One secret to good writing is this key command: Ctrl-A, del. (Cmd-A, del on a Mac.)
Being willing to blow up your work and start over opens up possibilities. It can be painful – especially if you’ve put effort into it. But I have never – never – not been rewarded with something better for my effort.
I’ve done it in my writing here. (This is, in fact, the third third paragraph I’ve written today…)
I’ve done it in my musical writing – sometimes a whole section of an arrangement; vocal solis are especially likely to get the Ctrl-A, del treatment.
I’ve done it in my programming – working on a piece with a group, only to say, “This isn’t working. Pass it in.”
Don’t worry about the “time wasted.” The time wasn’t wasted. It was time spent heading towards making something better.