Editing

Revising

For me it may very well be one of the most enjoyable things about writing. For much of what I have worked on over the years, I’ve insisted on working the majority of any edits on my own. Mainly due to my own stubborn attitude and drive to make everything the best it possibly could be. A few weeks ago I managed to finally let go of some of that curmudgeonly approach. The bio on my site needed some serious work. It was too wordy and broad. It lacked overall focus and direction. During one of my shop talk messaging sessions with my colleague Sarah Fader, we ended up talking about bios and the challenge of describing yourself to the world. Most of us in this business can agree that selling yourself may be one of the biggest challenges of all. Even if you have a very outgoing personality, self-sales requires a great deal of work.

Somehow we talked about my website bio. Sarah offered to do a re-write. She obviously saw the same things I was starting to see. Without hesitation, I agreed. When we exchanged the draft I received a knockout punch that was clearly needed. When I say knockout punch I mean this in a good way. Think of it as sparring in a boxing ring at the gym with someone you trust. They hit you off your feet with a great jab then immediately reach down to pull you back to your feet and ensure you are okay. That was what this felt like. She didn’t need to rewrite the whole thing. She took the existing info and cut it down to almost half the page it once was. The “About The Author” section on my site now looks easier to read. The previous version really looked like the start of a long and winded short story.

Consider your own bio on your website. Or your social media feeds. Do they tell the story that you want people to read? Talking about yourself in a clear and concise way can be difficult. Consider hiring a second set of eyes to edit and revise your story. That second brain may see something in your story which could instantly appeal to potentially positive professional opportunities.

@WriterDann