100 times.

I'm writing a piece of copy right now and I just realized something.

I think I must read a piece of copy 100 times before I feel it's done.

Just like I look at a cut 100 times.

Or an ad.

Or a banner.

Or a speech.

I write my copy and read it.

Then I noodle. I switch things around. I mess up the sentence structure. I add gerunds. I shorten sentences. Sometimes after all that, I put my copy back how I found it.

And each time I do one of those things, I read the copy over.

When I'm getting down to the end, I sometimes even read the copy out loud to myself. How will it sound when I read it to the client?

Even when I'm in a rush, which I usually am, I find I do this.

I futz with my copy, read it, then run to a meeting.

I come back, make changes and read it again.

This might all happen in just a few hours time.

But what's important is that it happens.

100 times.