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7 Ways to Make the Revision Process Less Stressful

  • January 9 2015
  • Comments Off on 7 Ways to Make the Revision Process Less Stressful
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Editing is just a natural part of the entire writing process. Instead, of fearing this process it’s more beneficial to simply take it head on and embrace the process of analyzing, reviewing, proofreading and editing in order to perfect your piece of writing. Keep in mind that this will not only improve the quality of your writing, but it will also ensure that you are producing effective content. Learning how to effectively revise your writing is a crucial step for writers, business professionals and students who want to produce high-quality work. Here are some steps to keep this process as stress-free as possible.

 

Allow Some Time Between Revising and Writing 

It’s recommended that you don’t just jump into revising your pieces of writing right after you have written it. First of all, your brain is probably fatigued from the writing process, and won’t be as effective in catching any errors that you’ve made. Additionally, taking a breather from the writing process can give you a whole new perspective on your writing that you wouldn’t have otherwise. Whether it’s a few hours or even a few days, stepping away from your writing can be highly beneficial to the revision process.

 

Start With the Introduction

A good introduction will be both clear and easy to understand, and will also be an indication of what the reader is to expect from the remainder of your writing. It’s recommended that you pay special attention to your introduction, as it’s arguably the most important part of your writing. Assess its clarity, and make sure that your main point or argument is stated effectively. If you are utilizing terminology that a reader may not understand then it’s important that you clarify its context and meaning in the very beginning of your piece in order for readers to understand the rest of your writing.

 

Look at the Structure of Your Writing

A well-organized essay or article will lead readers through a clear and concise line of thinking. Determine whether or not your writing is properly structured in order to ensure that readers get a full understanding of its content. For instance, in a how-to article the steps should be written in a logical order. If you are writing a thesis paper then the strongest point should be stated at the very beginning of the paper in order for the structure of the writing to remain logical.

 

Make Sure Your Work Space is Clutter-Free 

This goes for any type of work, however it’s especially important to have a de-cluttered workspace when it comes to revising your writing. If you are writing on a desk covered in various papers and projects then your mind will likely not be able to focus solely on the writing at hand. This will make you not only more stressed about the revision process, but will also have a negative impact on the quality of your writing. Before you start revising make sure that your workspace is clear and that you have a nice quiet place to work.

 

Keep Your Writing Simple

In order to make the revision process easy and stress-free, keep the content of your writing simple and easy to work with. This doesn’t mean that you can’t write about complex ideas, however it does mean keeping the language of your writing precise. During the revision process you will want to look out for any repetitive language to remove, as if you have an idea that can be written out in one sentence rather than two than the shorter option is usually the better one. Also look out for the repetition of ideas and thoughts, as readers do not like reading the same thing twice.

 

Assess the Value of Your Writing

High-quality writing will reflect your own ideas, conclusions and thoughts. Take a deep breath and then determine if your piece of writing is a fresh perspective on the topic that you’re writing about. If your writing is just a regurgitation of material that already exists then don’t be scared to examine your own experience, opinions and thoughts in order to inject your original ideas into a piece of writing. Once this is done make sure that you revise your writing again.

 

Get Someone Else to Proofread Your Work

If you are feeling overwhelmed with the revision process then don’t be afraid to ask someone to proofread your writing for you. It never hurts to get a fresh pair of eyes on your writing, as they may be able to find something that you’ve missed, and could give you some great new ideas on the topic of your writing. Additionally, you’ll likely feel much more secure about your writing if a second person approves it as a solid piece of work. However, ensure that you don’t just rely on the second person to revise your work, as you must revise it as well.

 

 

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Cameron Mackey

Cameron is the Content Manager for the Vorongo Blog. He has spent three years in various content marketing roles. When he is not working with Vorongo he enjoys photography and hiking.

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