1. revision
Unit 8

2. The first impulse in writing is to flood it out, let as much run freely as you possibly can. Then take a walk or go to the bank… and come back in a day or six months later. To read it with a cold eye and say, “This is good. This is not. That sentence works. This is magical. This is crummy.” You have to maintain your critical sensibility and not just assume, because it was an extraordinary dream for you, that it will be a dream for other people. Because people need maps to your dreams. Alan Gurganus

3. You generally start out with some overall idea that you can see fairly clearly, as if you were standing on the dock and looking at a ship on the ocean. At first you can see the entire ship, but then as you begin work you’re in the boiler room and you can’t see the ship anymore… What you really want in an editor is someone who’s still on dock, who can say, Hi, I’m looking at your ship, and it’s missing a bow, the front mast is crooked, and it looks to me as if your propellers are going to have to be fixed.
Michael Crichton

4. Revision questions What is my story about?
Is there unnecessary summary?
Is it original?
Why should the reader turn from the first page to the second?
It is clear?
Is it self-conscious?
Where is it too long?
Where is it undeveloped in character, action, imagery, theme?
Where is it too general?

5. Suggestions for revision
Don’t rely on grammar/spell check
Re-type at least one full draft from scratch
Write two or three drafts, each focusing on a different specific issue – character, setting, dialogue, etc.

7. Authors talk about revision
Excerpts from On Writing

8. Revision
Peer Review activity packet

9. 8-1: “Dud” by Pamela Painter

10. exercises
Choose three of the seven activities to complete and add to your writer’s notebook.