action checklist
- Take time off. Put your personal statement down for a few days and do something else.
- Cut "extra" parts out and paste them in a new document. That way, you won't feel like you're permanently deleting them, and you'll have those sections available if you later decide to put them back.
- Be ruthless. Cut the unnecessary. If you had the ability to write it once, you'll have the ability to write it again.
Let go
Of all the advice I give about writing, this one's the hardest for most people to follow. Once you've identified your message, it's time to revise. And revising means letting go of what you've worked so hard to write.
Getting rid of what you've written doesn't mean those sections aren't any good. They simply may not fit into this particular essay. A well-turned phrase that doesn't advance your main idea... doesn't advance your main idea.
There isn't any easy way to let go. You just have to do it.