Most of the content of most papers is irrelevant to most readers. But the relevant parts would often not exist without the rest. Writing is a way of thinking.

Most of the content of most papers is irrelevant to most readers. But the relevant parts would often not exist without the rest. Writing is a way of thinking. Writing a coherent self-contained narrative often makes you understand the topic better. And a full rewrite after a couple of years, with clarified terminology and concepts, improves your understanding further.