Pass 1: Purpose
Write the main job of the piece in one sentence. Mark anything that pulls the reader away from it.
Try this: I want the reader to understand, feel, or do ___.
Pass 2: Structure
Label each paragraph or scene with a few words. Read the labels and move sections until the order makes sense.
Try this: Does each section prepare the reader for the next one?
Pass 3: Support
Check the claims, examples, quotations, and key moments. Add missing context and remove repetition.
Try this: Where might a reader ask: How do you know? What happened next?
Pass 4: Clarity
Read one paragraph at a time. Split crowded sentences and replace vague words or references.
Try this: What do words such as this, it, they, or that refer to?
Pass 5: Proofreading
Read aloud or change the font to see the text differently. Check spelling, punctuation, citations, names, and formatting last.
Try this: Use the assignment requirements as your final checklist.
Adapt these steps as needed. You can change the order, repeat a step, or work through the guide with someone else.