Editing is more than just correcting spelling and grammar mistakes. Our editors also look at how your post is formatted to make it more engaging and easy to scan. They look at the post’s metadata (games, platforms, tags, and more) so it will perform better in search engines and more people can find it. Here are some common things our editors do in addition to reading through your post for spelling and grammar mistakes.
Formatting changes
Think about what you most commonly read on the web. I’m willing to bet that your eyes glaze over when you see long articles filled with long, dense paragraphs. Mine too. Our editors work on articles to make them more inviting to readers by adding:
- headings
- italicized game names and other titles
- links to related articles and material
- bold phrases for emphasis
- and blockquotes for quoted material
The visual contrast these changes add can make your post more engaging and easier to read without a single word or punctuation being changed.
Adding metadata
Our editors also look at your post and edit the metadata (under Bonus Points) to help it appear in more appropriate places. If your post focuses on specific games or platforms for instance, they’ll add those so your post will show up in those related sections (and for people who follow those sections). They’ll also add or tweak your header media, skinny, and source to make your post more compelling and engaging.
Think of it like a library. A small part of our editors’ job is to serve as a librarian, placing your post in just the right place so it can be found by anyone looking for it. The post metadata is one of their tools for doing that.
Have questions about what changed?
If you ever have questions about the changes an editor makes, feel free to ask through the Editor’s notes tab. They’re more than happy to help and give you pointers to crafting better posts.
Header image courtesy: Steve Hankins
Published: Jul 9, 2013 01:47 pm