EWC4U
Unit 1: The Writer’s Toolbox
Activity 6: Producing Polished Pieces
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
Did You Know?
Sometimes the hardest people to please are writers after reading their own writing. This shouldn’t surprise you. After all, how many times have you rewritten a post, tweet, or text to make sure that it’s ‘just right?’
Well, authors are no different. For example, American novelist, Ernest Hemingway, admitted in an 1956 interview that he rewrote the ending to A Farewell to Arms 39 times before he was satisfied.
If you think that drafting, revising and editing are hard work – you’re right! Consider this well known anecdote in Canadian literature attributed to a famous Canadian author, Margaret Atwood, who has written more than thirty novels and numerous short stories, poems, literary criticism, social histories and children’s books. The story is told as follows:
An author was attending a dinner party. She was asked by the man seated next to her, “What do you do?”
She replied, “I'm a writer.”
“Really? When I retire I'm going become a writer.”
She responded, “What do you do?”
“I'm a neurosurgeon,” he said.
She replied, “How interesting. I always thought that when I retired, I'd take up brain surgery.”
So what’s the point? It’s as simple as it is complex: writing requires considerable skill and that skill is developed through practice. However, the results are well worth the effort if you have the right tools and techniques.
Learn more about what Margaret Atwood has to say about ‘Writ[ing] the best way you can’ in this interview:
Writers on Revising
Authors have a lot to say about (well, everything really) but revision, especially. Indeed, sometimes their views on revision are as engrossing and entertaining as their work! Take a moment to find and share a quotation about revision from an author.
Resources
- 'My Pencils Outlast Their Erasers': Great Writers on the Art of Revision is a great article listing famous authors on the art of revision.
The Writer’s Mosaic
Canada is famous for its cultural mosaic. This ideology is based not only on inclusiveness, but also on the idea that different cultures’ ideas, beliefs, traditions and structures can operate collectively for the betterment of all.
Writers adopt a similar ideology in modifying their writing; that is, while there are different techniques to polishing writing, they occasionally overlap and are meant to operate together.
Sometimes the picture isn’t clear until it’s displayed in full.
the mix of ethnic groups, languages, and cultures that coexist within society.
Enrichment
Since Canada is over 150 years old, it’s no surprise that it has gone through many changes. As a Canadian writer, it’s important to know about the culture of which you are a part, and to realize that (despite stereotypes to the contrary) not everyone agrees. Indeed, for a writer, disagreement can be the source of inspiration and a prompt that unlocks a great story! Learn more about Canada’s history by watching True Canadians: Multiculturalism in Canada Debated.
Writer’s Notebook
Take a moment to reflect on what you know about the Writing Process. How have you applied it in the past? There are three essential aspects to reviewing your work. They should be copied into your Writer’s Notebook.
the process involved in producing a polished piece of writing. The writing process comprises several stages, each of which focuses on specific tasks. The main stages of the writing process are: planning for writing, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, and publishing.
Ultimately, the goal of all three is to improve your writing. However, this concept is more complex than it initially appears. After all, what ‘better’ means can vary widely depending on a number of factors, such as:
Think About...
Can you think of any others?
Reliable Revision
Revising your writing requires having an honest, open-minded conversation with yourself. This might be challenging - even upsetting - but remember that the goal of writers is to express themselves as purposefully as possible. If you follow these steps, you will be able to maximize your revision’s effectiveness.
- Thoughtfully consider the descriptive feedback.
- Purposefully select what revisions you plan to adopt.
- Carefully apply those revisions to your work.
Think About...
In 1860, Dmitri Mendeleev’s first periodic table of elements only contained 60 known elements; as of 2016, it has 118. What does this have to do with writing? Well, other than being an example of a metaphor, it serves to show that revision is not only constant, but also necessary, in many professions. Nor should it be seen as negative.
Alchemists believed you could turn lead into gold until they revised their views.
Whether you’re a chemist or a writer, revising your work as new information and refinements become available is essential to ensure that you are producing the highest quality product possible. Progress involves change. Progressive writers not only acknowledge that, but celebrate it.
Asking Questions
Asking questions is a core revision technique. These strategies from Think Literacy will help you refine your questioning skills so that you are not only asking the correct questions of your peers’ writing, but also your own writing, as well.
Exemplary Editing
Red isn’t usually a writer’s favourite colour...but it should be!
Whether it’s your own work or someone else’s work, editing can be challenging. However, it’s important to remember the following two important perspectives.
- The descriptive feedback you provide and receive is designed to make the work better.
- The descriptive feedback is an editor’s way of showing interest, attention and involvement.
Some suggested strategies for editing are:
- re-organizing ideas using a graphic organizer;
- asking guiding questions;
- hearing the writing by either reading it out loud or having it read to you;
- reading from a printed copy;
- completing these tasks over time (as opposed to in one session); and
- seeking external opinions from people familiar and unfamiliar with the subject.
In any individual or team sport, the more you practice, as well as the more exposure you have to new and different ways, the stronger, faster, and more effective you become. Editing is no different. Learning how to effectively edit is an essential skill for any writer to develop, and, as you work through these opportunities, you will find your own writing improves, as well.
Giving suggestions for improvement isn't criticism, it’s supportive.
Perfecting Proofreading
While many see that proofreading is easier than editing, it is still a demanding task that requires a specific skill set. These strategies from Think Literacy will help you to adopt new ways to proofread effectively. Why do you think reading backwards is recommended for some elements and not others?
Enrichment
Grammar Saves Lives
What’s the difference between the following two statements?
- Let’s eat Grandma!
- Let’s eat, Grandma!
If you noted the comma, you are correct. If you noted the expression of cannibalistic homicide as opposed to the expression of hungry anticipation, you are also correct.
With the exception of authors such as E. E. Cummings, commas can have an enormous impact on a writer’s style, pacing, and purpose. Learn more about the importance of this type of punctuation by watching the following video.
Criteria
Before continuing, consider what you think you should be looking for when revising, editing, and proofreading. Some criteria might include:
- there is a recognizable organization to the text;
- there are no spelling errors;
- the writer has used elements of style such as show versus tell, rhetorical devices, imagery, etc.; and/or
- the choice of words or phrases enhances the message in the text.
Develop other criteria along with your reasons explaining why they are important.
Resources
If you want to view any links in these pdfs of websites, right click and select "Open Link in New Tab" to avoid leaving this page.
- Editing versus Proofreading is an excellent website for clarifying the difference between editing and proofreading.
- Editing and Proofreading is a great website that offers editing and proofreading tips and definitions.
- Revising, Editing, and Proofreading is a good website for explaining the difference between the three styles.
- The writing process - revising provides useful questions for writers to ask themselves.
Putting Theory into Practice
Now that you’ve had a chance to review the three main elements of descriptive feedback, it’s your chance to put them into practice.
Draft Prompt
Throughout this course you will be writing in a variety of different modes. Select any two of the modes below. Then, write based on the prompt selected by you.
- Short Story: one to two pages in length
- Poetry: three to four short poems or one to two longer poems
- Script: two pages in length
- Creative Non-Fiction: one to two pages in length
Do not complete any proofreading, edits, or revisions!
Reviewed Revision
Now craft the following into a document.
- Complete the revision process and polish your two pieces.
- Compile a list of three proofreading and three editing descriptive feedback suggestions you developed for your own writing.
- For each one, identify whether you chose to adopt or reject it and in three to five specific sentences explain your choice.
- What goal can you set for yourself to help improve future writing projects? State your goal in a sentence, and keep it handy for the next writing event!
Introduction
Learning Goals and Success Criteria
Learning Skills and Work Habits
Rubric 1