"And that's how I start myself. I usually go back a couple of pages, maybe to the beginning of the chapter, and I start reading. And as I'm reading, I'm tweaking - putting in a different word, changing the syntax, putting that clause over there, you know that sort of thing"

This quote by Jean M. Auel speaks to the significance of the modifying process in writing. She recommends that when she starts to modify her work, she returns to the beginning of the chapter and reads it once again. As she checks out, she makes little modifications such as changing words, altering the syntax, and rearranging stipulations. This process of modifying is important to make sure that the writing is clear and succinct. It also permits the author to make sure that the writing is consistent and that the ideas are expressed in the most reliable method. By making the effort to go back and read her work again, Jean M. Auel is able to make sure that her writing is of the greatest quality.