Editing
Stop Swimming Aimlessly in the Sea of Syntax
How to edit your writing to match your intent
One of the problems I often see in writing is a lack of intent. It’s often not clear why the writer is writing. To convince? To promote understanding? To motivate the reader to action? To inspire? To promote empathy? To entertain?
Words are the tools with which you express your intent, and syntax is how you arrange the words to meet your intent.
Boundaries and intent are inherently tied together. If you think about any form of technology, it exists within a boundary, and you bring your intent to the interactions within that boundary. Writing works in a similar way.
A word creates a boundary. A sentence — a collection of words — creates a boundary. A paragraph is a boundary. A document is a boundary. I estimate that 90% of the problems in poor writing relate to the writer’s ability to bring intent to these simple boundaries. It’s like they’re swimming in a sea of syntax with no clear direction.
Letting yourself linger in the ocean waves is great on a hot summer day, but readers are looking for cohesion and clarity. They expect you to take them to a destination — perhaps a rock or a buoy in the distance.
When it comes to syntax, each word contributes to the effect of the sentence. Each punctuation mark guides the reader through the sentence. Each sentence contributes to the overall idea of the paragraph. Each paragraph contributes to the intent of the document.
Paying attention to syntax in your editing process allows you to deliver the cohesion and clarity that readers crave. Even the most experienced writers (including me) edit as they write.
If you’re not used to doing this, it’s never too late to get started. With some self-editing practice, you’ll be able to write in a way that leads readers to your intended outcome — whether that’s understanding, action, inspiration, or empathy. But first, let’s get clear on the intent.
Define your intent
For every piece you write, write a statement of intent. It doesn’t have to be part of the piece. Rather, it serves as a guide for you as you write.
You can use the template shown below for any piece of writing, whether it’s an important email, a blog article, or a long document.
I am writing this piece about ___(topic)____ because I want __(group of people)___ to ___(your intent)___.
Here’s my intent for this article:
I am writing this piece about syntax and self-editing because I want writers to write more effective content that readers love.
Once you know your intent, it will be easier to edit your piece.
A simple self-editing technique
Hit return at the end of every sentence. (This practice was adapted from the book Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg). As you look at your list of sentences, ask,
- Is each sentence clear on its own? Are the words varied? Can I eliminate jargon, cliches, and unnecessary adverbs?
- Does the sentence contribute to the overall intent of the piece?
- Are there any ideas that are repeated, even if they are written in different words?
- Are the sentences grouped together in a way so that each idea builds upon the previous one?
- What can be eliminated, reordered, or regrouped to better meet the intent of the document?
- Would section headings help guide the reader toward what you want them to do? (this is particularly important for writing that is consumed on the web, as readers habitually skim headings)
After you do this, put your sentences back together in paragraphs, under section headings if appropriate. It is a tedious process, but if you do this with several different pieces, you will find that you’ll naturally write with more clarity and successfully communicate your intent to readers.
When I edited this article with this method, I found that several sentences repeated ideas and a better order for the content. Try it out — and let me know if I have succeeded in meeting my intention for this article!
Lee Prescott is the author of The Art of the Ebook: A Guide to Writing Long-Form Content that Matters.
