the writing workbench
"When I say writing... it is rewriting that I have chiefly in mind." - Robert Louis StevensonOnline Writing Workshop
If you haven't yet discovered it and need critiques from other writers, then look at The Internet Writing Workshop (IWW).
Members of this online workshop participate by submitting their own works and critiquing the works of others (i.e., members must critique in order to submit) or by joining in the discussions. It's a great way to practice, learn and discuss the craft of writing.
Do-It-Yourself Editing
I can't recommend "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" enough for any writer getting started in fiction.
The authors go beyond just editing fiction and elaborate on techniques and practices that will improve your fiction. By practicing their advice, you'll fill the shoes of an editor as your read through your work.
When I Say Writing
"...O, believe me, it is rewriting that I have chiefly in mind." Stevenson's wisdom here, I speculate, came from first-hand experience. Thomas Huxley maintained that he wrote essays a half-dozen times before he could "get them into proper shape." Despite the time-honored advice given by literary giants like Stevenson and Huxley, however, very few new writers make the effort to revise their work.
Revision
Revision goes beyond just correcting mechanical errors in your writing. Typically revision involves making improvements in your work by rearranging and reorganizing ideas, rewriting sentences, deleting extraneous material, and creating new material. And at the more extreme, revision can be a total reconception of the subject and of the writer's approach to the subject.
Revising vs. Editing
A distinction should be made between revising and editing. Revision refers to reconstructing a theme, improving weak passages, adding new material, whereas editing refers to correcting grammatical errors, correcting misspelled words, and changing punctuation.
Self Revising
In the early stages of writing, it's difficult to develop self-criticism. It's important to take time to enjoy and admire our work, but if you want to be a good writer you must always seek out improvement. Discussion of book
