Transcript Lesson 15 Essentials Video: Revising

NICOLE: So the most helpful thing that someone has ever done to improve my writing is to not let me slide on my mistakes—to not overlook my mistakes, to give honest feedback.

KARINA: I love hearing feedback. Some people don't like getting critiqued, but I like getting critiqued. I think that's how my writing has gotten better by other people reading my things and telling me, hey, this is wrong or this is great. Do this again. Don't do this again.

DEONTA: When it comes to the revising, I like to revise my papers at least twice, sometimes three times if possible. But I will typically go to the writing center, or I'll talk to the professor or the TA about the paper to get their feedback. And when I do my revising, I'm looking for how well the paragraphs flow, how they connect to each other, making sure the organization of the paper is well.

CARA: You know if you're writing or doing any kind of editing, you get so close to what you're doing that it's impossible for you to see the big picture. So having that little break can allow you to see it with fresh eyes. So I first do that, and then they would have somebody else listen to it because my perspective is not the only perspective in the world. And I want someone else's perspective and a few other people's perspective to give me ways of improving it and strengthening it so that it's the best product that it can be.

KENDRA: A good writer has to be—they have to be able to review their papers and not just sit down and write a final, and they have to get peer edits and other people to look at it because when you're thinking in your head and you're writing it out, it's—it'll make sense to you when you re-read it, but other people might not have the same train of thought or know the background knowledge that you have. So it's good to get other input so that when you do share it, other people can follow your writing.

NANAISSA: At the beginning of your paper, you have to be selfish and know what you want to do, then you have to accept feedback. It's harsh sometimes. People are just going to be I don't understand. Why are you writing that? There's no point in the writing that. Instead of being upset and just leaving the center—what these people say because it's sincere and it will help you write—be a better writer.

MICHELLE: The difference between the drafts for me is improving on my ideas, the significance why. How far do I come from the first draft to second draft? Did I make a better point? Did I expand on my idea? Did I make a new point?

HARLEY: In revising those drafts, I spent a lot of time going from my computer to the Writing Center to my friends and family back to the writing center. There's certain essays I've spent three or four days in the writing center. I've had them kick me out.