It’s Okay to Not Be a Fast Writer

Slow writers are writers, too.

I envy people who can write an article for 15–20 minutes, create a mesmerizing first draft, and quickly hit publish with little clean-up and editing.

It’s an exceptional skill that I wanted to learn as soon as I started writing on this platform.

I’ve read and tried all the tips and strategies to become a fast writer. I tried to use outlines, avoid on-the-go editing, research at later times, use talk-to-text (which is a fantastic experience, by the way), and even do writing sprints.

But I’m still not a fast writer. It still takes me hours (sometimes even days) to finish my writing.

As I learn more and write more, I realized and have accepted the fact that… I am a slow writer.

I never publish the first or second draft. Most of my published writing is like the 22nd or the 54th draft. I do a lot of clean-up and revision after my first rough and super messy draft.

I have many ideas to write about. As I write this, there are 34 other stories on my drafts waiting patiently for me to edit and revise. There is even 1 story entitled “Virgin Medium ideas” comprising writing topics that I haven’t touched at all. I prioritize my writing one by one and don’t rush to publish them.

Why?

• First, because I appreciate my (slow) writing process.
• Second, because I prefer quality works to a heaping quantity of mediocre works. (it doesn’t mean that fast writers produce less quality content, it just means that I can’t produce quality content fast)
• Third, because I love writing and I want to put my best on each of my writing.
• Fourth, because I am not a native English speaker.
• Fifth, because I have a not 9-to-5 job, but still, I have a job other than writing.
• Sixth, because I have many things to do in a day.
• Seventh, because I have to feed my cats 3 times a day.
• Eighth, (insert other lame excuses here).

If I were fast, I wouldn’t think too much into publishing all of my articles in 3 days and spamming my followers with dozens of shabby posts, which then would make them quickly make the smart decision to unfollow me.

If I were fast, I could publish 2–3 articles per day, maybe even 5, but I don’t, because I know my pace and I’ve chosen the method that works best for me.

Why I’m not a fast writer

The real reason I’m not a fast writer is… I am a “knowledge enthusiast”. What does it mean? Well, it simply means that I have an appetite for knowledge, a lust for learning.

My desire to learn carries over in my writing. I enjoy blending words, sentences, and paragraphs together, adding them to the right section in the right order, gathering my thoughts, connecting the dots between paragraphs.

I like to research, explore, and analyze the topic at hand because it helps me feed my never-ending curiosity.

If you’ve been reading my writing, you can probably tell that I do a lot of research on my writing. Well, maybe not in every writing. And maybe not that “lot” — a lot is such a relative word.

But most of the time, I use external links to back up the concept, idea, or perspective I provide in my writing.

All those links weren’t there as writing ornaments that would make my writing stand out and shine brighter than diamonds. Trust me, they’re not.

So what are they? They are the blueprints of my writing process. It’s a way to make my writing more credible. It’s proof that I put some effort into my writing.

However, as human beings, our relentless desire to know — to satisfy curiosity in any way — can be more of a curse than a blessing.

That being said, if I’m not careful, doing too much research can backfire. I have to avoid information overload and keep in mind the true purpose of my writing.

No one ever said writing was easy

As an aspiring writer, I shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that a true writer is the one who writes and publishes their works, not just keeping drafts, researching, and doing a bunch of stuff other than “writing”.

Everyone wants a quick fix, the magic bullet, the secret potion. It doesn’t exist.

No one ever said writing was easy. It takes commitment, desire, hard work, and a lot of time spent on adding words to a blank white monster. But the best part about it is — we can always get better.

I may not be a native English speaker, but it’s just an excuse I use to avoid getting better.

If I want to write fluently in English, I need to study hard and polish my English language skills until they become ingrained as second nature in my writing. It won’t get better until I make it better.

There is no time for excuses. Only changes and improvements.

Slow writers are writers, too

Writing is like exercising a muscle — the more we exercise our crafts, the stronger, leaner, and more efficient the writing will be.

I may be a slow writer now, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you’re also a slow writer, just know that it’s okay to be one. Whether it takes you twenty minutes or twenty hours to finish your work, as long as you keep writing, you’re still a writer.

Being a newcomer doesn’t mean I can’t hone my craft until it reaches the level of a great, inspiring pro writer here. With proper practice and experience, I might end up becoming one of those “fast writers” that I’ve always adored.

And even if I don’t, that’s okay too. I am not any less of a writer if I take more time to finish my work.

In the end, I just have to enjoy my process. Savor every word. Slowly but surely. One article at a time.