Less is more
Why You Should Write Less
There is some stuff you need to know about writing
Writers are often told to write daily, not to worry about quality, but to get the words on the page.
But that’s wrong. I’ve found that reading is the basis for growth as a writer.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss
In this overview, I’m gonna share why you should switch from the ‘write first — edit later’ mentality to the ‘read first — write second’ method, how it will help you grow, and list a few tips on implementing this change in your writing practice.
An argument against writing more
There are many compelling arguments for writing less.
For one, it can be incredibly time-consuming to produce a large volume of work.
In a fast-paced world, it’s important to be efficient with our time, and writing less can help us to do that.
Another argument against writing more is that it can lead to burnout.
When we force ourselves to produce a lot of content, we’re putting a lot of pressure on ourselves and setting ourselves up for disappointment if we don’t meet our own high standards.
This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration, which are not conducive to a creative or productive mindset.
“It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.” — Bruce Lee
Finally, when we write too much, we run the risk of watered-down content.
To produce quantity over quality, we may end up with work that is mediocre at best.
This is not helpful for anyone involved — the writer included.
So while there are some valid arguments for writing less, ultimately it’s up to the individual writer to decide what works best for them.
If you find that you’re struggling with any of the issues mentioned above, perhaps scaling back your output could be beneficial.
But if you’re generally happy with your writing process and feel like you’re producing your best work when you write more, then, by all means, keep doing what works for you!
Quality > Quantity
The Internet has made it easier than ever to publish content.
Whether you’re a blogger, podcaster, or YouTuber, there’s always an audience for your content.
However, with the ease of publishing comes the temptation to churn out as much content as possible to keep your audience engaged.
However, quantity does not always equal quality.
“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” — Mother Teresa
In fact, often times the opposite is true.
It’s better to publish fewer pieces of high-quality content than it is to publish a lot of low-quality content.
Why is this?
For one thing, people are more likely to share and engage with content that they perceive as being valuable.
If your content is truly helpful or interesting, people will want to share it with others.
On the other hand, if your content is poorly written or irrelevant, people will be less likely to engage with it.
Furthermore, search engines like Google value quality over quantity when it comes to ranking content in search results.
This means that if you want your content to be seen by as many people as possible, you need to make sure it’s high-quality stuff.
So next time you sit down to write or record something new, take a minute to consider whether it really adds value for your audience.
Quality over quantity is always the way to go when creating content for the web.
To observe, to reflect, to write
The three most important objectives of writing less are to observe, reflect, and write.
When you focus on writing less, you naturally pay more attention to your surroundings and the people around you.
This allows you to gather more information and get a better understanding of what is happening.
Reflecting on your observations will help you see things more clearly and understand the situation better.
This will enable you to make wiser decisions and write more persuasive pieces.
Finally, writing less gives you more time to actually sit down and write.
With fewer distractions and interruptions, you can get into a flow state and produce your best work.
Wisdom:
We should all write less.
We should focus on quality over quantity, and on saying what needs to be said in as few words as possible.
This will not only make our writing better, but it will also make us better communicators in general.
“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” — Thomas Jefferson
So next time you sit down to write, remember: less is more.
Loved the article? ☕️
If you found it helpful and want to support more content like this, consider buying me a coffee. Your generosity helps me continue sharing ideas and insights.
