Anyone writing copy at any level needs to have their composition edited for clarity, grammar, and punctuation.

The writer knows what they want to say, but did they?

Is the meaning clear to the reader?

Is the copy bringing home the point?

Will the reader be bored?

Will the reader get the point and understand the writer’s, point of view?

Is the information written in a logical manner?

Is the copy written for the correct audience?

Will the reader need a lexicon to understand any jargon or legalize in the copy?

Is the copy written for the lowest dividend reader while not insulting their intelligence?

All copy written must answer the above questions at a minimum to be effective in imparting information or education about the context of the copy.

Any copy with poor grammar and punctuation will turn the reader off and they will not be willing to continue to the end of the copy until the end.

This is also true of readers trying to read any article, book, proposal, or report created and not edited and proofread by someone other than the author.

Who will take something serious when the author has blatant errors?

Authors know what they want to say and the mind will fill in the blanks with the right word, which may not be the right word but spell checkers can only tell if the author spelled it right or corrected the spelling but not if it is the right word and consistent with the tense and the correct verb.

This is the job of an editor. To make sure that there are no mistakes and there is clarity in the sentences without changing the author’s meaning.

A second pair of qualified eyes to look over the copy and make any changes so there is clarity and ease of reading of the finished product from the author.

Robert Medak

Freelance Writer, Blogger, Copy Editor, Proofreader, and Reviewer