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Beyond the First Draft: From Hot Mess to Polished Prose

Common mistakes new writers make and how to avoid them

George J. Ziogas
3 min readMay 20, 2023
© fabioderby / Adobe Stock

Completing your first draft is a significant milestone in your writing process, and you should feel proud of yourself for making it this far. However, even experienced writers often make mistakes that can impact the quality of their work. That’s why it’s crucial to understand and avoid common mistakes that could compromise your writing. Following are steps to avoid three of these common mistakes, which will help you produce more effective and compelling pieces.

No Revisions

The first common mistake to avoid is neglecting to revise for clarity and coherence. It’s easy to get carried away by the excitement of finishing your first draft, but remember that this is only the beginning. After completing the first draft, it’s crucial to revise your work to ensure that your ideas flow logically, your sentences are clear and concise, and your message is easy to understand.

Revising your work also helps you identify areas where you may need to add more details or explanations to develop your ideas fully. Your goal as a writer is to communicate your message effectively to your readers, and revision is the key to achieving this.

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George J. Ziogas
George J. Ziogas

Written by George J. Ziogas

Editor | Vocational Education Teacher | HR Consultant | Manners will take you where money won't | ziogasjgeorge@gmail.com

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