The Editing Loop

First drafts are for getting ideas out. Editing is where writing actually happens.

A simple loop that works: write a rough draft without stopping, then read it aloud. Your ear will catch what your eye misses — the sentence that trails off, the paragraph that repeats itself, the word that almost means what you intended.

Cut ruthlessly. If a sentence does not add information or move the reader forward, remove it. Good writing is not about saying everything; it is about saying the right things.