5 Reasons Patience Pays in Writing

1. Life Is Long
Too long to live down something you rushed out, something with cardboard characters doing unmotivated things in a flimsy world. You have the time to make it right. Why publish anything else?

2. You Might Get Hit by a Bus Tomorrow
But you probably won't, so don't make excuses. Take time to learn your craft. Listen to advice from successful writers. Analyze the books you love. Try things out. Keep what works. Stock your toolbox.

3. Crap Floats
When you put your first draft in a super-secret drawer for several weeks before rereading, it's amazing what scum rises to the surface. Since you've waited to share, you can skim the crap and bury it before anyone notices. *Whew*

4. Some Characters Are Shy
I discovered a character during a re-write. She was hiding behind a tree. I lured her out to see what she would do, and it turns out she's a spitfire with a great backstory. She's now a main character.

5. Your Idea May Be a Live Oak
Live oaks take a long time to grow. If they sprout at all, the saplings are spindly, with ridiculously tiny leaves. But even in the most inhospitable conditions, the tree continues to grow, and reach, and twist, until years (and years and years) later, its broad limbs and dense leaves can shelter a whole town. When that many people love your tree, you win. They win. The tree wins.

[source]