Writing Book 5 · Lesson 34

Explanatory — Edit and publish

Editing checks a short list of things the class has actually been taught.

What it is

Editing is the last pass and the narrowest: spelling, capitals, punctuation, and the grammar you have actually been taught. You are not allowed to be corrected on grammar you have not met — the checklist on your sheet lists only what this grade has covered. Publishing means the copy someone else reads, which is why it is worth the extra pass.

Watch it built

1
Read your draft backwards, last sentence first. It stops you reading what you meant instead of what you wrote.
(one sentence at a time)
2
Take one item from the checklist and check ONLY that, all the way through.
capitals at the start of every sentence — then start again for periods
3
Write or type the clean copy. Nothing gets fixed at this stage — anything still wrong goes back a step.
the published copy
Remember
One checklist item at a time, all the way through, then the next.
Ask yourself: “Have I checked the list — and only the list?”

Remember

Check the list, and only the list.

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