Keeping it Simple: Two Steps to Better Writing

I don’t think I’ve ever met a writer who actually enjoys the revision process. It’s a dirty, frustrating job that keeps your work in limbo for days, weeks, or even months. Sometimes, in spite of your most Herculean effort, typos, silly errors, or wordiness remain in the piece like a stubborn blood stain. I can’t tell you how many times I used to bang my head into the wall over pesky blemishes that seemingly appeared out of nowhere – usually AFTER I submitted the piece.

During my college years, I precariously balanced a full-time job with a full-time course load. I was an English major, so concurrent writing assignment naturally abounded. If I wasn’t writing an essay, I was either fixing one, or slaving over a hot stove for peanuts.

I found that when I worked on multiple pieces simultaneously, I often missed a few of the most elementary errors. Staring at a computer screen for hours on end, the words would eventually blend into each other like a psychedelic trip. The first time I passed in a paper with an undetected sentence fragment, I wanted to kick myself.

I thought if I tried breaking my revision process into manageable steps, I’d catch more problems while managing my time more effectively.

So, I tried to chill out a bit. I assured myself that the sun would not supernova if I didn’t completely polish six rough drafts in one sitting.

I stopped laboring over every conceivable malady in one draft. Instead, I put my work through two basic filters, starting with wordiness, and concluding with grammar. Working from hard copies, I examined and revised each area separately, using a fresh draft for each filter. When I finished, I focused on the entire piece, editing for content, clarity, tone, etc. Since I broke the process down into two steps, I always felt like I’d accomplished something, even if I only spent 15 minutes on revision that day.

Some experts believe writers should take the opposite approach, reworking and rewriting content before cleaning up the syntax. However, grammar and sentence structure serve as the groundwork of all written communications; I cannot fathom why one would build a house before the foundation is fully sound.

At any rate, the technique worked very well for me, and it forms the backbone of my editorial routine today.

I encourage you to give my method a try the next time you revise. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned writer, I’m confident you’ll find it helpful.

Step 1: Tighten Those Sentences

Grammar woes often stem from wordy sentences; getting concise in the beginning will make your grammar checks easier and more productive.

Article Author: Lady Dragonfyre

Lady Dragonfyre is a freelance writer/IT technician currently nesting in sunny south Florida. Eccentric and esoteric, she has a warm, fuzzy place in her heart for dry humor, satire, the arcane, and Effexor.

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