Exploring Writing - Gary Robert Muschla 2011

Exercise 3.1 Recognizing Good Writing
Plan for Revision
Part 3. Revision

Because revision has so many elements, there can be no set procedure for revising your writing. As you gain experience with revision, you will develop your own

methods. But until you master the skills necessary for revision, you will benefit from a basic plan.

Start revising the overall piece and work down to the details. This plan provides direction and helps you to focus on specific elements at different points in the revision process.

Begin by reading through the entire piece and concentrating on unity. In an article that demonstrates unity, all main ideas and supporting details relate to the topic. All parts of the piece are necessary to the whole. Everything moves the piece forward in support of your purpose. For example, an article about how to train a puppy that also includes information about kittens suffers from a lack of unity. It would prove to be confusing to readers, who expect to read about puppies and not kittens. To achieve unity, any material not important to the topic should be deleted.

After making certain that all parts of your writing belong and that the piece shows unity, you should read through the piece again and concentrate on general consistency. Focus on structure, tense, and point of view.

The overall structure of the piece should be logical. There should be a solid opening, logical development through the body, and a strong closing. Main ideas should be supported with details and examples.

All tenses should be consistent. For example, a story should be written in the past tense. An essay might be written in the present. Any unnecessary shifts in tense should be corrected.

Point of view must be consistent as well. If a story is started in the first person point of view, it should continue in the first person. Likewise, if a story is begun in the third person point of view, it should remain in the third person. Switching from first to third person point of view weakens a piece.

Next, focus on paragraphs, sentences, and words. Again, eliminate anything that does not belong. Strive to make sure that paragraphs have a topic sentence and details. Vary and combine sentences, make certain that subjects and verbs agree, use active constructions, and choose the right words to express ideas. Now is the time to make writing the best it can be.

As you gain experience and confidence in revision, you will revise weaknesses as you go along. You will come to see revision as a satisfying part of the writing process, because it helps you to express exactly what you wish to say.

Exercise 3.1 Recognizing Good Writing

Recognizing good writing is a big step toward revising your own writing. Study articles and stories from your texts as examples, and ask yourself why these pieces are good writing. Read the material and note the unity—how everything in the article or story relates to the topic and the author’s purpose. Note the organization of the piece and how the structure shows ideas in a logical manner. Note consistent tenses and point of view. See how the author varied his sentences, used active constructions, relied on strong verbs, and achieved a smooth flow of ideas.

Good writing is almost always a result of good revision. Revision is your chance to make your writing as clear and interesting as possible for your readers. It is the time to put ideas into their final shape.