The Joy of Rewriting: Momentum, Connection, and Making It Better

Most editors suggest that writers finish their entire story or novel before editing anything. But I follow a different path.

After I've written a few pages, or in some rare occasions dozens of pages, the next day I edit the previous day's work. Why? Because if I've gone to a movie, read a book, or watched television,  or for some reason been away from my writing for a few days or more, editing the previous session's work puts me back into the storyline and let's me reconnect with my characters and what they've been saying or doing to each other.

You see, our real job as a writer is to create the best story we can for our readers. And you can always, always make your story better.

The real joy in writing is rewriting. It's true for artists, dancers, actors, movie makers, anyone and everyone who's creative.

That should be our motto, actually. "Make it Better!"

And there's something else that's important to every creative activity.

MAINTAIN YOUR MOMENTUM.

If you lose your momentum, you fall behind. And when you fall behind it's hard to back up there. It's true about sports, hiking, racing, anything and everything.

That's enough preaching for today. See you around sometime.