Copywriting for Non-Copywriters: Tracking Copy Revisions

There's an old saying that writing is rewriting. It's true. Nobody gets it perfect the first time round. But how do you deal with tracking all the copy revisions that go along with rewriting? The "Track Changes" feature!

WHY TRACK COPY REVISIONS?
Picture this. Your boss asks you to write up a little piece for the company newsletter. "Nothing fancy," he says with a wave of his hand. So, you whip something up and hand it in expecting that to be the end of it. Except it isn't.

Your boss sends the file back to you with "a few minor changes" he made for you to "consider" (that's code for "things you'd better change"). Great. Now you'll have to wade through the text to find and proof his revisions. But wouldn't it be great if you could easily see exactly what he changed and where?

USING MICROSOFT WORD'S "TRACK CHANGES" FEATURE
Well, if you're using Microsoft WORD, there is a quick and easy way to track those inevitable copy revisions. It's called Track Changes, and here's how it works.

Before you send out a document that somebody might make revisions to:

1. In WORD, go to TOOLS > TRACK CHANGES > HIGHLIGHT CHANGES.
    
2. Make sure "Track changes while editing" is selected.
    
3. Save the file.
    
4. Warn everyone you give the file to. Something like this should work: "NOTE: I've saved this document to track the revisions you make to it. Simply type your changes, additions, and/or comments anywhere in the text, then save the file. Thanks for your help."

WHAT THE REVISED PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE

• When you get the file back, if any text has been changed, the original text will appear in red with a line through it, followed by the new version of text.
   
• If any text has been deleted, the original text will appear in red with a line through it.
   
• If any text was simply added, as in the case of a comment, the added text will appear in red.

And if red text brings back too many painful memories of your grade school papers all marked up by your grammar-crazed teacher, you can set the revision color to green, or blue, or whatever you like, allowing you to focus on what really matters: that rewrite you have to do.

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Copyright © Grant Pasay 2006. All rights reserved. You may forward this article in its entirety (including author bio/links) to anyone you wish.

Grant Pasay is a professional website copywriter, advertising copywriter, SEO copywriter, and author of the FREE eBook, "The Internet Is Like A Refrigerator."

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