How many times will you 'edit' it(!)? Post. The. Damn. Thing.
Are you editing or stalling?
I say this as if I have never hesitated to hit the publish button.
Haha. I have been there…many times…as a new writer. When I felt hesitant to show a part of me to the world. Lest people wouldn’t like it. So, I’d fiddle with my writing a little more…editing.
I know what I am saying will contradict what most writers say (including me) that editing is where the real magic happens. So, why not have a little more magic if that’s true?
It makes sense as long as it doesn’t become a trap.
And the danger is that the more you delay it, the more sure you are that you are not ready. And soon, it will be what it was to begin with—a draft.
Forever.
1. Editing or stalling? Think harder.
Editing is the most crucial part of writing where it takes the final form. And we all know it happens in layers. With every edit, the story detangles a little more.
But how many times is enough? 2 times, 3 times, 6 times?
There’s no rule, but for a normal blog, 2-3 rounds of good editing suffices. It may take longer time if you are starting out, but you get better. But if you are doing it again and again and again, pause and think.
Are you really editing it or stalling it because you are scared to let it go. Scared…
That you will be judged poorly.
That people will find your flaws.
That this is not as good as other blogs….
If that is the reason, let me tell you something—you will never edit it enough. You are stuck in a rut. A trap.
And the only way to come out of it is when you realize these things…
2. What kind of writer do you want to be?
There are the God-like writers. Whose every sentence looks like a near-perfect chiseled art piece.
And then there are the prolific writers. Who are not literary prodigies (neither do they claim to be). But you will always ‘meet’ them around the corner. Aka, are consistent with their work.
Occasional or consistent—either type is fine. Just that align your expectations accordingly. You can’t write once a month and expect miraculous results.
So,
If you are here to build a digital presence,
If you want your work to get noticed,
If you want opportunities to come your way…
Bet your money on volume.
And to get volume, you must ditch perfection.
3. Is aiming for perfection helping you? Ans: Big NO.
I get it. It isn't easy to come out in the open as a new writer because you feel you are substandard. That your work will look shoddy compared to what’s out there.
So, you edit some more. Try to make it more acceptable.
Now, consider this:
If you don’t publish your work often, you will not know how your work fares. You will not know if it’s working or not.
And who gets to decide what’s good and what’s not—not you, not other writers, it’s the readers. And your readers can’t read your drafts!
You may be sitting on a goldmine, thinking it’s trash. So, go on. Get it out and see what it fetches.
Publishing will get you results. Real ones. Perfection will only fetch you imaginary ones.
4. The audience is much more forgiving than you imagine.
It happened to me once: I accidentally hit publish on a half-done draft, and it went out to my (then) 800+ subscribers. I panicked.
But then, seven kind messages landed in my inbox. Most of them just said: “It’s okay.” And honestly, that felt great.
Remember:
Your audience is not looking for slip-ups. It’s least bothered. You are a nobody, and that’s a boon.
They have short memories—both for your wins and flops. But show up again and again, they warm up and respond
So, you want to be on their radar? Show up consistently. That matters more than occasional near-perfect stories.
No one’s judging you out there. So, don’t stop yourself from showing what you've got in fear of imaginary verdicts.
I have coached 37 new writers, and certain things came up again and again. So, I have compiled them into a 6-day email course, keeping the focus on two aspects:
Actionable tips,
Ample examples.
Get it here. 👈
