There are three phases of writing: Researching, writing, and editing. The problem is that many people tend to lump these activities together. They can’t resist double-checking some facts, correcting a misspelled word, rewriting the same sentence a few times, or correcting grammatical blunders.
It’s more efficient to keep these activities separate. Flitting back and forth from each task will slow you down. Instead of researching your facts as you write, you should familiarize yourself with the topic first, then start writing. You can double-check the facts later. Instead of revising as you go, it’s better to just write freely without stopping to correct something. You can always clean up your article later.
Here are some steps to help you streamline your writing activities:
- Write a short outline or a series of questions you want to answer when you write your article. This will give you a focus for your research.
- Set aside a block of time to thoroughly research your subject. Once you have all the answers you need, you’re ready to write.
- Write, write, write. Let it flow. Try not to stop, and definitely don’t try to rewrite anything as you go. Think ahead to what you want to say next, but don’t stop to review what you’ve already written.
- Now it’s time to edit your work. Cut out all the fluff, fix the typos and misspellings, rewrite sentences that just don’t work. Be as ruthless as you like. This is where you make your article look presentable.
Give yourself permission to write something less than stellar. Your inner critic won’t abandon you when it’s time to play the part of editor.
