In this lesson, you will learn more about the role of revising in the writing process, and its importance to writers of all experience levels. Specifically, this lesson will cover:
- Revising in the Writing Process
- The Importance of Revising
1. Revising in the Writing Process
Recall that the writing process is made up of these repeatable steps:
- Prewriting
- Drafting
- Revising
- Editing
- Proofreading
Revising is the process of "re-visioning" a written work— that is, the process of looking at it again. It involves evaluating ideas, supporting information, and organization of a work, and making the changes required as a result of that evaluation.
It's important to understand the difference between revising, editing, and proofreading. Editing focuses on improving language, clarity, and style at the sentence and word levels, while revising is a look at the entire draft. Proofreading is when mistakes in grammar, mechanics, and spelling are identified and corrected.
Editing and proofreading are the final steps in the writing process. Before editing or proofreading a written work, you must first revise to ensure that the goals of the work have been accomplished. Although beginning writers sometimes overlook revision, subsequent steps in the process will not correct errors that must be addressed during revision.
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- Revising
- The act of re-envisioning an essay or other writing project.
2. The Importance of Revising
Revising enables writers to assess and improve their work at the "big picture" level. During the revising step, writers take stock of their entire project. They confirm that the thesis is well-supported, and that the structure enhances a smooth, logical presentation of ideas.
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Because revising, like the other steps in the writing process, is repeatable, you should revise as many times as necessary to improve your work. Even professional writers may complete dozens of drafts before publishing their work.
Revising is also a good way to overcome writer's block. Experienced writers know that they must revise, usually more than once, to realize the potential value of their work.
In this lesson, you learned about the role of revising in the writing process. During the revising stage, writers look at the big picture of their work, making necessary changes related to the work's organization, main ideas, and supporting points. Revising is important because it helps writers ensure that their work is as interesting, convincing, and readable as possible.
Best of luck in your learning!