The Art of Revision

Is there really an art to revision? Ask an editor.

There’s a reason professional editors remain necessary to writers, beyond the traditional publishing requirements of needing one or more meticulous auditors to fix things that are wrong, add things that are missing, and remove things that aren’t necessary.

Editors, whether working in-house or as freelancers, are invaluable in helping authors shape and polish their writing, because they are practiced at conceptual and structural development, and revision. Generally, they are more practiced at revision than most writers, having the opportunity to objectively read over and work on numerous projects by authors of differing styles. Editors have studied, repetitiously, the parts of literary construction, and know what to look for as they read and scan manuscripts or text copy.

This sort of consistent review allows the professional editor to revise differing conditions simultaneously — an activity that the self-editing author typically finds daunting, due either to lack of overall editing experience, including having a knowledgeable core of copyediting terms and functions, or lack of practice incorporating the latter in subsequent revisions.

This is not to say writers can’t become better at doing much of their own revision and polishing. But first, the way a writer learns best to revise is to understand why she, or he, should revise, which comes more readily with an understanding of general editing. To become a better writer, become a better self-editor.

As Theodore A. Rees Cheney advised, in his classic writing guide, Getting the Words Right: How to Revise, Edit & Rewrite (Writer’s Digest Books), writers should practice the parts of revision until they are second nature, and then the process gradually becomes simultaneous. This is the way editors revise; it’s difficult for anyone to revise concurrent aspects in a manuscript while still unfamiliar with the numerous functions of the editing process.

I agree with Cheney, too, when he reminds his audience that the more intelligent the writer, the more likely that writer is to note where the writing can be improved — even a fabulous first draft (obviously written by a fabulous author) is improved in places through reduction, rewording, or rearrangement.

So, brilliant writer, why not learn as much as you can about the art of revision? Make sure to stop by here at my website for weekly doses of information and self-help about editing and revision.

And if you need my professional guidance with a project, please review the rest of my website for more information and to gain assistance.

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