When I write, I tend to write very
quickly and I don’t put much thought into punctuation or syntax. I enjoy
writing in this style for my first draft. It acts as a stream of consciousness
and allows me to decipher what my true feelings are and how my heart desires to
put them on to paper. My issue is, I am not the best at revisions. I usually
have too many things to say and my thoughts and ideas get lost amongst a string
of random words and phrases that don’t contribute to my overall point. I really liked how Abegail Morley talked
about how writing multiple drafts helped her to see issues in her writing that
were not apparent in the first draft. To me, the hardest thing about a piece of
writing is the beginning. However, once I start, I need to learn to take time
to revise the words that I have written. If I have something powerful and
emotional to say, it needs to stand out in my writing. I can make my writing
better and my emotions and opinions more evident, if I learn how to revise and
condense my writing. I really liked how
T.S Elliot went back into her poem and did close reading in order to make her
work better. I read the poem first straight through without looking at her
notes. Then I reread the poem taking her corrections into account. When I
reread the poem, her ideas were much more apparent and her words made more of
an impact to me as a reader. I feel that this is the most significant aspect of
revising poetry. One writes poetry to share their emotions, and their personal
truths. I like how Morley puts it; “poetry doesn’t have to be true, but it does
have to have truth in it”. Revising
writing in general, simply allows the writer to make sure that the words that
truly emphasize their point are being stated in the best way possible. If there
is a better way to say something in order to make your emotions and opinions
more clear, then revision will help the writer to discover what needs to be
done in order to accomplish that goal in their writing.
