smart moves for style and clarity

Discriminating connoisseurs savor vintage whiskey and cognac. Discriminating writers relish the refinement of revision. 

Discriminating connoisseurs savor aged spirits. Discriminating writers relish the refinement of revision.
 

These writers expect their first drafts to be unripe blends of thought and expression. They know that an aging process called revision will soon allow them to taste their ideas in full.  
 

Revising is when writers go for maximum impact and become the editor, not just the grammar checker. They evaluate the aptness of their words for the subject matter and the audience. They discover dots that need connecting for the reader. They recast sentences to smooth the transitions between thoughts. They arrange the structural chunks in their sentences for style and clarity. They cut out unnecessary words that reduce the power of the good words.
 

The willingness to revise is a key difference between novices and experienced writers. Writers who understand the power of revising know that they have options to rework their material. They don’t expect first drafts to meet their goals. To many people, revising feels like punishment; to experienced writers, it is a pleasure.

Pros know that their pencils outlast their erasers. They often spend more time revising than composing because they see their chance to do it again — but better.  Ω    

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Related article  To highlight strong modifiers while revising, read Make the Most of Modifiers.