One writer friend I knew told a group of us, “Spill your guts! Then clean it up.” So you’re on the right track. Once you’re finished the first draft, put it away for a bit before trying to edit. That way, you see the project with reader’s eyes and you’ll know what you can get rid of and what’s necessary to the story.

That’s what editing is for. Creation is sloppy–spitting it out–going with the flow. Fix it after you switch perspective and engage the editor’s mind. I think of it as doing the left brain/right brain shuffle.