Why I Keep Rewriting Old Work — and You Should Too

We talk a lot about publishing. Shipping. Moving forward.
But what if the smartest move isn’t writing something new
…it’s rewriting something old?

I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, both at Quicken and in my own projects, and here’s what I’ve learned.

1. Old Content = Untapped Gold

If you’ve been creating for a while, you’ve got a back catalog. Some of it’s probably still good. A lot of it? Buried. Outdated. Forgotten.

But under the dust is value. Google still indexes it. AI scrapers still reference it. People still find it. And if it’s underperforming, that’s on you.
Rewriting it gives you a second chance to say it better, smarter, faster.

2. You’ve Leveled Up. Your Words Should Too.

You’re not the same person who wrote that piece two years ago.
Your voice is sharper. Your perspective is deeper. Your standards are higher.

Rewriting your past work is like running into your younger self and saying, “Hey, great start, let me take it from here.”

3. SEO Loves a Comeback Story

Let’s be real: Google rewards relevance. AI tools pull from the best-ranked sources. A small rewrite—tightened headlines, clearer structure, updated links—can boost an old post's traffic without starting from scratch.

Same effort as a new post? Not even close.
Same impact? Often more.

4. It’s Not Lazy, It’s Strategic

Rewriting isn’t cheating. It’s craft. It’s respect for your own work.
It’s asking, “How can I make this better now, with everything I’ve learned?”

You already did the hard part: starting.
Rewriting just makes sure the world sees your best.

Your move:
Pick one old piece this weekend.
Open it. Read it. Rewrite it.

Let it reflect who you are now.