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Why do we need to revise writing? {Show, don’t tell!}

by | Oct 28, 2013 | Editing & Revising, Reluctant or Struggling Writers

Kids who ask "Why do we need to revise?" can discover for themselves how much better their writing sounds when they take time to improve it

Only at Your House?

Picture yourself at the kitchen table with the kids gathered round. Everyone is working on their latest writing projects, scribbling out a story or article, when this conversation happens:

Child: I’m done, Mom.
You: Great! Let’s set it aside for now. You can revise it tomorrow.
Child: Whaaaaat? Why do we need to revise?
You: Because revising is an important part of the writing process. 
Child: But, Mom, I like it the way it is! I don’t want to change anything
You: Every paper can be improved. Did you know even professional authors revise their work?
Child: {scowling} You just don’t like anything I write.
You: {sigh}

Dear homeschool mama, if it makes you feel better, you are not alone. It’s the rare child who actually enjoys revising a paper. When it comes to writing, frankly, many children see Mom as the bad guy, that mean old parent who’s never satisfied.

Let’s take some steps to change that impression, shall we? Read on…and make sure you {and your kids} catch the fun video at the end.

A Call to A.R.M.S.

A story isn’t finished until the writer has read it through and made changes. There’s always a way to improve what we’ve written.

Revising is a call to A.R.M.S.

  • Add description and detail.
  • Remove words, phrases, or sentences that don’t fit or make sense.
  • Move words or sentences that would work better in another spot.
  • Substitute vague words with stronger synonyms, dull words with interesting ones.

Why Do I Need to Revise?

Until kids finally “get” the value of revising, they’ll probably resist—but that doesn’t mean it will always be the case. Though they need to be taught the benefits of self-editing, they must also discover for themselves how much better their writing sounds when they replace dull words or rephrase an awkward sentence.

More importantly, they need to realize you’re in their corner. Like a piano teacher or soccer coach, you can encourage their progress even as you help them hone their developing skills.

Working together to revise a paper gives you a chance to do more than find fault! Start by pointing out things they’ve done well (such as making strong verb choices or writing an especially descriptive phrase).

Believe me, knowing you’re not just looking for their mistakes is highly reassuring.

Show, Don’t Tell

Pinterest is pretty amazing sometimes (okay, all the time) . . . and all the more so when I discover a gem like the little video below, in which two students act out the process of revising a story. This entertaining 5-minute clip will “show” much better than I can “tell.”

I’m sure your own kids could relate to the child who made the shift from “I’m all done” to “Well, maybe there are some things I could fix” to “Wow! It really does sound better now!”

Not only that, now you have some fresh ways to make suggestions that build up your children and encourage their writing efforts. Happy revising!

Copyright 2013 © by Kim Kautzer. All rights reserved.

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Image: Denise Krebs, courtesy of Creative Commons.