You need to know how to evaluate your writing – you are judge, jury and executioner. This begins as you critically read through your first draft and start making changes. To do this successfully you need to let go of your precious writing and look at it from a distance, as a whole, as if you were someone else.
Evaluate your writing as a whole – content, structure and style. Read and reread your first draft many times using the following techniques:
- Leave your writing on the shelf for a while, overnight perhaps, and come back to it as if though you are another person
- Read your writing out loud so that you can hear any confusion, mistakes, logical errors or problems with tone
- Ask someone else to review it for you and make sure they are honest – this is the role of an editor
Content Evaluation
Carefully review the content to make sure it is in line with the subject matter, audience and purpose of the writing. Is some information unnecessary and have you done a good job of explaining certain terms and providing enough background information?
Organization Evaluation
Look carefully at the way you have ordered your paragraphs. Is your article in logical order? Does it make sense as it is? Do not be afraid to rearrange things for the sake of clarity and to improve the way the writing flows.
One idea needs to flow smoothly and logically into the next.
Style Evaluation
Look at the words and etails you have used – do they effectively convey the attitude and tone you want to set? Is the tone serious or light enough for your audience?
Remember to make it easy to read your writing – vary the sentences in terms of length and structure to avoid putting your readers to sleep.
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