Editing systematically

Edit on three levels and in this order.

• Construct effective paragraphs
• Improve long and complicated sentences
• Choose words carefully

In this way, you edit the largest units of meaning in your text first. Problems at the sentence and word level will tend to disappear as you edit paragraphs; other problems at the word level will fall away as you edit sentences. Editing systematically means that you get maximum benefit for minimum effort.