Goodreads asked Frank Racioppi:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Frank Racioppi I worked at a newspaper when I was in my 20s. There, writing needed to be fast and good. There was no time for leisurely rewrites and endless staring at the screen.
So I always advise younger writers and just get words on the screen. A first draft is simply what I call "your throw-up draft." Just let a stream of consciousness flow as you write. Don't worry about punctuation, synonyms, or sentence structure. That comes next when you sit down days later to edit. Then you put on your analytical hat.

flag