I love writing and I consider myself a digital writer. Have been doing it daily since the beginning of 2020 on LeoFinance & Hive. Even before that, I was using writing in different forms like emails to my clients, product descriptions, ad copies, webpages, blogs etc. One thing I've learned over the years is that writing is never finished until you're done editing it. When people write something, they often put too much pressure on themselves to make it amazing from the start. That's why a lot of people have trouble finishing anything. They get stuck in endless cycles of editing their work over and over again without ever actually finishing it!
Rough Draft
When I was a kid, they used to have this thing in writing class called the "rough draft". It was a draft of your paper that wasn't supposed to be final or even good. It was just there so you could get all your ideas on paper and maybe figure some things out before you had to write the final draft.
I distinctly remember reading somewhere once that if Shakespeare had written one perfect play, the world would never have heard of him. This is because he wrote at least 37 other plays along with his famous works that were almost certainly better than anything else being written at the time (and still are).
Write A Lot
Do you know what's more valuable than writing one masterpiece? Writing lots of masterpieces!
Nowadays, it seems like people are always trying to write their "masterpiece" at the first possible moment, then submit it without looking back. But writing is a process: You don't start with a finished product and have to make edits along the way. You need to write a lot before you can write well. And that's because writing is not a product; it's a skill.
Edit Even More
Writing doesn't happen in one swoop; it requires revision and editing - which means that you need something to say before you can edit your work down to an effective message (or vice versa). It may feel strange or unnatural at first, but the more you practice getting your ideas out of your head and onto paper/screen/etc., the better writer you'll become.
The best writers I know spend most of their time editing and reorganizing what they've written. Some of them even write one sentence at a time and then edit each of them before moving to the next one.
Editing is a major part of the process, though it can be easy to forget when we're so focused on creating something new. But consider this: if you spend an hour writing a full blog and more than an one and a half hours editing it, that's 2.5 hours total. Doing it in two stages instead of one will get your work done more efficiently.
What Does Writing Mean To Me?
As a writer, you've likely heard the phrase "Writing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration." This is true - but what does it mean?
To me, it means that inspiration will get your idea out of your head and onto paper. The rest is editing:
- correcting grammatical errors
- smoothing over transitions between ideas and sentences
- clarifying confusing language
All the things most people don't enjoy doing (and all things I was terrible at).
Conclusion
I think the lesson here is that writing is more about editing than actual writing. It's about taking what you've written and making it better. If we all spent less time trying to make our first drafts perfect and more time editing them later, we'd all be a lot happier with the final product! There's nothing wrong with writing a rough draft - but don't try to make it perfect on the first try. You'll just waste time that could be spent writing something more meaningful!
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Tbh you said it very well, can't disagree with the editing part. Even I do edits ten times and it becomes like an habit of mine where I'm still improving.
As always Awesome piece of advices by you!!!!
Wish you a happy weekend!
Thank you so much IDK. Editing will make you great at finding your mistakes. You cannot do it while speaking, but while writing, you have all the time in the world to correct it. Happy Weekend mate.
Welcome Guru ji.
Indeed bro!! Happy weekend!
LMAO. Guruji xD
Interesting, I've also experienced obstacles in writing as if I had to write as well as possible to start writing, and often I forgot about editing.
It's like, have an idea, writes it down and forget it, even though it's not at all good for the creative writing process as you stated above, editing is a must, thank you for this reminder post.
You are most welcome mate. Everytime you feel stuck writing down your thoughts, take a small break, come back and write everything down that comes to your mind without caring about the quality. That can be edited and polished later. Cheers!
Those are great points. I would recommend to install Grammarly too (for the editing)!
Good one friend recommended this fir me some days ago too and it was really helpful
Yes bro. Highly recommended. Grammarly's extension does a great job.
I also love writing always fill this inner peace and calmness whenever am crafting out a topic, it is my best moment , writers are blessed
Haha. That's absolutely right @fredaig. Writers are blessed for sure. ❤️
Yahhh keep bringing it out
Yes. Please do!!
☺️🤗
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I couldn't agree more with everything you've just said. The key to a good write-up is a free mind! When you worry less about how your masterpiece will turn out, your words will flow naturally. I agree that writing is almost about editing your work, again and again, it is probably my favorite part because I can add ideas and formulate better word plays. Thanks for sharing this blog with us. 💗
That's right rks. Keeping to cool is the best way to go about writing. If you overstress yourself, words won't come out so easily. Thanks a lot for stopping by. Cheers!
Writing a handy text needs a lot of practice and a good knowledge of context and construction. Some people I met with opined that, it really takes time to find the good phrases and ideas to jot down on the blank pages of paper and what we edit, plays the role of perfecting, thats the final touch that makes a write great and readable.
Thats a good tip of advice, 👍
That's right bro. I always write down whatever thoughts come to my mind no matter how stupid they may sound at the time. While editing I polish them, add more relevant stuff and remove anything unnecessary or redundant.
i loved reading this one because i could relate. my writing process goes this way as well. we just dont rush things, we let ourselves take our time and follow the flow of our thoughts even how messy it gets.
Thank you so much Rene. Glad you liked it. Just go with the flowwww
Oh Wow!!!! This just blew my mind! What have I been doing then? Damn it. I used to think that my constant revising of my write-up was a sign of not being good enough. Now, I'll keep visiting it because that's the main thing. Thank you so much for this. I think I have to work on my Sub-head, headlining and transitioning. I'm having issues with this particular places. I don't know about my Voice (I'm sorry I'm making the comment here instead of the most recent post... Haha. I guess it came to me after I read this one), but I'll try looking at it from a different angle. I just wish this thing would stick in my head...
Don't try to be perfect on the day one. Get better 1% every day and make consistent writing habits. You will be good to go. You know where you are good at or not so good. Work slowly and improve your style over time. Remember, it's not a sprint but a marathon. All the best.
Thank you very much🤗❤️
This is a well explained tips about writing. In summary, write all your ideas down first, and don't bother about what you wrote, but focus on getting all inspirations down first. Then, edit afterwards, even if it will take time.
I have always edit along the way before now and I think this is very useful and would help my journey in writing more.
Thank you 😊
Thanks for summarizing my blog @princessbusayo. You got it perfect. Btw, whatever I wrote above works for me. You can see where you are lacking and fix it in your own way that works for you.
Yes, your article really helps and I am glad coming across it.
This was so helpful and educating. Thank for sharing this with us😘
Yeah I think you're so write, especially about the rough draft. It's so important to get the ideas on the page, then you have a reference point for going back and editing it. I love the phrase "Don't get it right, get it written."
Couldn't have said it better myself.
The author emphasizes the importance of editing as a key component of the writing process but warns against over-editing, which can prevent completion. When writing a position paper https://writepapers.com/blog/how-to-write-a-position-paper-comprehensive-guide , it's essential to strike a balance between refining your arguments and knowing when to move forward. Focus on organizing your ideas clearly and supporting your stance with evidence. After the first draft, allow time for thoughtful revisions, but set clear limits to avoid endless editing cycles.