Ask HN: How do you avoid over-editing yourself when writing?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37582038

by rockbruno • 3 years ago

2 4 3 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I have been writing technical blog posts for a while and have been noticing that I have become increasingly more and more perfectionist when it comes to writing. While previously I could write an entire post in a few hours, today I can easily spend 30+ minutes on a single sentence as I keep over-thinking about which exact words to use and if I'm expressing myself in the absolute best way possible.

This is obviously stupid, but I'm having a really hard time _not_ falling into this trap. I can find lots of general advice on the web on how to avoid this, but I was wondering if there are people are at HN who experienced this and managed to break free from it. How do you folks avoid over-editing yourselves when writing?

DamonHD• 3 years ago

1) The general "don't let perfect be the enemy of good (enough)" applies.

2) Give yourself a time limit. Yep, "time boxing" in business jargon.

3) Make sure that you have written (almost) all the content before allowing yourself much detailed editing. Then at least you can stop with something decent at almost any point, see (2). That "already ready to ship" state relaxes me somewhat.

(I have my own site(s), and I used to edit for a living, briefly.)

pr07ecH70r• 3 years ago

I wouldn't say avoid. I write freelance articles, even sotries some times. Also have a blog. I don't avoid it. Sometimes happens. I just keep and extensive article "version-control" and can "roll-back" easily.

qwery• 3 years ago

Sometimes I make myself write the first thing that comes into my head (in e.g. a comment on HN) and just post it. As a form of training. Compelled to edit every sentence so far? OK. Isn't particularly insightful? OK. Doesn't make sense? OK.

defrost• 3 years ago

Different things work for different people.

Do you read your own work aloud, do you dictate to speech to text?

Code examples and mathematics don't work altogether too well that way but the prose portions of your articles might benefit from changing to the habit of drafting them | polishing them via 'natural' speech.

Horses for courses, as mentioned already, but I often find that talking through material already dot point mapped out causes me to infill in a relitively natural and efficient manner.

Ask HN: How do you avoid over-editing yourself when writing?

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