One of the joys of writing is revising. It sounds weird to say it, perhaps, but my favorite part of the writing process is actually editing and revising a paper.
I like to take that step back and figure out how to improve my sentence, paragraph, and section level writing. Sentence level writing might be nit-picking, but it’s fun to think about ways to write with clarity and pare down words. In terms of paragraph level writing, I like to think about how I can add topic sentences, needed claims, data/evidence, and analysis (these are the things I teach). Section level writing might be the toughest. It’s where you have to think about what and if additional information is needed to set up another part of a paper–and when you need to signpost that information as its own section.
My current paper under revision is the ‘Austen and online sociability’ paper I mentioned in another blog post. I currently have the following sections:
- an unnamed introductory section
- Online Instruction and Virtual Sociability
- Austen’s Juvenilia, Discussion Forums, Blogs, and Wikis (and subsections for each)
- A Digital Northanger Abbey and Sociable Reading Communities
- Reflecting on the Austen Media Reading Experience
- Reading Austen Online Now
I added nine figures (all screenshots) to the paper, too. I put some of them in an early draft and then deleted them. Silly me. Visuals almost always help the argument.
I am excited to keep revising this paper and will try to remember to update you when it’s done.
