by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Just like a carpet cleaner shouldn't leave behind too many spots, a good writer should have clean copy as well. Think of typos, grammar mistakes, and spelling errors as the spots on your virtual carpet. No one is perfect. But if you are going to write for a living, you need to make sure that your copy is as clean as possible.

Do you think someone is going to hire a carpet cleaner that leaves behind some spots or one that's known for getting out most or all stains? Web writing is the same. You are the expert and your finished product should demonstrate that.

More on this topic:

Clear Writing Makes for Easier Reading

Professional Article Writers: The Importance of Self Editing

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

Oh no! You're in the middle of an article and the site you're typing on crashes. Your hard work is now lost. Another site you had work published on is now nonexistent. But you didn't save a copy of your work on your computer. Back up your work to save yourself from scenarios like this.

Think these things rarely happen? Think again. This is one of the most common issues that new writers come to me with. Always write your work offline and always save it offline, preferably in more than one place. Even if you don't plan on publishing your work in other places you still need to have a backup copy for many reasons.

More web writing tips:

Web Writing Tips: Getting Started

10 Things Every Web Writer Should Know

Running a Freelance Content Business

Sometimes when proofing your own content, you might notice something is missing. Just by reading it back, you might not be able to grasp what that something is. Try acting out what you are trying to say for new perspective.

Drawing inspiration from real life is often a big part of writing. Acting out your message can pull that in even more than just using your thoughts and typing.

Is this different? Yes. And that's exactly what makes it work.