Re-writing
This post was written by Amber from Amber Alert.
My best writing is not my first draft or my second draft. Usually my best writing is a third or fourth draft. I write and re-write and then re-write some more.
Rewriting is a habit I’ve had to adapt since entering journalism school. When working on tight deadlines you don’t always have time to re-write your work several times. Sometimes, you don’t have time to re-write it at all. I’ve been working on getting out a good draft the first time around, but it’s been a slow process.
Here’s how my writing usually goes:
First draft: I sit down and write/type. I don’t worry too much about grammar or spelling or word count, I just get it all out on the page.
Second draft: I correct all the spelling and grammar mistakes and tighten up the story by taking out unnecessary words and fixing sentence structures so it sounds better or makes more sense.
Third draft and beyond: After the second draft is finished, I usually like to leave the piece alone overnight. This gives me a chance to forget about it and come back to it with fresh eyes. Usually I will find new mistakes or have new ideas to add in.
That’s how I write. That’s how I’ve always wrote. It’s even how I write my blogs. I usually type up a blog post a day or two in advance using a Microsoft Word document. The day I post the blog I make anywhere from little to huge changes before publishing the final draft.
Now that I’m learning to work with tighter deadlines I’m learning how to adapt my writing so I don’t have to leave it overnight, I can write a piece and submit it in the same day. Here are some tips I got from one of my classes:
- Walk away: Even if I don’t have time to leave it overnight, I will always walk away from my piece for at least 10 minutes before finalizing it. Grab some coffee, go to the washroom, do some different homework, whatever.
- Change format: This is the most helpful tip I’ve learned. I used to do all my editing on the computer, but now I print out a copy of my work and edit it by hand, I catch things that I don’t see when I’m staring at the computer screen. (Note: I don’t do this with blogs because that would waste too much paper, but I do it with school assignments).
- Talk about the piece: I discuss what I’m working on with classmates or my boyfriend; it helps me think about the ideas in a different way.
- Experiment: If something isn’t feeling right about the piece I’ll copy and paste it into a new document and experiment with different endings and leads.
- Rethink every sentence and paragraph: I try to read the piece like an editor would, looking at each sentence and paragraph separately to suss out errors.
Do you guy’s rewrite your work or just go with the first draft? What about your blogs? Does anybody else have any rewriting tips?
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:51 am
I’m horrible when it comes to re-writing. I become impatient, so I’ll usually go with my first or second draft. I hardly ever write beyond that.
When it comes to blogging, I usually just write and publish. Sometimes I’ll add to a post throughout the week then publish it, but that’s on a rare occasion.
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:05 am
Same! I am terrible at getting to a third draft. I always go with first or second.
As for blogging, I used to just write and publish, but now I write it, save it as a draft and then go back through and read it later before I publish.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Yeah; it just depends on what the topic is. If it’s something basic, I usually write and publish, but if it’s something more, I’ll go back once or twice.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I’m not a big reviser either. I write, and then I edit for typos. I don’t even know if you could call that a second draft. But, lately I’ve been writing much longer pieces, and they require rewriting. I hate it.
March 24th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Same here, I just write and publish. But it has gotten to the point that it’s so bad that now I C/P into Word just to catch anything.
March 23rd, 2009 at 4:12 am
Ugh, re-writing is such a necessary evil. I hate it, but I know I need to do it. My one professor always suggests printing it out and reading in hard copy, and I do catch a lot more, but I hate wasting the paper!
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:14 am
I love using track changes in word! It makes it easier to see the changes I have made. Also, a teacher told me once that I should read through papers backwords to better catch misspellings or misuse of words.
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:49 am
I rewrite all the time. Right now I am on my 4th pass on my novel. I keep adding, subtracting. So once I add, I feel I need to edit and make changes at least 3-4 more times before I feel satisfied that it is good. I also have to print it out so I can see it and take it with me when ever I have a moment to edit.
I always edit my blogs. I want to make sure that the spelling it good, things make somewhat sense and the grammar is not horrible
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 am
Same! I used to not edit but realized how irritating it was to have to go back in and fix misspellings. Now I am much more careful about editing my posts before I publish them.
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I’m the same with editing my blogs but half the time I don’t notice some mistakes until AFTER I’ve hit publish or even later on in the day after people have commented on it! I hate that!
March 24th, 2009 at 6:29 am
That won’t stop me from going back and editing it. I have even gone back a few months and was rereading stuff, found errors and edited it.
March 24th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Oh I definitely go back and edit even after comments. I know that if I don’t the error will bug me to no end. One of my many quirks I suppose.
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:03 am
My blog posts are just write and publish, unless something takes me like a week. But even then it’s the first draft taking a week, no editing.
I hate editing my fiction, I feel like it gets worse. Like, the words may make more sense, technically, but the spark disappears…
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:49 pm
I also feel that way with fiction. It’s especially hard for me to change dialogue, because you get a certain flow going, and revising it somehow messes with that.
