Revising means improving your ideas, organization, and clarity. Editing means correcting grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Writers do both to make their writing stronger and clearer.
Think of revising as “making it better” and editing as “making it correct.” Both are important for good writing.
When revising, look at the content of your writing. Ask yourself if your ideas are clear, organized, and interesting for the reader.
Good revising may include adding, removing, or rearranging sentences to improve meaning and clarity.
When editing, look closely at the small details. Check for spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation errors.
Editing comes after revising. First improve your ideas, then check for correctness.
Here are examples of how a sentence can change through revision and editing:
Revision makes writing more meaningful; editing makes it polished and correct. Both steps help create strong final drafts.
Use these tips to make your writing the best it can be:
Every great writer revises and edits. Writing is a process, and no first draft is ever perfect.