It's the Journey

Once I have completed what I hope is the next great article to contribute to human kind, I know that I am truly not finished with it no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise.

It can be hard though. When an article reaches the finish line, much like when I cross the finish line after a great run, the cheering in my head is unmistakable given the energy and enthusiasm I feel in the moment.

Even though I can’t wait to share it with the world, I know I need to hold myself back. I need to put it aside and give it some time to cool off.
The main reason I do this is that I identify as one of those people who walks away from a heated discussion only to have the perfect words for what I should have said magically come to me moments later. I have often had the same experience when writing articles.

I recall times when, better words would come to me shortly after I published an article. There were also times when I would get a gnawing feeling that I should have said this or that I shouldn’t have said that. More recently, in accepting that my titles needed more time and attention, even after the world had seen my so-called final version, the words in the title have continued rearranging themselves in my head sometimes revealing a much more striking permutation hours or days later.

That being the case, whenever I finish an article, I place it in a “completed” folder on my hard drive to allow my mind to keep processing the final product until it is truly ready to share.

The benefits of the buffer time

With several articles revolving through this folder, I allow myself the time to approach it again with a fresh pair of eyes later, to read through it again to see if there is still for room for improvement. If I am still finding ideas to add value to the article, it stays in the folder.

Leaving an article in the “parking lot of posts” allows time to let all those “oops I forgot” moments happen.

It gives me time to play with the title a few times to see what works better.

It allows me to run the article through the filters made famous by Socrates, “Is it true, it is kind, is it necessary.”

Going back to a completed piece in the “parking lot” might awake inspiration that takes the storyline in a better direction than originally planned in the outline.

Just recently, in the time when a certain “this happened to me” article sat on the finish line, memory kicked in a few days later, recalling more details of my emotional reaction in the aftermath of a situation, providing much more depth and humanity to the story.

Also, small wording changes can often have a cascading effect. For example, a change in the introduction may require an adjustment to the conclusion to maintain balance. Removing part of a sentence to minimize redundancy can throw off the cadence of the paragraph. For that reason, after each such change, I review the entire article for flow, logic and natural storytelling style.

It allows me the buffer time to keep fine-tuning it until I have run out of changes and that I can step back and say, “I’m good with that.”

It’s like in the movies

While at first the idea of buffer time seemed to drag out the process, I started to think about it in terms of post-production work, like with TV and movies. The filming of scenes may take place weeks, months or sometimes years before the final product is set to hit the airwaves.

Why shouldn’t each article have that allotment of time for post-production work?

To me, it’s not about perfectionism, it’s about quality and offering my Sunday best that reflects my complete creative vision.

There are exceptions though

I would offer a note of caution: during my career years, due to the fast pace of our workplace, there was no way I could do this when most writing tasks came with short deadlines.

For me, a best case scenario was an assignment due the next day. This allowed me to write and edit as much as I could before the end of the day, then return the next morning after a good night’s sleep and to perform the final edits.

When an assignment was due the same day, I would produce the draft and first edits before break time, allowing an opportunity for a short walk and some fresh air. Often I would get my best ideas on those little walks, and then return to the piece to complete its final version.

For that reason, the idea of allowing ample post-production time might not be an option in all situations. But now, in retirement, time is entirely mine to manage and this is an important part of my creative process.

When it’s time

When we have run out of changes, it’s time to let it go.

The trick is to trust our gut and to be aware enough to not let it get to the point of removing and adding the same word a few times. In some respects, it’s like petting a cat. It’s to know when you’ve done enough before the cat suddenly decided to bite you or scratch you as if to say “Enough! Stop petting me!”

There is a point at which time might be better spent working on the next one. Unfortunately, there isn’t a universally accepted number of iterations before a piece is ready. It takes the time it takes.

Just the same, I think it is a good sign when the following happens:

• The fresh pair of eyes reviews don’t yield any new ideas or changes;
• The article flows well with no stumbling blocks that impede the pace of the storytelling;
• All of the required elements have been thoughtfully planned out;

To me, that is when it is finished and ready.

That is, until I read the published version a year or two later and think, “Hmm… I think I have an idea on how to make it better”

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Sincere thanks for reading!
Have a great day,
André