book, Everybody Needs an Editor: The Essential Guide to Clear and Effective Writing. Written by three journalism and public relations pros, the simple, informative, and witty communication guide is packed with easily digestible, actionable tips that will instantly elevate your writing — and make you laugh too.

Authors Melissa Harris, CEO of M. Harris & Co., a Chicago-based marketing agency; Jenn Bane, an author, producer, and creative director of M. Harris & Co; and Mark Jacob, a former Chicago Tribune editor who helped writer Mary Schmich win a Pulitzer Prize for commentary, bring to the guide a wealth of expertise and experience — along with a sense of humor — to help writers of all abilities clarify their message.

“‘Everybody Needs an Editor’ is so important because it addresses editing fundamentals applied to multiple disciplines,” says Mike Reilley, a senior lecturer in data and digital journalism at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Reilley, who teaches communication students the art and science of editing, applauds the book’s lighthearted approach.

“The book’s tone and sense of humor are refreshing, as many editing and grammar books are as dry as the Nevada desert,” Reilley says. “A little snark can go a long, long way when parsing sentences.”

Here are a few tips from the authors to get you started. But, to really up your writing game, we highly recommend checking out the full book.

Don’t Trust or Rely on AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has exploded in popularity as a writing tool — or crutch — depending on how you use it. As Harris mentions in the book’s introduction, many people will turn to AI as a quick way to produce clean writing. But, beware, she says — AI loves cliches (a big no-no) and hates fact checking. In the book’s section on Artificial Intelligence, the authors suggest using it much like spell-check, and avoiding it for certain types of writing like personal essays or eulogies.

The authors recognize that social media is “much like a playground of screaming children and hard to get a word in.” They also include tips specific to particular platforms, such as LinkedIn, which the authors say is the most professional of major social media platforms, referring to it as “the conference room of the Internet.”

When writing for any social media platform, they advise you to:

Know your intent.
Invite comments and conversations.
Make your posts easy to read — no large blocks of texts.
Know your voice — playful? bold? optimistic? — and keep it consistent.

Email Dos and Don’ts

When emailing coworkers, don’t include anything you would not want posted publicly or forwarded to your mom.
Do avoid long paragraphs.
Do consolidate emails.
Don’t ask for a raise.
Don’t quit over email.

Readers will get advice on writing a goodbye to a colleague, delivering sad news, providing constructive feedback, and adding warmth to email correspondence.

There are also tips on speechwriting, and simple public relations suggestions, such as, “Don’t announce your announcement.”

Tips for Better Writing in Your Personal Life

From letters of sympathy and thank-you notes to complaint emails, the authors emphasize that how you communicate in your personal life is equally important.

Write with personality without being dramatic.
When writing a complaint, open with a calm and measured introductory sentence, include accurate dates and details, and stay short and to the point. “Be a grownup. No tantrums.”
Guests rarely remember a wedding toast gone bad — “unless, of course, you say something really stupid.” If you’re planning to drink, do it after you deliver the toast — and consult the book for hints on how to write it without embarrassing anyone.

General Writing Tips

The authors also share a wide range of general writing tips. Here’s a taste of the advice they cover in greater detail in the book.

Be concise. “Humans have terrible reading comprehension. Every time you slice a long sentence, you are doing your readers a favor.”
Avoid overusing the same words and don’t hesitate to consult a thesaurus for extra help. “This is not cheating, it’s what professionals do.”
Avoid USING ALL CAPS, especially in an email subject line, as this is the equivalent of yelling at the recipient.
Cut “wimpy words,” like “really” and “very.”
Avoid turning nouns into verbs — the authors tell you how.
Be aware of words to avoid, like “apparently.”
Watch out for “blob words” (unnecessary words)
Avoid clichés, like “at the end of the day.” They just clutter up your writing.
Know when to use a dash vs. a hyphen.

“It’s important for students to learn editing from both a macro and micro approach, and this book effortlessly achieves both,” says Reilley, who is also the author of “Data + Journalism” and “The Journalist’s Toolbox: A Guide to Digital Reporting and AI.”

He advises his students on how to edit their bosses without getting fired, and says it is important for them to justify their editing choices.

“’Everybody Needs an Editor’ will back them up when their bosses ask why they made a change,” Reilley says. “Beyond the classroom, I also see the book sitting on the desks in PR firms, corporate communication offices, and, of course, newsrooms around the world. Because everybody needs an editor — even your boss.”

How to Help:

Consider supporting your local, independent bookstore any time you purchase a book. To find one near you, search the American Booksellers Association (ABA) member directory. Founded in 1900, ABA is a national not-for-profit trade organization that supports the success of independent bookstores.

More From Better:

Susan Berger is a freelance journalist in Chicago and has written for the Washington Post, New York Times and Chicago Tribune. She was a 2021 CDC Fellow through the Association of Health Journalists, a National Press Foundation Fellow in 2019 to study vaccines and dementia. She also has written for Health Magazine, National Post, Agence France-Presse, and CBC and Better Magazine. Ms. Berger has appeared on the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, BBC World News, CNN, WGN-TV, WTTW-TV and on CBC Radio. Her work can be viewed at www.bergerreport.com and you can follow her on Twitter @Msjournalist

‘Everybody Needs an Editor’: Expert Tips to Instantly Improve Your Writing