Is writing a lot of (sometimes junky) words better than taking it slow and making it good?
I’ve made a lot of posts in the past about writing consistently and writing tons of words, but is writing lots of words better than taking it slow and writing for quality? That’s what I want to answer today (or try to answer). So, let’s get into it!
Which is Better?
The big question. Which one is better?
Well, let me start off by saying, your writing will never be perfect. Let that sink in for a moment. No matter how much you write and practice and research, your writing won’t be perfect. Not even professional authors’ writing is perfect.
And because of that fact, I lean towards the side of quantity. I have a few other reasons…
- First Drafts (or even beyond) are Hard
Digging those words out of the back of your mind and putting them on paper, is perhaps one of the hardest parts about writing. Oftentimes, your writing won’t be the greatest.
That’s why I say, write for quantity, especially in the first draft. The most important part of the first draft is just putting the words on the page, no matter how rough they seem. If you give yourself permission to let the writing be bad if it has to be, you will find yourself less stressed and having more fun.
So, allow yourself to just put the words on the paper.
- Teaching Yourself to Write More is Good
I can’t say this enough! Learning to write more words in one sitting is amazing! I can now write 1-2K a day even on busy days and it’s so nice! I can always be progressing and bringing new content to my readers!
It’s also a good life skill for motivation and determination. You will learn how be determined to finish something no matter how hard it is. That’s another reason I believe quantity is a bit better.
- Being Slow Could Lead to Procrastionation
This isn’t true for everyone, but I have seen it played out before. If you take your time and figure you have time, it could lead to procrastination on your writing projects, which is something nobody wants.
I’ve personally done this, only writing one hundred words a day or less and figuring I could write more tomorrow and then procrastinating on it.
But again, this isn’t always true.
I am not Killing Quality
Quality can’t just be left in the dust while you’re writing thousands of words. You still need to try and write as best you can, not just write sloppily. I’m just saying, quantity will take you to quality, if used in the right way. You don’t need to choose one or the other, you can have both!
Personally, I find that quantity is preferred over quality in the first and possibly the second drafts. Then I like to move onto quality. It’s a delicate balance, but if done right, you could have an amazing book!
So, overall, in my opinion, quantity is a better goal than quality in the first draft. After that, start heading towards quality 😉
Until next time,
A.J. Syngraféas
Aliya Gerow 
I like your points on this! I once heard some author (I’ll have to figure out who, I forgot 😅) estimated that in order to become a good author, you needed to write about six hours a week for like 9 years or something lol. As you said, practice doesn’t make perfect, but it can get you pretty close! The key to writing really is to stick with it and maintain healthy habits.
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