Revision

Trying to rewrite and essay Revising an essay is not super easy but, I wouldn't say it is super hard either. My essay looks way better now than it did the first time around. I'm one of those people who just sit down and write my first draft in one sitting. Writing that way helps me get all my ideas out on paper and it really helps me think through my ideas about the piece. As you can imagine it isn't exactly the best structured or the most cohesive paper. First drafts are confusing and sometimes I don't even know what I was trying to say but... I found my kernel of thesis in my first draft! It was just like 'Shitty First Drafts' said, I need to go back through and find the good ideas that will inspire me.

Main Strategies

Keeping the thesis in mind - Now that I have a thesis I try to keep it in mind while I am re-structuring my paper.

Restructure - My paper has good ideas but now I want to help them look like they actually belong in the paper; not like they were thrown on by mistake "oops, sorry, wrong essay!"

Mark it up - I have a hard copy of the paper that I use to mark up and make notes on about moving things around. It has helped me see things that go together but were not originally together.

Particular Strategies

Keeping the thesis in mind - It really helps me weed out the unnecessary bits and its really my main revision strategy because I finally have a thesis.

Write down ideas - While revising, sometimes my brain moves faster than my re-ordering skills so i write down my ideas. I also write down the ideas that don't yet work with my essay, in case they can be used later.

Not Helpful

Outlines - They just aren't my thing. I find it hard  to know what I'm trying to write if i haven't written it yet. Even after the first draft, outlines don't help because I am still deciding where I am going by writing the second draft.

Changing 

The structure is definitely going through major changes. I have lost a lot of paragraphs, combined some, and am writing new ones.

The essay is also way more on track now. I have a thesis that I stick with and support.