Editing as you write?

Hello again!

How about we talk about something I intentionally do "wrong" in my writing today?

It's one of the first things everyone tells you, one of the most repeated pieces of advice in the history of writing; don't edit until you finish your first draft. So why do I ignore this time-honored rule? Simple, for my writing style, it's not good advice, how about I tell you why.

We all know that we are advised not to edit while writing as there is a risk of editing ourselves into oblivion and never finishing what we started, (an uncomfortably relatable situation for many of us.) Yet, if there is a single line, or simple paragraph glaring at me to be fixed, I can't just ignore it or put it from my mind. I have to fix it, and honestly, it takes two seconds. 

What about bigger fixes? I try to keep my mid-writing edits on the simple side; tweaking a line of dialogue or adding a detail to my descriptions. I keep a running list of things to fix (my "action list") and try to add larger things to that, to help keep my workflow. However, if something is absolutely driving me to distraction, I will fix it right away. 

Am I saying this is a bad rule? Am I a rule-breaking rebel? Don't the thousands of people who follow this rule know what they are talking about?

In order; no, no, and yes. This rule absolutely exists for a good reason, but it can be taken too far if it is considered law. Breaking the rhythm of your writing can cause a traffic jam of creative thought, but not doing so can distract you for want of a two-second fix. As always, know yourself, and find what works for you, and don't worry about following an arbitrary rule in a creative exercise.

Have a great day, and keep writing!