We ask for second opinions all the time. From confirming a medical diagnosis to figuring out what’s missing from our latest culinary creation, second opinions can give us the confidence we’re on the right track — or help us reset if we’ve gotten off-course.

Writing is no different. Although it’s often thought of as a solitary pursuit, at Ascribe, we think writing is better served by a team-based approach. Every piece we write goes through a rigorous editorial review process, at multiple points in the development process. So while our clients might assume the first draft they receive from us is the first draft written, the reality is that it’s already been through a few rounds of internal revisions between the writer and the editorial reviewer to polish it and tighten it up, making sure it delivers the messaging, positioning, tone and style the client is looking for.

An editorial reviewer provides a vital second opinion on:

Grammatical errors: Of course our spelling is solid and we know our grammar rules, but mistakes happen to the best of us. Our brains gloss over a lot when reading something familiar, so typos, dropped words and misplaced punctuation can easily slip by when we try to proofread our own work. A second set of eyes is more likely to catch those technical errors.

What to cut: When one person has written a great blog post but it’s about 500 words too long (because there was just so much good stuff to include), it’s much easier for someone else to objectively determine what’s important and necessary, and what’s not — and make suggestions for some major trimming.

Troublesome phrasing: Sometimes there’s a better way to say something, but after wrestling with a piece of text for hours, it can be hard to see the rough patches. Someone coming at it with a fresh perspective can more easily spot something that sounds a bit awkward or isn’t as clear as it could be.

Sometimes an editorial reviewer can even help before the writing happens. Touching base with the reviewer can make sure the project scope is clear, resolve any ambiguities in the client brief or get everyone on the same page about the best way to structure a particular section — and that means less revision later.

In short, an editorial reviewer helps make great writing even better. To find out how our team approach to content development can help you reach your communications goals, contact us today .