If you saw my standardized test scores from high school, you’d notice something odd: very high in math, very low in verbal. Not exactly the profile you’d expect from someone who became one of the web’s most seasoned content editors.
It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world. Sort of.
Content needs to communicate quickly and clearly what an audience wants and needs. As it turns out, a math-leaning mind that processes information systematically, always asking “Does this compute? Does this follow? What’s the fastest path from problem to solution?”, is exactly the kind of mind that excels at editing.
The lesson? Your perceived weaknesses often contain your greatest strengths. You just haven’t found the right context for them yet.
An unlikely origin story for a content editor
Most of my English exams in high school weren’t graced with A grades. Not because I didn’t understand the material, because I read too slowly, too carefully, studying each word and analyzing how the writer could have presented the message more clearly. In other words, I was editing instead of test-taking. (It’s okay, sixteen-year-old Stefanie. The future has plans for you.)
My poor scores could have convinced me that language and reading comprehension were weaknesses to avoid. Instead, I turned my unconventional reading style into a career, which is precisely what content editors do with content. They take raw material and transform it into something that communicates better than the writer could have achieved alone.
Welcome to the Editor Age
Seth Godin, in an interview with Contently’s The Content Strategist, was asked how he’d build a brand media property. His answer cut straight to the bone:
“You need editors, not brand managers, who will push the envelope to make the thing go forward.”
Brands often play it safe. They optimize for inoffensive instead of interesting. But safe content is invisible content, and invisible content doesn’t build audiences.
Content editors produce enjoyable experiences
“Enjoyable content” sounds almost quaint, doesn’t it? Less serious than “effective content” or “content that drives business results.”
But enjoyable content is a prerequisite for effective content. If nobody enjoys reading it, it doesn’t matter how strategically sound it is.
Consider a niche example: I enjoy painting, but I don’t always have time for canvas, so I frequently paint my nails. (Stay with me here.) Essie, one of my favorite nail polish brands, produces YouTube tutorials for nail art. Each concise video required focused vision and intentional refining, every frame, every angle, every word serving a purpose. The instructive lessons don’t just teach; they make you want to buy the products shown so you can try the looks yourself.
That’s enjoyable content. I watched a string of Essie tutorials while researching this article and now have a dangerous shopping list.
The 8-step content editor process
Being a content editor is about far more than catching typos. Here’s the full process professionals use, what I call the Editorial Depth Spiral, because each step builds on the one before, spiraling deeper into quality:
Step #1: Research
Content strategy begins here. Research is the foundation of captivating writing, it helps you stand out with unique ideas your audience won’t find elsewhere. Without it, you’re just rearranging other people’s thoughts.
Step #2: Prepare
I prefer preparing over planning because it allows flexibility. If you’re prepared, you can adapt when circumstances shift (and they always shift). Editors set their content schedules in advance, then adjust as reality demands.
Step #3: Write
Synthesize your research into a cohesive presentation: article, podcast, video, whatever the format demands. My favorite piece of writing advice will always be: “Don’t try to do too much.” First drafts are for letting ideas roam. But craft disciplines you to stay focused on the message that needs communicating.
Step #4: Delete
Remove repetitive and excessive content. Only essential information makes the final cut. Those Essie videos don’t distract viewers with statistics about how many people give themselves manicures each year, that data doesn’t serve the viewer or the tutorial.
Step #5: Push
Go beyond standard approaches. Think about how every element, background, pacing, tone, structure, serves the overall message. Push yourself to construct a complete experience, not merely a competent one.
Step #6: Refine
Once your content is complete, sharpen it. Is there a more succinct phrase? Does a point need more explanation? Anticipate concerns your audience might have while consuming your content, and address them proactively.
Step #7: Polish
Grammar and spelling lovers, rejoice. This is the step where you hunt for bad writing mistakes, large and small. Dedicate time to fact-checking (even if you think you already did). Hold every element to professional standards.
Step #8: Publish
You can’t make a positive impression on ideal prospects until you release what you’ve created. Confident content marketers have overcome the false security of perfectionism. They publish their best efforts and stay vigilant about improving next time.
The 5-point pre-publish blueprint
After standard editing and proofreading, run your content through these final five checks:
Check #1: Paragraphs
You’ve been working at the micro level, sentences, words, punctuation. Now zoom out. Are your paragraphs short and reader-friendly? In the best order? Do your points flow persuasively? These last-minute macro adjustments boost confidence before you hit publish.
Check #2: Sentences
Individually strong sentences might still create a weak paragraph. Is a certain word overused? Do multiple paragraphs begin with the same word? Is the language engaging and descriptive? Each sentence is an opportunity to give readers a reason to keep going.
Check #3: Grammar
You don’t always have to use proper grammar. (Quote me on that.) But any deviation from standard grammar, syntax, or spelling should be intentional, not accidental. Know the rules before you break them, and commit to your irreverence when you do.
Check #4: Punctuation
Punctuation helps readers comprehend your message effortlessly and enhances your writing voice. Two essential checks: stop at every mark to confirm its placement, and read your writing out loud to catch missing marks where your voice naturally pauses.
Check #5: Faux pas
I’ve saved the most critical check for last. Eliminate any phrase that could be misinterpreted as ignorant or hateful, even if you mean no harm. Showing respect in the first place is always more powerful than explanations or apologies after the fact. You can have a point of view without making a gaffe. Have one. Just don’t be careless with it.
When “good enough” is the real perfection
Here’s the paradox: wanting to do a good job makes you obsess over your work. Since it needs to be “perfect,” it never quite seems finished. Careful, thoughtful editors have to develop another skill entirely.
They have to learn to let go.
“Perfect” is a moving target. There will always be something you forgot to include. Your knowledge will keep growing. You’ll have more to say as time passes. “Good enough” isn’t settling, it’s the attainable goal that actually lets you start.
I say “this week’s version of perfect” because if you’re spending more than a week on a single piece of content, you’re likely stalling. And stalling prevents you from becoming a professional writer far more effectively than any typo ever could.
Publish. Attract the right people. Improve. Repeat.
The Editorial Depth Spiral doesn’t end, it spirals. Each cycle makes you sharper. Each published piece brings you closer to the audience that needs you. But they can’t find you until you let your work into the world.