My first draft of any piece of writing
(blog posts, novels, marketing copy)
is messy.
It has everything I can think of
in it.
It is complicated, convoluted,
uses three words where one would do,
might be over the top emotional.
I dump everything on the page
(or screen).
My thoughts.
My emotions.
It is raw and harsh.
Then I simplify.
I look at the core message,
the core emotion,
and carve away anything
that doesn’t belong.
I make it as simple as possible
without losing that message,
that emotion.
Why do I craft my writing
this way?
Because it is easier
to dial it back,
to remove things and thoughts,
than it is to add them.
It’s okay if your first draft
of any writing
is messy.
It is merely the start.