March 23rd, 2009 at 8:12 am
I definitely betray my Kerouac-ian impulses and I try to rewrite and edit. With my blog entries, I generally give it one good read-through and then publish it. With an academic paper type thingy, I like to give it 2-3 re-reads after I’m done writing before I turn it in. Sometimes that isn’t a possibility but it’s the ideal situation for me.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:34 am
I’m such a perfectionist, it sucks when it comes to writing. I never minded it until I started writing and couldn’t get through a piece I knew could rock the world (or at least my world) because I like getting things 100% right the first time. I suck at first and second and third drafts.
Also why I fail every year at NaNoWriMo. Heh.
You make some good pointers here. I might just have to challenge myself now.
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
I like getting things 100% right the first time around too, Jamie. I don’t exactly enjoy rewriting, but it’s definitely where my best writing comes from! I hope the tips help you
March 24th, 2009 at 6:32 am
If you are a perfectionist too and couldn’t get through NaNoWriMo, then I have no hope. I am on my 4th draft of my book and I am still adding and it has been over a year now. It sucks. But maybe it might force me to get it done…
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
i outline like CRAZY. i think i go through 2 outlines: the first is really rough, just one-liner bullets, but the second is pretty much the final product in bullet form, complete with full sentences.
then i draft it up, re-write that a couple of times, put it aside for AT LEAST a day, then come back and make a final version.
i’m not sure if this is efficient or not. lol. but it works!
the only thing i don’t rewrite is my blog posts!
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:50 am
I edit and rewrite as much as possible, and definitely with my blog posts. I’ve found, however, that it’s really difficult to feel “complete” in the editing/rewriting process. There are just so many times you can look at something, reread something. Eventually, you’re so entwined with the piece that is becomes almost impossible to see it from a critical perspective.
I usually write the first draft by hand and then edit like you do, Amber — print a copy, edit edit edit. I find it easier to edit on paper, versus on a monitor.
The editing and writing process is such a challenge. Sometimes, you can see a sentence in so many ways. Others, you can hardly begin to see a way to change it.
Great post. Definitely something I think about a lot.
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:57 am
I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s such a tough process.
I find with my blog posts I will edit them in word, edit them again in blogger and then after it’s published and I’m looking at it on my blog page I find more mistakes or weird sentences so I’ll end up editing it one or two more times!
I’m almost never 100% satisfied with my writing!
March 23rd, 2009 at 1:58 pm
At least this is a common theme. I always wonder about those amazing writers — are they happy with what they’ve published? Do they feel that it’s “incomplete?”
Perhaps I’m not alone after all.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I’m rarely ever happy with my writing when I first write it. I usually need some distance, and then I can appreciate it. But, I have little patience for rewriting. I’m more of a big picture person, and though I can do detail work, I don’t enjoy it at all.
March 23rd, 2009 at 12:12 pm
If it’s a blog post I usually edit it while it’s in the blog writer/editor thing. To the point where I get tired of reading it. There are always a few mistakes and I’m okay with that. With stories I’ll write and rewrite a lot like you. First writing is just the actual writing. I usually print it out and then leave it someplace until another time. Now, there is no time line so if I pick it up and read it in a few hours or a few weeks then so be it. I then edit and tinker and make corrections on the paper first and then transfer that to my computer copy. After which I leave it alone.
I will say that printing my non-blog writing out has made all the difference. Sometimes using that red pen on a sheet of paper is just what you need to see your mistakes.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I hate to re-write and spend time on things, but when it comes to writing, you have to perfect your craft. Ugh! I will write very freely the first time through. The second time through I will check spelling and grammer. The third time through I will check if I have used the same words or phrases too many times, and then proceed to change those words. The next few times through I will just whittle it down to what it needs to be, and what it is best as.
But let it be known that…
I was an English major.
I never proof-read my essays/papers.
March 24th, 2009 at 4:09 am
I’m all about getting down that first draft, and then I keep editing over and over until it’s how I want it.
Getting someone else to read it is also pretty important for me too.
I usually have quite a good sense with my writing when it’s “done” so I don’t keep editting forever
But when I’m blogging, I just proofread for spelling errors and making sure it all makes sense.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Normally I only go as far as looking over whatever I’m writing and correcting any spelling or grammar mistakes. I hardly ever print out the work to edit. Though lately I’ve been finding that printing out the writing doesn’t seem so bad. I can usually send the work to my sister to for editing. She’s that kind and good I might add.
Writing blogs is entirely different for me. I refuse to edit because the posts are meant to be informal. Of course I look for spelling errors at least. The only time I actually edit is to add something I left out. I just like to add little bits later, you know here and there.
March 24th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
I was I had the patience for rewriting. Sometimes I fear that’s what will hold me back from being a great writer.