Writers--Don't Be a Last Minute Lucy

When we're into the last minute before something needs to be done, we move fast. Your phone rings--it's unexpected relatives--they'll be at your house in 15 minutes. What to do! When that kind of situation occurs. we do move fast. Pick things up, hide them in strange places. Consider what's in the pantry to offer your guests and put on a happy face when the doorbell rings. 

In our writing journey, we sometimes put things off until close to deadline, then hurry up and get something written, then submit with a sigh of relief. Did it! You may have made the deadline, but did you send one of your best pieces of writing? Possibly not.

To have a worthwhile submission time is involved. Quite a bit of it. Let's revisit this situation that I've written about more than once. The reason being that it is important and will benefit you in the long run. 

Let's say that you have a personal essay swirling in your head. It would be perfect for the state writing contest which closes in a month. Your best approach is the following:

• Write the first draft; read through it once, then put it in a file and leave it there.
• Work on something else for the next several days but think about that draft if you like.
• Wait several days to a week before you pull up the file and read the draft again.
• Now is the time to proofread. You will see things that you'd have missed completely had you tried to proofread immediately after writing the first draft.
• Consider places where you might add something or what can be deleted.
• What about word count? Too many? Room to add something?
• Look at the verbs in your essay. Too many passives? Or are they filled with life? Work on making them the best they can be.
• What about telling vs showing? Which dominates your essay? If it's all telling, you'd better be ready to almost completely rewrite that draft.
• After you've done the proofreading and revising, put the file away again for a couple days or even longer.
• Proofread again. Do you like the changes you made? Are there other revisions possible? Or is it the best it can be?
• Go ahead and submit it, or let it simmer for another few days before you do a final check and feel completely ready to submit.
• Don't fall into the trap of revising and proofreading so many times that you never get to the point of submitting. 

Looking at the list above, it's obvious that attaining a top-notch essay doesn't happen in one summer afternoon. Yes, you can write one in a short bit of time, but how far will it get in either a contest or for an editor to consider?

Don't be a Last Minute Lucy. Give yourself time to write, rewrite, and rewrite again to have the best essay possible.