Day 4 - Let It Sit, Or You'll Regret It

Once I've polished and honed and polished again, I always set my copy aside, at least for an hour, but preferably overnight.

The next day, I read it once more before I send it out into the world. Sometimes, when I read it through again, I'm pretty pleased, and off it goes. But most of the time, I find something -- a verb that could be stronger, a gut-punching new way to craft the lead, a tweak that makes the P.S. even more powerful.

There's something magic that happens when you let a piece percolate while you sleep, like letting a stew slow-cook -- all the ingredients come together in a new way, creating a better, stronger whole.

It's hard to take that time. I have to write fast and edit fast in order to make tight turnarounds. But I'm never, ever sorry I took the time to let a piece sit, because I always end up with a better piece in the end.

And on those rare occasions when I don't let it sit, I almost always regret it.

Take the time to craft the most powerful piece you can craft. And then take a little more time. When you send your best work to your donors, you'll get a better response. And that's really what you're after.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for Day 5 of my Week of Tips for Writing Successful Fundraising Copy! And if you missed Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3, check them out now.