Write First, Edit Later

A lot of people start writing by editing, and this is the biggest mistake you can commit when you’re actually trying to finish something.  You can’t edit something that has not been written yet!  So you have to WRITE FIRST!

Write whatever comes to mind, don’t worry about what it is that you’re trying to write, because sooner or later you will get there.  Of course, you must have an idea where you want to go with what you’re writing, but it’s important not to get caught up in the “technicalities” of writing, because that’s a sure way to hinder your creative juices.

AFTER you write, then you can begin the tedious task of editing.  After you have everything you wanted to say written down, then you can cross your “t’s” and dot your “i’s”.   A big part of getting things done however, is in the order that you make this process works for you.

I know some people who will write and re-write a sentence ten times before moving on to the next one.  I can’t think of a bigger waste of time when it comes to writing than to edit as you write.

Your brain has a creative side and an analytical side, and to switch from one side to the next takes some effort.  If you are trying to switch brain sides on each sentence, you’re sure to get tired and fed up with writing fairly quickly.

A better method is to use your creative side in order jot down everything that your heart desires.  Let the thoughts, concepts and ideas flow out of your imagination to the paper.  Write what you want without judgement, because, after all, you’ll have to edit it later.

Once is time to edit, then go into edit mode.  Try to not get creative with your editing (you can still be creative, just make sure you’re looking at your writing in an analytical fashion).  The edit portion is where you make your writing cohesive, and the part of writing where you make sure that things make sense to the reader.

If you follow this order, WRITE first, then EDIT later, then you’re sure to at least enjoy your writing process a lot more.  But regardless of this advice, do what works for you.  If you’re able to write masterpieces by re-writing every word you write as you write it, then by all means, do what works for you.

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