First Write. Then Edit.
Writers write.
Thinking about writing or thinking about becoming a writer is not writing.
To be a writer—even to learn to write—you must write.
“Focus on the writing. It's the only thing you have true control over.” — JA Konrath
Writing and editing are two separate activities.
Writing is putting down thoughts into words or words into thoughts.
It’s plowing the land.
It’s digging up the topsoil of your thinking.
It’s shoveling the rich earth of your mind—and putting down the words, sentences, thoughts, paragraphs, conjectures.
It’s allowing your subconscious mind to work without interference from your editing mind.
It’s sloppy. It’s imperfect. And it sucks—at first.
It’s writing.
Expecting it to be good, polished, or perfect when you begin to write, stifles your writing.
As Julia Cameron wrote in her book, The Right to Write, (which saved my writing soul), you must be willing to write badly to get words written.
“Don't be afraid to make a mistake, your readers might like it.”—William Randolph Hearst
Then, you edit…
After you’ve put your thoughts into words, put your work aside for a while.
Come back to it wearing your editor’s hat.
Now, you’re looking at your raw writing as an editor.
Sometimes, what you thought was horrible may surprise you and be good.
But your first draft, will probably need some editing, rewriting, tweaking, teasing, and polishing.
That’s the job for you, the editor.
?“The conscious mind is the editor, and the subconscious mind is the writer.”
— Steve Martin
A note about perfectionism…
Writing will not work for you if you begin as a perfectionist.
Stifle your impulses for self-criticism and perfectionism.
Like growing fresh flowers, that initial writing is only the beginning of growth.
Some plants will be worthy of care and cultivation.
Some won’t make it.
"Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough - that we should try again." —Julia Cameron
Know what you're writing about.
Meanwhile, remember that writing is always about something, especially something that’s important enough for you to write about.
Yes, you may need to research (unless you are already an expert. But even then, you must stay on top of new information).
Nevertheless, you write what you know or suspect or feel or think.
You may be wrong, or you may be right.
That is a matter for the facts of reality to determine.
Bottom line, you write.
Then you edit.
That’s it.
"A #2 pencil and a dream can take you anywhere."— Joyce Meyer
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Three resources to help you write better, publish more, and monetize your written work:
Why Perfectionism Sucks and What to do about it!
Research Writer
2 年The process of editoring is toward greater perfection of what was previously expressed. So your claim is wrong--perfection does not suck. In my writing I seek perfection (although on reading past works I realize that I will never achieve it, even in my carefully crafted poems there are faults). But the editing process is vital and I revise and improve my first drafts for possibly 90% of the total time spent at it! Does that make me a poor writer? I do it as a hobby and don't set a time limit, so professional writers are going to take a very different attitude to mine ?? .
Professional wnriter for corporations and foundations, fundraising, blogs, articles, and ghostwriting. Amazon #1 bestselling author of "Retaking College Hill."
2 年As a lifelong professional writer who achieved, in a sense, all my goals through writing: making money, making my ideas count, expressing my sense of life, and even achieving some sexual fantasies, I see the value of your ideas. To some extent, the relevance of this advice differs with stages in the writer's career. My self-censorship crippled me as a younger writer; I struggled on and achieved a great deal in my career and in my freelancing. But until I retired and in a certain sense accepted that I never would be Shakespeare (my mother thought so) did my writing flow and become a positive pleasure, the very process a pleasure and even a kind of relaxation. I wrote some dozen full-length books, more than 250 articles for Savvy Street, which I help to edit, and made a side income writing blogs for money. The issue of self-censorship had disappeared because I no longer was in competition with Shakespeare. Don't get me wrong. I AM in competition with the greatest writers in terms of standards, and I am driven to keep improving my craft. But, this is key: I no longer based my self-evaluation, my self-esteem, on being recognized as a "great writer." Now, my satisfaction and my enjoyment is in the writing.