Take a look at this house.
It's a basic house, right? Someone could certainly live there. Maybe you. Maybe me.
But with some patience, time, and hard work, renovations make the house beautiful. Removing shutters, painting the siding and trim, and adding a porch make this look like a completely different house. A bit of landscaping adds a nice touch, too.
Maybe you wrote a draft and loved it. You even checked it over for any obvious errors (editing). You like it.
Is your writing project finished?
No.
Whether you are a fifth grader or a professional writer, revising our work makes it better.
As a student, I edited my writing but didn't revise it properly. What I mean is I checked for punctuation and verb usage. I looked for misspellings. Edits fix simple grammar mistakes.
But I didn't try to make it easier for the reader to understand because I understood it. Good writers add and remove words and sentences. Good writers substitute words to make their writing clearer. Revisions make the text easier for the reader to understand.
When I visit schools to provide author visits or professional development for teachers, I like to compare house renovations to writing revisions. Many students have binge-watched HGTV just like I have, so we relate. Many thanks to Melissa Stewart who first introduced me to this idea. If you're a teacher or writer, I highly recommend you explore her blog Celebrate Science.
So, are revisions important? That depends. Do you care about your work? Do you want it to be your best?
I hope so!
If you're a teacher, check out this proofreading printable. Want to know more? Check out my writing FAQ and my author visit FAQ.
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