The main thing to focus on when revising your writing, is to ensure that your paper is focusing on your thesis or main points. When you read through your paper, there should be nothing off topic. Obviously this certain aspect can vary depending on what type of paper you're writing. If you're writing something scholarly or research based, then you are going to want to maintain focus on your thesis. If it is a personal or exploratory paper, then it will be fine to branch off to other aspects of the topic. At the same time this should only be done to a certain extent, you shouldn't go from talking about baseball to talking about gardening.
Another element to keep tabs on is whether the connections you're making in your writing are going to be perceived and understood by the readers. Ensure that if you are going to make a link between two elements that it is a clear and concise connection and the point won't be lost to confusion.
The third part to focus on would be to ensure that all your ideas on a certain point of the paper are in one spot and not jumping around the paper. This is what paragraphs are for. They are there to ensure your paper is organized and flows naturally with the reader. However, it is ok to foreshadow, or flashback to a point briefly to get your point across even more. Doing this can become a great tool in showing your reader the main point you are attempting to make.
The fourth and final element to hone in on is spelling, grammar, and punctuation. This is a small part of the paper, but can make or break you when it comes time for someone to read or grade your work. Spell check and grammar check is your friend, but don't rely on it fully. Make sure to read through your work thoroughly and locate any problem spots. When you encounter a sentence that doesn't quite flow correctly, or might have a punctuation error, work through it and come up with something that will impress your reader. If you start your paper early enough you will have time to go through and improve it leaps and bounds from what it was before.
All in all, revision of a piece of work, scholarly or personal, can improve your writing not only in the present, but in the future. With revision comes new tactics, and with new tactics comes stronger writing.
Fun! I LOVE the picture of Homer Simpson; it conveys so much underneath the words "Revising Your Writing." You make a good argument for revising, and I would argue that editing for grammar and punctuation is so important because punctuation alone can change the writer's meaning: "Let's eat, Grandpa!" is way different than, "Let's eat Grandpa!" Nice job! Kimberly
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