Write First, Edit Later

You’ve written four paragraphs. You’re pleased with the flow of thoughts and how well you were able to say exactly what you meant to say.

You eye drifts back to the first line and you begin reading it again, still patting yourself between the shoulder blades.

This time, it doesn’t sound all that wonderful. You change a sentence. Replace a word. Reread the paragraph. Decide it doesn’t quite say what you wanted it to say. Rewrite it.

Then you move to the next paragraph and do the same thing.

An hour later, you’ve written very little. Worse, you’re beginning to wonder whether you have anything worthwhile to say at all.

In disgust you close the document and decide to watch an episode of Game of Thrones—for the umpteenth time.

An hour later you don’t even remember the topic you wanted to write about.

You don’t know it, but you have just made the most exhausting and expensive mistake writers make: trying to write and edit at the same time.

Two very different jobs

Writing and editing require different ways of thinking.

When you write, you need to explore ideas, make connections, follow a thought and discover where it leads. You need room to experiment, take a few wrong turns and sometimes surprise yourself.

A few years ago, I read that your best writing comes out when you let your subconscious and intuition take the lead. In the years that followed, I have verified it many times over.

My writing comes studded with deep insights and unusual thoughts when I write without curbing the flow of words. It doesn’t happen very often but when it does, that writing session is pure bliss. I emerge from it fulfilled and replete. Nothing beats the contentment that session provides.

Editing, on the other hand, requires you to step back and examine what you’ve produced. Does it communicate what you intended? Is it clear? Does it belong here? Could it be expressed better?

One calls for openness and exploration. The other calls for scrutiny and judgement. Both are essential. When writing, you might veer off topic entirely. That course needs correction when you are editing/revising. The two MUST NOT happen at the same time. The creative brain doesn’t take kindly to interruptions.

Trying to do both simultaneously is like driving with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake. Not only will you not move, you will also ruin your car engine.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Often, it’s because we want our writing to be good. We want every sentence to sound right, every paragraph to flow beautifully and every chapter to hold together.

There’s nothing wrong with those expectations. The trouble begins when we impose them on ourselves while we’re still trying to work out what we want to say.

You may have an idea that needs another paragraph to develop. But instead of following it, you stop to polish the sentence you’ve just written.

You may be discovering something interesting about a character or an argument. But you interrupt that discovery to question whether the opening is strong enough.

Before long, you’re spending more time correcting your writing than developing it.

And here’s the irony: you may be editing words that you eventually decide to delete anyway.

Give yourself permission to write badly

I’m not suggesting you stop caring about the quality of your writing. I’m suggesting you stop demanding quality at the wrong stage.

When you’re drafting, your first responsibility is to get your thoughts onto the page. Don’t interrupt every idea to find the perfect word. Don’t keep returning to the opening to make it shine. Don’t worry about whether a paragraph is elegant before you’ve finished developing the thought behind it.

Let the draft be a draft.

Once you’ve completed a section or chapter, step away from it. Return with a fresh mind and begin editing. You’ll be in a much better position to see what’s working, what needs attention and what should be removed.

And remember, editing is not simply correcting grammar and replacing ordinary words with impressive ones. It’s about making sure your writing says what you intend it to say, in the most effective way possible.

A small change that can make a big difference

Try separating your writing and editing sessions.

If you’re drafting a chapter, make a note of anything you want to revisit, but resist the urge to stop and fix it immediately. Keep going.

If you find yourself stuck on a sentence, leave a gap or insert a reminder. You can return to it later.

Your aim is to develop the idea first. You can refine its expression afterwards.

Don’t confuse a rough draft with poor writing. A rough draft is simply writing in progress.

You owe your ideas the freedom to develop before you judge how well you’ve expressed them.

So, the next time you sit down to write, let yourself write. The editor in you will get her turn. Just don’t invite her to interrupt every five minutes!

Mother of three adult, opinionated humans and two boisterous dogs. An idealistic, outspoken woman of scrupulous integrity. Author coach and developmental editor. And a passionate bibliophile, of course.