TITLE: Obsessive editing/revising of math papers
QUESTION [35 upvotes]: I've been wanting to ask this question, because I have no insights into the way other mathematicians prepare papers (for eventual publication). 
How much are editing, revising, updating, adding to, etc., part of the "normal" process of process of drafting math papers?  Specifically, papers of moderate (10-15 pages) length. I've noticed I tend to do this for several months, and the thought has occurred to me that perhaps I'm being too "fussy" and that I'm wasting time.

REPLY [9 votes]: Unless you have a need to get the paper published asap, I recommend you put it aside for a month or so instead of looking through it repeatedly. When you next read the paper, many of your preconceptions and assumptions will have been forgotten and you will be much more likely to notice things like missing definitions, logical gaps, and sections of proofs that are going to confuse readers.