My Writing Process

Confessions of a Heavy Reviser

According to Dr. Lisa Ede, there are four types of student writers. In the same way that someone might write a scarily accurate horoscope for each star sign, Dr. Ede has placed nearly all student writers into four categories. In the following blog post, I will explain why I am a heavy reviser, and wish I were a heavy planner, just as I am a Leo and constantly wish that I were a Sagittarius. 

• I consider myself to be a heavy reviser because I seem to fit the bill for this writing archetype. When I write, it's hard to know exactly what I want to say before I write it down. I do this in all aspects of my life, as I am a serial list-maker as well, who would have no idea what to do with my time if I didn't write it down on a sticky note first. After I'm done with my first draft, nothing makes me happier than reading through and editing nearly everything that I've written down so far. 

McCarthy, Kelly. "Sticky Note My World!" 6/24/2012 via flickr. Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 License

• It is possible that I also share some of the characteristics of the sequential composer because I tend to write my rough drafts based on notes and highlighting that I've done previously. Where I differ from the sequential composer, is the fact that there is no real structure to my notes, other than that I thought a certain tidbit of information might be important. Although I hate to admit it, I definitely also share characteristics with the procrastinator, though in a much lesser degree. Instead of waiting until the very last minute to write, I will put off writing until I know that if I don't write at that point I will absolutely not have the time or the means to review my work.

• My writing style seems to be relatively successful, except it definitely has its flaws. The biggest strength of my approach is that I am very dedicated to editing all of my work thoroughly and repeatedly. The biggest weakness of my work is that sometimes, because it is unplanned, my work lacks a logical flow to it. 

• I imagine that it would be very beneficial to me to be a heavy planner rather than a heavy reviser. Planning is the greatest weakness of my writing, therefore if I became a heavy planner, I firmly believe that my writing would greatly improve. Perhaps planning in all aspects of my life would even help to reduce my use of sticky-note lists.