The #1 Writing Tip I Wish I Knew Sooner

Ever stare at a blank page, paralyzed by the pressure to get every word perfect? The biggest lesson I learned: stop trying to write and edit at the same time. In this post, I share how writing freely first—and saving tweaks for later—can shatter writer’s block, boost creativity, and turn rough ideas into polished gems. If you’ve ever scrapped your first sentence a dozen times, this is for you.

Struggling to Get the Words Just Right? I’ve Been There.

You sit down to write. The cursor blinks. You type a sentence, delete it, retype it, tweak it, delete it again. Sound familiar? Staring at that blank page can be paralyzing. And then add a deadline to it? Sheesh! 

This was me in high school English classes– and I loved writing! But when writing is an assignment with due dates piled on top of a million other assignments, the stress is unreal.  

It took a long time to learn my writing process. It wasn’t until my first creative writing workshop in college taught me a valuable lesson: Write it all down. Revision is the process.

Ok. So what do I mean by that? Well, honestly, I learned to write for me and not the people sitting next to me. I write because what I have inside me NEEDS to get out. And far from perfect; in fact, it’s usually a hot mess. Everything is a draft until I die. Then my besties and my hubby have permission to release all my scribbles and burn the stuff that should see the light of day. 

But it wasn’t until I started teaching academic writing that I learned the single most important writing tip that changed everything because teaching writing and actually writing are two completely different things! I could write utter trash all day and revise like a boss. I’m actually not allowed to touch one of my friend’s writings to this day because of how ruthlessly I cut the fluff out of his writing. But teaching other people to be this confident is something entirely different– and I wish I had understood this sooner. 

The Best Writing Doesn’t Happen in the First Draft.

The secret? Stop trying to write AND edit at the same time.

That part, right there, was tricky to teach. So I had to get creative. After that first workshop, I couldn’t even give into insecurity. I just wrote, made copies of my poems, and passed them around our poetry circle. Horrifying, right? But that’s workshopping. 

Fast forward to my own teaching career: I tried to do this in a class where I had students write an I AM poem and then we all read it aloud. It was my favorite activity and this class did not disappoint! And then I tried it again a few years later, a different generation of students by then. Crickets… Only TWO students out of 33 wanted to read their work aloud. I had to make a tough choice. I let class out early that day and told everyone to go home and revise their poems to read aloud next class. 

I expected more silence. But… here’s what happened: 

Most students not only showed up, but delivered some epic prose, the kind I hung up on my little cubical wall. 

Moral of the story: Revision is a huge part of the writing process. Giving my students time to brainstorm, work it out in class, and THEN revise in the quiet safe space of their homes made all the difference.

The Tip in Action: Write First, Edit Later

So how do you break the cycle of overthinking?

1. Set a Timer and Just Write

Give yourself 10-15 minutes to write freely without stopping. No backspacing. No second-guessing. Just get the words out.

2. Use a Placeholder When You’re Stuck

Can’t find the perfect word? Write [something better goes here] and move on. Editing is for later. I totally do this and the funny thing is sometimes students forgot to remove those 🙂

3. Step Away Before Editing

Give your brain time to reset. Whether it’s a few hours or a full day, fresh eyes will make your editing process so much smoother. Promise!

4. Read Like a Writer

Don’t just skim. Ask:

• Does this sentence serve the main idea?

• Can I say this more clearly?

• Am I showing, not just telling?

This shift—from writing to revising—is where good writing becomes great writing.

5. Read It Aloud

I mean it. After you do a run through of basic edits, turn off all other sounds and actually READ your work aloud to yourself, to your dog, to the wall. I don’t care as long as give your writing a voice.

Why This Matters for Writers, Students, and Educators

💡 For Writers: It frees you from perfectionism and helps you finish projects faster. And if you’re not working on a project, but are stuck, this can help boost creativity and sometimes, you’ll write a one-liner gem that turns into something later. It’s ok if later is 10 years. Hoard those scrappy one-liners like they’re precious.

📚 For Students: It makes essay writing feel less overwhelming. And that’s what writing is to so many students: overwhelming. It shouldn’t be. We should be encouraging young folks to tell their stories unfiltered first. They already do it online for free. Why not help them use those skills in academic writing?

Try It & See the Difference

Next time you sit down to write, resist the urge to edit in the moment. Instead, write first, edit later. Did I just come up with a cool motto? ;) Give it a try and let me know how it changes your writing process!

Drop a comment below—what’s the #1 writing tip that changed your process?

📌 Follow my journey & get exclusive writing resources:

🔗 Join my newsletter
📚 Explore my resources
📖 Follow me on Instagram