I Rewrite Beside the Old Article

When I rewrite an article, I put the old article on the left and make a new version beside it on the right. I do not edit the existing version in place; instead, I rewrite the new version there.

The old article stays available as a source of details, turns of phrase, examples, and arguments, but it no longer dictates the shape of the rewrite.

             old article                    new article
        ┌────────────────┐              ┌────────────────┐
        │                │              │                │
        │ source and     │   compare    │ rewrite and    │
        │ safeguard      │ ◀──────────▶ │ reshape        │
        │                │              │                │
        └────────────────┘              └────────────────┘

That setup lets me look back whenever I need to recover something important, without making me preserve the old structure of my work. I can carry over what still belongs and let the new version take a different shape.

That is what I like about the split screen: I can keep the old article in view without continuing to negotiate with its structure.

This is one example of the broader practice described in Rewrite Beside the Original.