#60 On writing and editing

Hey friends,

When I first started reading research papers, I thought I would never be able to write like all these researchers out there.

I come from an engineering and maths background. Writing was important but not really a big focus. We were trained to solve problems, not write essays.

So, writing research papers (not reports), felt challenging. At first.

What I didn’t know is that published papers are the final_version_8_drafts, revised many times, very often, with the help of others

In reality, everyone starts with a blank page. Which quickly becomes a messy draft.

That’s the normal process. And it’s the only way to get to something “good enough” to be published.

As the sayings go: “good writing is good editing” and “write first, edit later”

The perfect first draft worth being published immediately doesn’t exist

Write your thoughts down. You can shape them better later.

Once done, then you edit.

That’s when you zoom out, find your core idea, and shape your draft around it.

You check structure, clarity, and polish last

This is the writing process:

· Get words on the page

· Edit later in focused rounds

· Make sure your draft has substance in it

After a few years of learning, here is how I write now (I do not consider myself a great writer, but now, I know how to make progress to get something good enough worth publishing)

1. Start with a goal
Know what I’m writing and why. One clear sentence is enough. This keeps me focused.

2. Make a simple outline depending on what your write
For an article, I usually start with the IMRAD structure.

I write my plan with a few bullet points then fill the sections

It saves me time and helps with flow.

3. Draft fast, not perfect
I forget perfection in round one. I just write.

Even if it’s awful. That’s fine, I will clean the mess later.

4. Edit in steps
Edit in rounds:
– First, check structure.
– Then, fix clarity.
– Finally, polish grammar and phrasing.

5. Set clear goals, and writing time in my calendar
No distraction.

Focus on the output. Say, for example “I will finish the section 1.1 and 1.2 of the results section.” That makes progress feel real.

Remember: no one writes perfectly the first time.

The terrible drafts are part of the process.

Write now. Edit.

Review.

Repeat.

Until it’s good enough.

This is all for this week.

Let us know in the comments if you have other suggestions or practical tips.

As always, if you need clarification or assistance with your research projects, feel free to reach out to me, and I will respond.

See you next Sunday!

Jamal