Fall in Love with “Bad First Drafts”

The work never matches the dream of perfection the artist has to start with.

– William Faulkner

Depending on your line of work, you may face dire penalties if you use imprecise language. But there’s a big difference between a “bad first draft” and a “bad final draft.”

Here’s how to use this tool:

STEP ONE: Pick a short writing assignment.

What’s something you can complete in a single sitting–one hour or less?

STEP TWO: Grind out a first draft.

Do not stop. Do not look back to edit or even scan what you’ve written. No Delete Key. No glancing up. Just 100% concentration. Power through to the end as fast as your fingers can go.

STEP THREE: Take a break away for at least 30 minutes.

Do something unrelated, fun, and relaxing. Have a snack. Chat with your staff. Take a walk.

STEP FOUR: Return to the document and edit.

You will edit like a pro. And the project, all told, will take you a fraction of the time and effort that it would have otherwise... even including the break.

HINTS:

• The key here is intensity. You’re not grinding for the sake of grinding. Your intention is to break the work into three distinct phases: intense, relaxed, intense. Loud, quiet, loud. Kind of like The Pixies.
• Use this technique for internal projects at first. Start with small internal projects such as writing emails to staff. Once you gain facility, try it on more consequential work.
• Allow yourself the freedom to screw up royally on the first draft. Don’t know the name of a case to cite? Write ABC v. XYZ. Move on. Stuck on a turn of phrase? Write insert language to the effect of XYZ here. Then move on. You will find the right language and eliminate inaccuracies later. When you write, write. When you edit, edit. Confuse the two roles not!

Learn more about Adam Kosloff and Virtuoso Content here: https://lp.virtuosocontent.com/