Thread: fighting the urge

to go back and edit. I'm trying to finish up my first draft that I've been working on foreevveerrr. now, after recovering my files, i have the printed copies. I know i should just pick up and keep on trekin but, i'm reading through the first couple of pages and cringing..

anyone else have similar issues?

Writers have similar experiences all the time. They are often interpreted as evidence of improvement.

You should focus on finishing the piece first, and then go back to see what you can change. Otherwise, you'll get caught up in a never-ending cycle of editing and re-writing.

Agreed. Finishing a piece (of any length) is of more benefit that constant revisions. Otherwise you run the risk of sections losing clarity because you've edited them to obscurity, or having selected sections being of a much higher quality than other parts. The quality of work should be relatively seamless.

I agree with everyone else. Editing is a whole other beast. If you have to edit do it only when you are at a point where you don't know what happens next in the story. Otherwise keep on truckin.