Mastering the Art of Revision and Editing
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Revision and
Editing
Are you a nibbler, a
scatter-gunner or a
craftsperson?
Revision: Part of the Plan
For most of us, making the transition from
a text that helps you to a text that helps
the reader takes multiple iterations.
It is nearly impossible to craft a reader-
ready first draft.
Learning some good principles of revision
and editing can be helpful; leaving too
little time to revise is not.
You
can
learn how to revise
Revision doesn’t come naturally
Think of it as a
craft
and
not
an art –
this means you can consciously
cultivate it
Leave yourself enough time to slow
down and see what you need to see
Revision is
not
proof-reading. Don’t try
to proof and revise at the same time.
How to Revise
1.
Broad structural issues
2.
Clarity
3.
Sentence-level errors
4.
Cohesion problems
1. Broad structural issues
Do a reverse outline.
Be ruthless - it’s easier early in the
process
Cut things you needed to
write
(to
clarify your thinking) but that
don’t
need to be read.
Deep cuts - Ouch!
Attachment to our own writing often means we
leave bits in because we can’t bear to part with
them or can’t bear to see a document shrink
instead of grow.
It’s very hard to take a draft to the next level when
we haven’t cut the parts that aren’t working
Editing, especially at the early stages, requires
courage and a great willingness to jettison
material.
If you found it hard to put the words on paper in
the first place, deleting them can be genuinely
painful, so...
Stay rational...
Think more broadly about the purposes of
writing -
We don’t write just to satisfy a word count
or to show off, we write to be
understood
Was that beautiful paragraph written for
you (to work out your thinking), or for your
reader (to help them understand the
argument)?
But leave a thread...
The delete key may be too extreme
Create a place to save your out-takes
Knowing that they are there gives
courage for more ruthless editing
In the end, your writing will thank you for
developing the habit of letting go!
2. Clarity
Look for superfluous words and undue
complexity – cut them out! (Pay attention
to the start of sentences).
Have you distanced yourself from your
ideas with awkward expressions,
weak
verbs
, and
unclear subjects
.
Look for where you sound self-consciously
academic. Can you be more frank and
clear?
3. Sentence-level errors
Look for errors -
•
Things you know you do wrong all the
time
•
Things you know people commonly get
wrong (subject-verb agreement,
repetition of words,
ambiguous reference, or punctuation)
Ask someone to proof read if for you
4. Cohesion problems
By this point, we’ve made a lot of
changes, so we have to make sure it all
coheres. With all this revision, it’s inevitable
that new inconsistencies and infelicities
will have been introduced.
Take a step back, then read it all through
again for flow, cohesion and sense.
A revision cycle..?
Questions to ask (your
supervisor) to polish your
revised draft –
Overall coherence: Is there a clear and
discernible argument or structure to your writing?
Flow between sentences, paragraphs, sections:
Have you found the optimal order and then
signalled that order to your reader?
Word choice: Have you used apt vocabulary?
Sentence structure: Are your sentences easy for
the reader to follow?
Tone: Have you engaged your reader while still
conforming to academic writing conventions?
Economy: Have you avoided distracting
digressions or general wordiness?
The Joy of Revision...
Learn the
craft
of revision
When you
know
you can fix the problems
that are inevitably created during
composition, you write more freely,
confidently and quickly!
Transitioning from a rough draft to a polished piece involves multiple revisions. Learning effective revision strategies is crucial for crafting reader-ready content. This process requires time, effort, and a critical eye to address structural issues, enhance clarity, correct errors, and improve cohesion. Embracing the art of revision, making deep cuts, staying rational, and leaving room for improvement are key elements in honing your craft.
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Presentation Transcript
Revision and Editing Are you a nibbler, a scatter-gunner or a craftsperson?
Revision: Part of the Plan For most of us, making the transition from a text that helps you to a text that helps the reader takes multiple iterations. It is nearly impossible to craft a reader- ready first draft. Learning some good principles of revision and editing can be helpful; leaving too little time to revise is not.
You can learn how to revise Revision doesn t come naturally Think of it as a craft and not an art this means you can consciously cultivate it Leave yourself enough time to slow down and see what you need to see Revision is not proof-reading. Don t try to proof and revise at the same time.
How to Revise 1. Broad structural issues 2. Clarity 3. Sentence-level errors 4. Cohesion problems
1. Broad structural issues Do a reverse outline. Be ruthless - it s easier early in the process Cut things you needed to write (to clarify your thinking) but that don t need to be read.
Deep cuts - Ouch! Attachment to our own writing often means we leave bits in because we can t bear to part with them or can t bear to see a document shrink instead of grow. It s very hard to take a draft to the next level when we haven t cut the parts that aren t working Editing, especially at the early stages, requires courage and a great willingness to jettison material. If you found it hard to put the words on paper in the first place, deleting them can be genuinely painful, so...
Stay rational... Think more broadly about the purposes of writing - We don t write just to satisfy a word count or to show off, we write to be understood Was that beautiful paragraph written for you (to work out your thinking), or for your reader (to help them understand the argument)?
But leave a thread... The delete key may be too extreme Create a place to save your out-takes Knowing that they are there gives courage for more ruthless editing In the end, your writing will thank you for developing the habit of letting go!
2. Clarity Look for superfluous words and undue complexity cut them out! (Pay attention to the start of sentences). Have you distanced yourself from your ideas with awkward expressions, weak verbs, and unclear subjects. Look for where you sound self-consciously academic. Can you be more frank and clear?
3. Sentence-level errors Look for errors - Things you know you do wrong all the time Things you know people commonly get wrong (subject-verb agreement, repetition of words, ambiguous reference, or punctuation) Ask someone to proof read if for you
4. Cohesion problems By this point, we ve made a lot of changes, so we have to make sure it all coheres. With all this revision, it s inevitable that new inconsistencies and infelicities will have been introduced. Take a step back, then read it all through again for flow, cohesion and sense.
A revision cycle..? 1. Broad structural issues 2. Clarity 3. 4. Cohesion problems Sentence level errors
Questions to ask (your supervisor) to polish your revised draft Overall coherence: Is there a clear and discernible argument or structure to your writing? Flow between sentences, paragraphs, sections: Have you found the optimal order and then signalled that order to your reader? Word choice: Have you used apt vocabulary? Sentence structure: Are your sentences easy for the reader to follow? Tone: Have you engaged your reader while still conforming to academic writing conventions? Economy: Have you avoided distracting digressions or general wordiness?
The Joy of Revision... Learn the craft of revision When you know you can fix the problems that are inevitably created during composition, you write more freely, confidently and quickly!
