Tips for Revising Writing

Summary

The video emphasizes the importance of revision in writing, using Shakespeare’s famous 'To be or not to be' line as an example. It offers three tips to improve your writing: imagining you are someone else to gain fresh perspective, viewing your work from an ‘airplane view’ to see the bigger picture, and using a revision checklist like ‘arms’ (Add, Remove, Move, Substitute) to refine your essay. These strategies help identify areas for improvement such as adding supporting details, clarifying sentences, and improving flow. The message is clear: revision is key to strengthening your writing.

Takeaways

• 😀 Revision is an essential part of writing, even for famous writers like Shakespeare.
• 😀 The famous 'To be or not to be' line from Hamlet was revised for greater impact.
• 😀 Revising allows you to improve your writing by making it clearer and more effective.
• 😀 One effective revision strategy is to imagine you are someone else reading your work for the first time.
• 😀 Pretend to be a different reader (e.g., a teacher or a friend) to gain fresh insights into your writing.
• 😀 Focus on big-picture revisions, such as structure, clarity, and transitions, rather than small mistakes.
• 😀 Use the 'airplane view' strategy to look at your writing from a broader perspective.
• 😀 The 'airplane view' helps you assess the overall structure and flow of your essay.
• 😀 A revision checklist, like ARMS (Add, Remove, Move, Substitute), can help guide your revisions.
• 😀 The ARMS checklist allows you to improve your writing by adding details, removing unnecessary content, rearranging ideas, and substituting stronger words.
• 😀 Revision is a process that can dramatically strengthen your writing, turning good ideas into great ones.

Q & A

Why is revision important in writing?

Revision is crucial because it allows writers to refine their ideas, improve clarity, and ensure their message is effectively communicated. Even famous works like Shakespeare’s *Hamlet* went through revisions to improve their impact and memorability.

How does the example of Shakespeare's *Hamlet* relate to the concept of revision?

The famous line in *Hamlet*, 'To be or not to be, that is the question,' originally appeared as 'To be or not to be, there’s the point.' Shakespeare revised the line to make it more memorable and impactful, demonstrating that even great works benefit from revision.

What is meant by 'reading with fresh eyes' during revision?

Reading with fresh eyes means approaching your writing as if you're someone else—such as a friend, teacher, or even a famous writer. This helps you view your work more objectively, allowing you to spot areas that may need more explanation, clearer language, or better structure.

What is the 'airplane view' strategy for revising?

The 'airplane view' strategy involves stepping back and looking at your writing from a higher perspective, focusing on the big picture instead of getting caught up in small details. This allows you to evaluate the overall structure and flow of your writing.

Why is it important not to get caught up in small mistakes during revision?

During the revision phase, it's more important to focus on major improvements, such as supporting arguments, clarity, and structure. Small mistakes, like spelling or punctuation errors, can be fixed later in the editing phase, so it's best to address larger issues first.

What is the ARMS checklist, and how does it help in revision?

The ARMS checklist stands for Add, Remove, Move, and Substitute. It helps guide the revision process by prompting writers to add more details or explanations, remove unnecessary information, move sentences or paragraphs for better flow, and substitute weak words or phrases with stronger alternatives.

How can using a checklist improve the revision process?

A checklist helps ensure that no aspect of revision is overlooked. By following a set of structured actions, such as adding or removing content, you can methodically improve your writing and make it stronger and more cohesive.

What should a writer focus on when imagining they are someone else reading their work?

When imagining they are someone else, a writer should focus on seeing their work from a fresh perspective, identifying areas that may confuse the reader, lack support, or need better transitions. This exercise helps improve clarity and strengthen the overall message.

How does pretending to be a famous writer like Shakespeare help with revision?

Pretending to be a famous writer like Shakespeare helps the writer adopt a high standard of excellence and may encourage them to critically assess their writing. By imagining what someone of Shakespeare's caliber might look for, the writer can push themselves to improve their work.

What role does supporting information play in the revision process?

Supporting information is essential to make ideas clearer and more convincing. During revision, writers should focus on adding more details or explanations where needed to strengthen their arguments and ensure the reader fully understands the point being made.