Thursday, December 4, 2014

Revision methods used by the Celebrity authors





      Revision methods used by the Celebrity authors 

Because English is my second language I encountered some of the difficulties in writing in this language, In 
terms of vocabulary and ways to use the methods in academic writing. But with time and learn new vocabulary and learn the techniques and practice them, my skills have evolved in writing more than before. First I gather ideas on the subject that I want to write about it. Then type my first draft, and then I start the first revision and correcting mistakes and add more details or decrease it. Then when my second draft is ready, I revised a second time and third and fourth, until I get satisfied with it. At that point I start to type it, and the final draft will be ready for out into the light. In this essay, I looked for some interviews of well-known writers, to find out their methods of revising. What is the style and methods that writers use to review their drafts?

Some of the Authors I researched said that they are consulting about the others taking their work and revise it. Louise Erdrich says , “At every opportunity. Usually, I add chapters that I have written too late to include in the original. Or I try to improve the Ojibwelanguage used in the book. As I learn more or I consult my teachers, I learn how much I don’t know. Ojibwe is something I’ll be a lifelong failure at—it is my windmill. I've changed Love Medicine quite a lot, and I wanted to revise The Blue Jay’s Dance. For one thing I wanted to take out the recipes. Don’t try the lemon-meringue pie, it doesn't work. I've received letters. I can’t wait to change Four Souls. There are some big mistakes in that”.   In my opinion this is a good step for a writer, First for a novice writer, it's good to consult with the writers with experience and benefit from their advice and experience in writing, and Secondly to know Audience Reactions on the book  or essay by submitting it to the people surrounding and close to the writer.

Also, William Gibson said explaining his methods in revising, “Every day, when I sit down with the manuscript, I start at page one and go through the whole thing, revising freely. I do, though that might consist of only a few small changes. I've done that since my earliest attempts at short stories. It would be really frustrating for me not to be able to do that. I would feel as though I were flying blind. The beginnings of my books are rewritten many times. The endings are only a draft or three, and then they’re done. But I can scan the manuscript very quickly, much more quickly than I could ever read anyone else’s prose.” For me I used this method several times in writing. It's good to use for either novice or a professional writer. Every day to conduct a freely revising, starting from the first page and go through the whole thing, to be completely satisfied with his work.


Michael Holroyd, described his methods in revising by saying, “For most of my career, I’ve written with a pen on paper, lengthwise, on unlined A4 paper. I have a wastepaper basket close by, in which to file quite a number of these pages. I go through six or more whole drafts by the end. I wish I could do it more quickly. In the past, I would type it and revise again. Of course, I alter it more after I see my editor. It’s a long process. Now it’s slightly different, I still do the beginnings of pages with a pen on A4 paper, but then I move to the computer screen. The only danger of a screen is that it flatters you, it makes what you’ve done look better than it is.” Writing in the past was consuming large quantities of paper, in editing and revision. But after having computer and ease of typing using it, the way differed, especially in revision, in terms of ease of deleting information and adjusted, Although some authors prefer the traditional way with a pen and paper when writing the first draft, and I prefer the same traditional way of writing.

Do you revise every day? The answer for this question from Samuel R. Delany was “Pretty much so, except the days or the hours I devote to writing a first draft. Eighty-five to ninety-five percent of my work is rewriting and revision. Probably that started as a strategy to deal with the wages of dyslexia. Now its habit, but it was a fortunate habit to acquire.” Revision is an important step in the writing process. The writer should do this step several times until the work is completed successfully. And to be a habit that takes Eighty-five to ninety-five percent of his time in re-writing and revision as Samuel said. I think its  good advice.

What about poems?   How many times the Authors revise it before they get decide that they’re done? Henri Cole, answered that question by saying,” Maybe thirty or forty. I do a revision every day until it’s done. This might go on for months or years. Sometimes I get it on the first day. Those are the poems written by the demon.” Here the issue is different for the poem. The revision process depends on the poetic talent of the writer, and may vary in difficulty. The writer is revising his poem thirty to forty times, or it may take months and perhaps for years to finish one poem. Or be a poem written by demon finished in just one day. Did not I tell you it's only a matter of poetic talent?
As a final result, there is a difference in style and methods from the writer to another, in terms of the number of times of revision. But they agree unanimously on the importance of this step in the writing process. It is one of the basic steps for the success of the written work and reveled in an integrated manner. I have benefited greatly from this research personally. Where had briefed me on the opinions of the celebrities authors to benefit from their expertise. There is no doubt that it will help me a lot in improving and developing my skills in the writing process, especially with respect to the subject of this research (Revision).


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