This Ploughshares article was passed on by one my fellow students at Lesley, and it contains some nicely worded reminders of the fundamentals to approaching writing
http://www.facebook.com/l/rAQESielMAQHz0-0P7PmA1XcqOoXG8oM0fDcxnhfeZKuP-g/press.emerson.edu/ploughshares/2012/02/22/things-i-wish-id-always-known/;
For the second submission period, I am reading The Lonely Voice, A Study of the Short Story by Frank O’connor and Dead End in Norvelt, Jack Gantos’ latest novel that won the Newbery this year. I have two other books to read from my list as well, but haven’t decided which to tackle yet. After digesting my mentor’s comments, I am certain that I have been on the right track in believing that the most important aspect of revision is to look at each sentence in the piece and ask yourself “is this as tight and still as descriptive as it can be?” and then to take a step back from the work and consider whether your characters’ actions and reactions show them in the light you intend. These are the two fundamental pieces that I would add to the Ploughshares article.
As my writing friend Lillian Keenan says, “Write on!”