Let the Writer Write

Before you start the next chapter, look back upon the last.
Those words will help you bridge the present from the past.
But when the fresh words call you, let your inner writer lead,
And silence the correcting voice that slows your growing seed.

The editor in you will notice every sentence out of place,
But drafting needs a freer mind, a less-demanding pace.
Don’t stop to polish every line or make each phrase just right.
Keep moving with the story while the vision burns in sight.

The first attempt may stumble, and the prose may feel untrue,
But every rough and tangled draft gives something you can do.
A blank page cannot be revised or strengthened line-by-line,
So give yourself imperfect words before you make them shine.

A writer should write poorly when the early words appear,
And rewriting brings out the meaning and makes the message clear.
The greatness of the finished work is seldom born complete.
It rises through revision, where persistence and skill meet.

So freewrite without judgment. Let the thoughts and feelings flow.
For freedom gives imagination room to breathe and grow.
Later, call the editor in you to strengthen what you’ve penned,
To shape the rough beginning toward a more satisfying end.

Though many years have taught you, learn this truth once more:
The writer must first create before the editor keeps score.
Write bravely first, revise with care, and trust the words you start—
The draft releases vision, and the rewrite reveals the heart.