Top 9 Online Tools That Are Vital for Blog Editors
Content is king. And for bloggers putting out posts daily or at least several times a week, it’s crucial to maintain a consistent schedule of getting their content out in order to satisfy their current audience while at the same time drawing in new visitors. However, you can’t just throw out content simply to get it out there. Your audience has quality expectations, and if you start posting a lot of sloppy articles you could be in for a nasty reader revolt.
Additionally, if you find that your otherwise information packed posts aren’t winning over a new crowd, you might want to consider that it’s not the actual content you’re offering, but your style of editing that’s turning readers off. Look at editing as the tiebreaker that can set your site apart from your competitors, the better it is, the more attractive your content will be to those considering your site.
Here are 9 editing tools that will make your content more appealing:
Inserting clichés into your work is an effective way to speed up the writing process and get your posts out on time. However, readers can get tired of seeing them and if you want to separate yourself from the pack, you might want to reduce or eliminate them. Cliché Finder is an editing tool that allows you to spot and knock the clichés out of your writing. It’s an automated tool that examines your content and points out those eye-rolling clichés that your work would be more enjoyable without.
2) StayFocused
It’s funny how the big brick wall of procrastination often crashes down just as it’s time to start editing. You’ve been punching out your article with no problem, but all of a sudden you have an uncontrollable need to watch a YouTube video, check your Twitter account or see what’s shaking on Facebook. This is an absolute production killer that badly needs to be avoided. Fortunately, StayFocused can keep you locked on to your work. By blocking those entertaining/time-killing websites, this app will force you to stay on schedule, helping to ensure that your posts get the editing they need.
3) Word Counter
Not nearly as simplistic as the name sounds, Word Counter not just counts your words, but also lets you know when you’ve used certain words excessively. On top of that, this tool will dig into further details regarding your writing such as breaking down the number of characters you’ve written and displaying
4) Byword 2
A text editing tool that’s available for iPad, iPhone and Mac, Byword 2 offers keyboard shortcuts and features that will allow you to create and edit your work efficiently and effectively. Syncing your documents to all of your devices, Byword 2’s Markdown support lets you review your work within the app before sending it to you in either RTF, PDF or HTML, or if you’d like, you can publish it from the app straight to your website.
5) EditMinion
EditMinion’s site might appear retro, but it’s as an editing tool it’s cutting edge. All you have to do is past your latest work into the box provided and EditMinion will generate a report that breaks down your post by showing you the weakest elements of your work. Also, don’t be concerned that EditMinion is automated, it’s quite good at identifying the errors that writers frequently make.
While automated tools are good for a quick patchwork fix for your articles, you need actual editing assistance to perfect your content.
7) SynchroEdit
For those of us that work better in a team, SynchroEdit provides the ability to write and edit collaboratively with one of your friends or even another blogger. SynchroEdit not only lets you blog and edit in a way that gives your another person’s fresh viewpoint, it also allows the two of you to break the time-lapse barrier and work on the same document at the same time.
Like your own personal editing robot, After the Deadline uses artificial intelligence combined with natural language technology to analyze and improve the various elements of your work. This tool will even identify misused words, offer alternate options, and tell you why it recommends making the change.
A one-stop-shop for editing, ProWritingAid provides you with all the editing tools you could need. Features of ProWritingAid include a plagiarism checker, an online grammar and spelling checker, the ability to improve your work’s paragraph structure and readability, knock out redundant phrases and clichés and identify overused terms and words. Best of all, ProWritingAid doesn’t even ask you to sign up in order to receive a free analysis of your work.
Conclusion
Even though adhering to a strict blogging schedule can feel demanding, the last thing you want to do is rush content out at the expense of quality. And while editing can be a bit of a grueling task, the tools I’ve listed above should not only make your editing more