I’ve done a lot of research on the craft of writing. Some things I learn are easier to assimilate into my writing technique than others. For instance, I’ve read several articles from well known, successful authors who recommend you write your manuscript, start to finish, without looking back until you’ve completed the entire first draft.

How is this possible? Not look back? I can’t do it! I can’t I tell you!

I know, I’ve heard the warning…..If you keep going back to perfect the first chapter, you’ll never get past the first chapter. I’m proud to tell you I’ve conquered this problem, although it took a while.

The way I write now is, I get a scene/chapter into the computer. Usually I think it’s nowhere close to as good as it was in my head, and I get frustrated. The next day, however, I come back, review it, add details, flush out setting/characterization, edit extraneous words, and I start to like it. It’s usually not until the day after that, after I’ve edited/revised it a few more times, that I feel ready to move on. That’s not to say it’s perfect, because further changes are often needed when I do my final edit of the manuscript as a whole.

Another thing I like to do is, when I first sit down to write, I read over the chapter before the one I’m working on, to get myself back into my characters’ heads. See…I don’t know how to not look back!!!

So what about you? Do you write/revise, write/revise, write/revise until you’re done? Or do you write the entire first draft, start to finish, before revising? And which way do you think is best?