Don’t Edit – Rewrite
Some parts of your early drafts just aren’t there yet. And you know it. The temptation is to tweak, rework, to try and clean it up. This never works as well as hitting “return” a couple times and then writing the whole idea again from scratch.
Reworking a section is like sewing patches on your favorite pants. Ugly. Ditch the worn out pair and buy new.
Rewrite that paragraph from scratch and then see if it fits in better into the rest of your first version.
TIP: Read the first version of your essay that isn’t working. Close your eyes. What’s the main point you’re wanting to express?
Once you’ve got the big idea, rewrite. Don’t look back to the first attempt while you do this. If it’s not flowing, turn on a recorder — there’s a talk-to-text option under “Tools” in Google Docs or start the camera video and talk. The camera part doesn’t matter, you’re capturing your words. When you can say it — and it may take a couple tries — you’ll be able to write it more smoothly or clearly.
As you rewrite, remove tedious explanations and add illuminating context. Skip the “Here’s what we did first and then we…” It’s boring.
Only tell your reader what’s essential in the action for them to know right now. Have you ever noticed how some movies do NOT explain or show everything going on… and as a result, the viewer is riveted. They’re so curious to figure out what just caused that loud noise around the corner. Leaving out details creates tension.
Use natural human curiosity to your advantage. Go ahead — spell everything out in your draft. Then get rid of all but ONE detail that makes this part of the story understandable… and leaves the reader wanting to discover more.
It might feel like I just told you to remove all the detail. I didn’t. Ask yourself, “what’s critical for my audience to see or know about this situation?” Write that down somewhere near the start — but after the opening scene. Context is the foundation the rest of your story builds on. Without it, your reader feels disconnected, unsure, and ungrounded. Give them enough to stand on… and then reveal necessary tidbits as the story unfolds. This is fine dining. Not a greasy, all-you-can eat buffet.
