-Before You hit The ‘Publish’ Button

 Here’s a checklist to use before you hit the ‘Publish’ button and send your new post permanently into the blogosphere:

1. Read the post over several times.

2. Check spelling.

3. Check the words used- do they best communicate and illustrate what you want to say?

4. Come up with an interesting and relevant title.

 

(Image by iStylr via Flickr)

5. Does your first paragraph adequately and interestingly draw attention to the issue addressed?

6. Does your last paragraph summarize and adequately conclude the post?

7. Provide links to sources and check them out.

8. Add links to any of your past articles that are relevant.

9. Choose and add relevant 'key words,' tags, and Categories.

10. Search for and add a good image to the post.

Response: Inadequate editing can really affect your credibility. Careless mistakes and missing or broken links leave a bad impression with your readers. In fact poor spelling, language, and word choice can actually detract from the message itself.

One good idea is to have blogging friends or family members check out your posts and be honest. Many times another set of eyes will see stuff that you may have missed.

How many times have you discovered typos and missing or misused words in posts that you have already published? It still happens to me. However, it doesn’t happen nearly as often as it use to since I have developed this pre-publication checklist.

For some reason I always seem to see the mistakes better after it is published. I have made considerable progress in this area by using the ‘previewing’ feature in my editor and seeing what the published post will actually look like before I touch the print button.

Now here is #11 on my check list:

11. Print and then check it again and make 'panic' changes. 

Remember, it isn't over tell it's over--changes can always be made even after it is printed.