The traffic light technique is one of my favs, not for avoiding traffic but for editing texts like a boss.

I first read about this method at CopyBlogger and I have been using it religiously ever since.

Here are the steps:

1. Write your copy.

2. Start reading aloud and marking the sentences in three colors. If you are happy with how your sentence sounds, looks, and communicates your message - paint it green. If you doubt some words, a particular comma or structure - color it yellow. If your eyebrows are frowning - throw the sentence in red with no hesitation. 

3. Start re-writing the yellow and red pieces.

4. Pat yourself on the shoulder when the whole text is green.

Editing is an essential part of any writing process. Ask someone to proof-read/edit your copy. Preferably, hire a pro. We, copywriters & editors, are trained for noticing tiniest mistakes, putting commas in place, and dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. But if you can’t get a professional to look through your text, ask a friend, your mom, or anyone who’s good with language. You will be amazed at the results! Your copy will be as delicious as your birthday cake. Now, off you go traffic light-ing your text.

To err is human to edit is divine. This Grammarly motto says it all. Editing and proof-reading shouldn't be taken lightly. 

Here are some of my tips on how to get better with these uneasy tasks.

• Get your text to be proof-read by someone else, preferably a professional. The thing is that when you read your piece of writing, you know what you wanted to convey. And it all sounds very good and logical to YOU. But will it sound the same to another person? A critical eye can catch unwanted typos, repetitions, missed commas, and wrongly used words. A professional can give your copy a polish making it look, read and sound nice and smooth. If you can't afford a copywriter proof-reading/ editing your piece, ask a friend, colleague, or your mom. My mom's been a faithful checker of mine and my brother's texts for years. 
• Let your writing rest a night. Go back to it the next day and read thoroughly. You'll be amazed how effective this good-night-sleep is for you and your copy.
• Read it out loud. It'll make a world of difference. You'll hear the awkward words if there are any. And your voice will stop on the 'bumps' automatically, indicating that some changes are required. 
• Read your text backward, starting with the last sentence. Read it out loud. When you start from the back, you break the logical sequence of your narration. So, your brain will focus not on the message you send but on the mistakes and typos. 
• Check the tenses. Often, I see pieces of text where tenses are mixed with no logic or necessity. Such texts are hard to read and comprehend. 
• Check how you use 'it', 'this' and' that.' Also, pay attention to how you refer to people and entities. If you are talking about a third person, let's say a woman, will you refer to her as Ms or Mrs + surname? Or will you call her by name? When you are talking about a company, will you use 'it' or 'we'? Make sure it's all the same throughout your complete copy. 
• Check repetitions. Repetition is a powerful copywriting tool that can draw the reader's attention, stress the message, and persuade. But repetition should be used cautiously and savvy. Otherwise, it does nothing but bored the hell out of your reader.
• Check descriptions. Description lists are tricky, too. "It was a beautiful, colorful, wonderful painting" - of course, 'beautiful' and 'wonderful' are different words with different connotations. But essentially, in this sentence, both words mean the same - a pretty painting. Skip one of the two. 
• Don't forget about punctuation. I approach punctuation as setting the table for dinner. You can cook a fabulous dinner, but it'll taste less delicious if you eat it from a plastic plate. But when you set your table and serve that dinner on chic plates with a glass of wine - boy, will that meal taste divine! 

Proof-reading and editing are the most difficult parts of any writing. Especially if you're to proof-read/ edit someone else's work. I spend less time writing a copy from scratch. But I do love proof-reading/editing. It's a joy to see how tangled sentences and messy paragraphs get structured, ordered, and obtain the flow and elegance. 

Don't shy away from these tasks. The more you edit, the better you become. 

Comment below if you like editing or hate it.