EFFECTIVE EDITING

The aim of editing is to make your first draft easier to read.

The words on the page should never get in the way of your meaning. The reader should never have to stop at any point and wonder what you are saying.

Language is like a window through which your reader can see what you mean. Editing is like polishing the window. It usually means taking away the words that you don't need. You should be aiming to make your language transparently clear.