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THE ART OF REVISION
Enhancing your words with images, meaning, and
voice
Revision creates order out of chaos.

   Your objective when revising is to create a clearer
    expression of what you want to say.
   It does not mean that you have written a bad
    paper, it simply means that you can make it even
    better.
   Everyone, especially a person who writes
    professionally, needs to revise.
Revision is...

   Revision is the process of "re-creating" your paper
    by taking what you already have and making it
    better. It is an attempt to see your essay in a whole
    new light.
Revision is not...

   Revision is not simply proofreading and editing.
   In other words, the act of revising is more than
    correcting surface errors or rearranging paragraphs.
     It requires a re-thinking of the ideas and
    organization of your paper as a whole.
   The difference between editing and revision might
    seem minute. Just remember, editing deals with more
    technical information, while revision focuses on ideas
    and organization of those ideas.
GUIDELINES FOR YOUR
REVISION
GRAB THE READER
   Create a catchy, powerful first line to entice
    reader, and a catchy, powerful last line to leave an
    impact on the reader.
   Try to incorporate a theme: a message, a lesson
    learned, or something that expresses the
    significance of the events.
   Create a believable, clear voice.
CREATE SCENES, NOT SUMMARIES

     Use the senses to pull reader into the scene.
     Create metaphors and similes - clever comparisons
      make the reader visualize.
     Use specific concrete images that you could
      photograph, not vague or abstract ones.
     Infuse writing with detailed adjectives and adverbs.
     Use descriptive dialogue. Stay away from, “said.”
KNOW YOUR CHARACTER
   Be able to give a clear visual description - weave
    the details in through dialogue and narrative
   If your story is about you, then remember to think of
    yourself as a CHARACTER.
   Know what clothes your character would wear,
    what s/he would eat for breakfast, for a snack…
   Know what your character’s strengths and
    weaknesses are.
USE FORESHADOWING
AND SYMBOLISM
   Think about clever names for characters that might
    reveal something about them
   If something bad is going to happen, give hints
    through weather, dialogue, use of color, etc.
   Use seasons and weather symbolically
   Choose Biblical references: rains to wash away sins
    or evil, gardens as innocent, etc.
USE EFFECTIVE WORD CHOICE
   Have strong vocabulary at your side - use words when
    they are appropriate, not so that they stick out.
   Use a thesaurus to avoid repetition, not to sound
    sophisticated.
   Stay away from vague words that convey no image:
    happy, good, nice… Seek more specific words:
    ecstatic, sufficient, kindhearted .
   Omit all boring verbs: went, come… Seek verbs that
    create images: trudge, clamber, undulate, grope,
    wriggle, simmer.
POINT OF VIEW
   Consciously choose a point of view: first person,
    third person, or third person limited
   Try changing it after you finish to see which point of
    view creates a stronger piece
ALTER SENTENCE STRUCTURE FOR
FLUIDITY AND VARIETY
   Look at all sentence beginnings. Start with
    prepositional phrases, adjectives, participial
    phrases, and adverbial clauses for changes in
    structure.
   Change length of sentences: some complex, and
    some very short for emphasis.
Works Cited
“Revising Writing.” N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar 2012.
  http://www.teachingcompany.com/sensei/revising.ppt.
eds. "Revision." College of Arts & Letters. Old Dominion University,
  05/17/06. Web. 10 Mar 2012.
  http://al.odu.edu/wts/students/process/revise.shtml

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The Art of Revision

  • 1. THE ART OF REVISION Enhancing your words with images, meaning, and voice
  • 2. Revision creates order out of chaos.  Your objective when revising is to create a clearer expression of what you want to say.  It does not mean that you have written a bad paper, it simply means that you can make it even better.  Everyone, especially a person who writes professionally, needs to revise.
  • 3. Revision is...  Revision is the process of "re-creating" your paper by taking what you already have and making it better. It is an attempt to see your essay in a whole new light.
  • 4. Revision is not...  Revision is not simply proofreading and editing.  In other words, the act of revising is more than correcting surface errors or rearranging paragraphs. It requires a re-thinking of the ideas and organization of your paper as a whole.  The difference between editing and revision might seem minute. Just remember, editing deals with more technical information, while revision focuses on ideas and organization of those ideas.
  • 6. GRAB THE READER  Create a catchy, powerful first line to entice reader, and a catchy, powerful last line to leave an impact on the reader.  Try to incorporate a theme: a message, a lesson learned, or something that expresses the significance of the events.  Create a believable, clear voice.
  • 7. CREATE SCENES, NOT SUMMARIES  Use the senses to pull reader into the scene.  Create metaphors and similes - clever comparisons make the reader visualize.  Use specific concrete images that you could photograph, not vague or abstract ones.  Infuse writing with detailed adjectives and adverbs.  Use descriptive dialogue. Stay away from, “said.”
  • 8. KNOW YOUR CHARACTER  Be able to give a clear visual description - weave the details in through dialogue and narrative  If your story is about you, then remember to think of yourself as a CHARACTER.  Know what clothes your character would wear, what s/he would eat for breakfast, for a snack…  Know what your character’s strengths and weaknesses are.
  • 9. USE FORESHADOWING AND SYMBOLISM  Think about clever names for characters that might reveal something about them  If something bad is going to happen, give hints through weather, dialogue, use of color, etc.  Use seasons and weather symbolically  Choose Biblical references: rains to wash away sins or evil, gardens as innocent, etc.
  • 10. USE EFFECTIVE WORD CHOICE  Have strong vocabulary at your side - use words when they are appropriate, not so that they stick out.  Use a thesaurus to avoid repetition, not to sound sophisticated.  Stay away from vague words that convey no image: happy, good, nice… Seek more specific words: ecstatic, sufficient, kindhearted .  Omit all boring verbs: went, come… Seek verbs that create images: trudge, clamber, undulate, grope, wriggle, simmer.
  • 11. POINT OF VIEW  Consciously choose a point of view: first person, third person, or third person limited  Try changing it after you finish to see which point of view creates a stronger piece
  • 12. ALTER SENTENCE STRUCTURE FOR FLUIDITY AND VARIETY  Look at all sentence beginnings. Start with prepositional phrases, adjectives, participial phrases, and adverbial clauses for changes in structure.  Change length of sentences: some complex, and some very short for emphasis.
  • 13. Works Cited “Revising Writing.” N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar 2012. http://www.teachingcompany.com/sensei/revising.ppt. eds. "Revision." College of Arts & Letters. Old Dominion University, 05/17/06. Web. 10 Mar 2012. http://al.odu.edu/wts/students/process/revise.shtml