r/writing•
Kirksplosion

Would love some tips on how to break a bad drafting habit of mine

Advice

I've started writing some short stories as practice to develop my prose for a novel I'd like to write, but I have this habit that's hindering me. I'll sit down, knock out several paragraphs or more, then the next time I sit down to write with the intent to continue, l instead start fiddling and refining what I've already written. I'll have multiple writing sessions where I'm really just going back and drafting those first sections when I see something I'm dissatisfied with or could be improved. So I just end up with a really polished intro that I'm happy with...and that's about it.

So if you've struggled with the same thing, I'm all ears for some practical advice on how to get over this hurdle of mine. I know the answer is essentially Just Do It. Get it over with. Write, advance the plot, and go back afterwards for all of the tweaking, adjusting, - but I'm finding it to be a struggle!

Posted Jun 11, 2026, 9:24 PM UTC

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