Chapter 11 – Re-vision (Writing is Rewriting & The 3 “Levels” of Revision)
Chapter 11 – Re-vision (Writing is Rewriting & The 3 “Levels” of Revision)
Revision
(by Allie Donahue with help from Being a Writer by Peter Elbow and Pat Belanoff)
As you probably know, few writers spin out the polished prose that appears in their finished works the first time they sit down at the computer. Almost everything we read has been through the process of revision. If you want your writing to be clear, persuasive and enjoyable to read, revision should always be a part of your writing process. Revision isn’t easy; it takes time and critical thought, but it is key in producing good writing. Often, we will need to take several passes at a piece of writing before we arrive at something coherent enough to even be called a “first draft.” Do not let this deter or frustrate you. Better to understand and accept that this is a natural part of the writing process and give yourself enough time to do it properly. Also, it is important to realize that we should not get too attached to versions of our writing too early in the process, as they are likely to change drastically, or even be removed entirely, before the process is “finished.”
- Check out this short video on revising the college essay. (2:42)
Revision Is Not Editing
In their book Being a Writer, Peter Elbow and Pat Belanoff differentiate between revision and editing:
“Many students equate revision with correcting mechanics or copyediting. Experienced writers never confuse the two. For them, revision means entering into a conversation with their previous thoughts. They match what they have already written against what they now wish to say and create out of the two a new piece that suits their present purpose.” (124)
Editing—checking for errors in spelling and mechanics—is an important step in writing anything, but it should never be the only action the writer takes after completing a draft.
Revision Is Never Done
No piece of writing is ever perfect; it can always be improved in some way. At some point, though, a writer must decide to call a draft finished. Elbow and Belanoff contend that the never-ending nature of revision makes the process hard to define. They conclude, “Probably the best definition is that revising is whatever you do to improve a piece of writing in terms of getting close to what you want to say” (124).
Bones, Muscles and Skin
Elbow and Belanoff identify three levels of revision. The metaphor of bones, muscles, and skin can help clarify the task at each level. These roughly correspond to the three levels we discussed earlier in the chapter of global, regional and local revision.
Level 1: Reseeing or rethining: changing what a piece says, or its “bones.”
Level 2: Reworking or reshaping: changing how a piece says it, or changing its “muscles.”
Level 3: (Editing) Copyediting or proofreading for mechanics and usage: checking for deviations from standard conventions, or changing the writing’s “skin.” (124).
Bones
When revising the “bones” of a piece, you change what your writin