Reduce a paragraph to hints; after two days, rebuild it without looking.
WhenDuring writing practice
“I thought the writing excellent, and wished, if possible, to imitate it. With this view I took some of the papers, and, making short hints of the sentiment in each sentence, laid them by a few days, and then, without looking at the book, try'd to compleat the papers again, by expressing each hinted sentiment at length, and as fully as it had been expressed before, in any suitable words that should come to hand.”
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography, chapter II, in Frank Woodworth Pine ed. (1916); events c.1720; retrospective manuscript written 1771–1790. Read the source ↗
Why it works
Franklin compared his reconstruction with the original and corrected faults. The comparison exposes choices that simple rereading may leave unnoticed.
Start tiny
Write a hint for one sentence in 60 seconds; rebuild it later.
What you’ll notice
Look for missing links and weak word choices.
When it slips
Do not peek while rebuilding. Compare only after you finish, and correct one difference.
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography, chapter II, in Frank Woodworth Pine ed. (1916); events c.1720; retrospective manuscript written 1771–1790. Read the source ↗
Growth: Practices that need preparation, a recurring slot or a useful tool.
