1. A method comprising: identifying memory cells of a memory device to read responsive to a write operation; sensing a state of the identified memory cells by leaving the identified memory cells on during a pre-read operation; determining which identified memory cells are to change state based on user data for the write operation; masking one or more memory cells of the identified memory cells that are determined to not change state; and applying a write-current pulse to one or more memory cells of the identified memory cells that are determined to change state for the write operation such that the write-current pulse is not applied to the masked one or more memory cells.