By Lisa Mason
When you want to be fully efficient with your writing efforts, it pays to write now and edit later. This is a process that many writers are not aware of. The small few that have learned this technique may not know why it works or realize that they are doing it. It’s best to get all of your writing out at once and allow the creative parts of your brain to release themselves before editing.

The writing and editing process involve different parts of the brain (creative and critical thinking processes). Do the brainstorming, writing and creative thinking first before editing or you may block your progress. For writers who are new to this concept, it will require a shift in your thinking patterns but can be done.

There are some practical ways that you can do this. If this is new to you, the entire process may be overwhelming. This is why it is so important to break it down into steps you can handle.

Here are some ways you can write now and edit later:

FREE WRITING: Time yourself and write as much as you can without worrying about the structure, grammar or anything else that may restrict your writing. Set a timer and write as much as you can until the timer goes off. This is a great way to prevent yourself from being restricted by the editing process.

TYPE WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED: This may be difficult for people who can’t touch type, but try to type with your eyes closed or try looking down at the keys. Don’t read what you have written as you type. Just type the words and ideas that come to you–don’t try to make it look right while the creative juices are flowing.

WRITE ONE DAY AND EDIT THE NEXT: This technique works well if you’re not on a tight deadline. Spend one day writing several articles and the next day editing and polishing them up before moving on to a new set of articles.

Tip: Using these ‘writing now and editing later’ techniques works even better when you plan your writing before you start. Gather your ideas on the topic you want to write about, put your ideas in order, and then write your first draft as quickly as you can. Don’t worry about spelling, mechanics or other issues. Take this time to branch out on all of your ideas and write freely as the ideas come to you.

The next time you write an article, practice one of the techniques above to see how much your writing improves. If you compare your articles written this way with your older articles, you should see a difference. This will help prevent writer’s block and that dreadful wall that sometimes happens when you get “stuck” on an article.

About the Author Lisa Mason is the author of How to Earn a Living Writing for the Internet and 100 Days to Better Article Writing. She gives free writing tips daily from her blog and writes full time. She’s also an Associated Content Community Guide and featured Video Games, Parenting and Green contributor.