4 Revision Principles to Make Your Writing Better

[@ChannelPabilona]

Thank you for your excellent video! I learned a lot!

[@WritingwithAndrew]

You're welcome--thanks a lot!

[@eugeniosaccon4826]

Thanks! Great content, i loved your way of explaining

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thank you--I'm happy to hear it!

[@AsuraSantosha]

This is an excellent video that I'm sure will help improve my writing! Revision is one of the things Im most conciously working on at the moment. This is already helpful, but Id definitely be open to any future videos that expand on revision tips if you have more.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Thanks--I'll put it on the list. In the meantime, the video from several months ago called "Transform Your Writing with One Change" talks about an important mindset shift that can make a big difference for revision (if you haven't watched it already)

[@AsuraSantosha]

@WritingwithAndrew Thanks for that tip. I think I have seen that one already, but I'm not really tracking them, so I'll double check. I also listen to these videos a lot when I'm on my daily commute, so sometimes I go back to them when I can actually jot down some notes. Because of that, I might check it out again anyway.

[@magoschonkers711]

Andrew, I'm a creative writer who learned how to write primarily from film writing resources, as they're more abundant and straightforward than creative writing "advice". I am not sure if you write short stories/books/any other similar types of fiction, but if you do, do you have an outline phase? After a few interactions with other authors I've found that they don't outline at all, and some even find the idea offensive enough to ask if I'm on drugs. However, I think an outline is almost essential to writing a consistent story and even helps with writing consistency. What are your thoughts?

[@WritingwithAndrew]

I don't write much fiction (it's been ages, honestly), but I know there are some writers who work from outlines. I think there's this myth that creative writing happens only by inspiration or talent--but a good dose of planning can go a long way! For some projects, I rely on outlines, for others I prefer to just see where things go. It kind of depends--and, if it works for you, who can argue with results?

[@green2147]

Thank you! Sticking to the purpose was very helpful and step away to approach it as a reader instead of as a writer. Ready to make massive cuts. Do you edit others works and how much do you charge? Perfection is the enemy of good.

[@WritingwithAndrew]

You bet! I don't currently do any editing, but I have thought about starting at some point--I'll let you know if it happens

[@streampunk5080]

Hi Andrew, just to avoid confusion: I speak and write German, but I should be able to make my point in English. It is also a pretty basic question; only a year ago I rediscovered writing as a hobby. I know sentences that are better and often even why, for example I would write: He made an apologetic gesture and said: "I am sorry." But I know I should write: He lowered his head, took a deep breath and said: "I am sorry." Because the second sentence shows what is happening, while the first one is just an abstract concept and even redundant..Maybe the second sentence isn't actually better, but I like it much more. It confuses me that I regularly write the worse versions and then I even miss it in revision. I started to read a lot more German books, in hope to address that problem. Professionally I only read and write English, because I am a software developer. Is there something I can do beyond getting in much more practice? Especially can I somehow improve the revision process? Of course I take practice seriously. BTW I read "Im Bann der sinnlichen Natur" - The Spell of the Sensuous. Thanks for the recommendation, the book is amazing. Best, Hans

[@WritingwithAndrew]

Glad you enjoyed the book! To answer your question, I think it's perfectly natural to write the first kind of sentence when you're drafting because you know exactly what you're thinking of when you say "He made an apologetic gesture." On some level, I don't know that you'd need to worry too much about it when you're writing a first draft. Once you start revising, though, it's important to start thinking about your writing from a reader's perspective. When you say "apologetic gesture," a reader could imagine any number of possible gestures, so revising it to be more explicit (and sensory) lets a reader see what you had in mind. So, yes, practice will always help, but reminding yourself that your readers aren't mind readers can help you remember to create the intended experience for your reader more carefully. You already know what you mean--but how would you explain or describe it to someone who doesn't have any idea what you're trying to say?

[@streampunk5080]

​@@WritingwithAndrew Thank you very much. Putting myself into the perspective of the reader will definitely uncover a lot of my imprecise and abstract writing. You point it out in many videos. It is a skill I haven't developed well and it is time to focus much more on it. It is just not enough to only intellectually understand how important the reader's perspective is. Accepting first drafts as just a humble beginning is also a thing I have to get used to.