“Online readers have the attention span of a caffeinated goldfish. Every sentence must earn its spot. If it’s fluff, cut it. If it’s gold, polish it. There is no in-between.”
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
Editing for the web is different from editing a novel. Online readers scan. They skim. They bounce if you don’t hook them in the first three seconds. Your editing needs to account for this brutally short attention span.
The Blog Editing Checklist
| Edit Pass | What to Look For |
| 1. Hook | Does the first sentence grab attention? If not, rewrite it. |
| 2. Structure | Are there headers, subheaders, and short paragraphs? Walls of text = reader exit. |
| 3. Value | Does every section give the reader something useful? Cut anything that doesn’t. |
| 4. Length | Is it as short as it can be while still being complete? Shorter is almost always better. |
| 5. CTA | Does it end with a clear call to action? Tell the reader what to do next. |
Online Writing Editing Rules
- Cut your word count by 20% after the first draft. Online writing should be lean. If a word isn’t working, it’s freeloading.
- Front-load the value. Don’t save the best stuff for the end. Put it at the top.
- Use subheaders as a roadmap. Readers should be able to understand your article just by reading the subheaders.
- Read on mobile. Most readers are on phones. Check how your content looks on a small screen.
- Get a second pair of eyes. Even bloggers need editors. Fresh eyes catch what yours miss.
Your Move, Creative
Take your latest blog post and cut 20% of the words. Don’t add anything—just cut. Notice how much sharper it becomes. That’s the editing muscle.
Stop letting your stories stay stuck.
