In order to understand
why revision is important, we need to establish the nature of revision.
According to Fran Lehr, revision, “is the heart of the writing process—the
means by which ideas emerge and evolve and meanings are clarified” (3).
Revision requires a draft that has already been written. This draft is then
supposed to undergo the scrutiny of the author, and sometimes others, to
shape the draft into a polished, finished product. The process of revision
is intended to bring out the true intentions of the writer and properly express
what the writer hoped to convey. Revision is important because it is a deep,
far-reaching, authentic process. Revision, at its best, takes time, effort,
and, concentration.
Too often, however,
this is not the case. Students, especially younger students, do not see revision
as an in-depth, on-going process. They see it as merely editing for basic
spelling and grammatical mistakes (Lehr, 3). To many students, revision has
little to do with content. Ilana Snyder, who studied the effects of laptop
computers on writing, noted that students need to be instructed to perceive,
“revision as rethinking and restructuring, not just proof-reading” (145).
This instruction must come from teachers, but it can be reinforced by using
word processors to aid in the revision process. Word processors offer many
techniques and tools to help students revise easily and quickly on any project.
Revision skills are
not specific to one piece of writing or genre. Once learned, good revision
skills can be applied to each and every writing project, no matter how diverse.
According to Chris Lehman, English teacher and technology coordinator at the
Beacon School in Manhattan, “Revision makes students more aware of the structure
of their work, so that they can become thoughtful about their writing when
they begin pieces and when they revise [them]” (Lehman). The goal of the
writing teacher is to instill lasting writing skills in his students. By
applying the revision process regularly to all pieces of writing, the student
will go beyond daily objectives and specific writing assignments. In short,
the student will become a better writer.
Professional writers
spend an incredible amount of time revising. For them, revision is often
the most involved and demanding stage of the writing process. Richard Marius,
former Director of the Expository Writing Program at Harvard, is quoted by
Julie W. Wood as saying, "Battle-hardened professionals do not see a first
draft as a final draft. They expect the first draft to be like a blob of
clay that a skilled potter flings onto a whirling potter’s wheel. Potential
beauty resides in the blob; it can be brought out by the skilled and delicate
touch of the potter’s hand" (Wood). To bring out the true beauty in any
piece of writing, a lot of shaping and molding is required. Because it is
not the practice of professional writers, students should also not assume
that a cursory glance for spelling or punctuation errors will help them create
their best piece of writing. There is no reason why professional writers
and students should not follow the same procedures while writing. Their goal
is the same: to create the best possible written representation of the ideas
they wish to convey.