Here’s the thing about first drafts: They are fun, but they are also scary. They are messy and muddled and awkward and hard. They have no guarantee. And they can make perfectionists like me very, very uncomfortable.
But they are worth it for the times when everything works and, anyway, they have to be done in order to get to revisions. Even on the difficult days.
And those days do come.
Unfortunately, there’s no category for Personal Cheering Section in the help-wanted ads, and the cats would rather sleep on the couch than rah-rah-rah me into getting all the new words written. So when I’ve used up my last jar of inspiration, and my motivation has fled, I have to flail those pom-poms myself.
Throughout my recent two-month long frenzy of creative chaos — otherwise known as a first draft — I did just that. To be specific, I built a page of reminders to look at any time my typing lagged. As the manuscript grew, so did my list, because I learn new things every time I write a book or, more likely, I learn the same things over and over, forgetting in between.
Here, prettied up for your sake, and shared in case it provides inspiration (perhaps to those embarking on NaNoWriMo), is my memo to myself:
Tell a good story.
Write now. Revise later.
Have fun. Smile. And then send a knife hurtling toward your protagonist.
Go on. She can take it.
Forget layering in emotion, setting, symbols, and theme for now. This is an empty tortilla, baby. Only one floppy layer to be had. Fill it later.
At some point — usually three days — it will be harder to stop than it is to keep going.
Until then, write it anyway.
You have finished books before. You will do it again.
Probably even this one.
Comparing an untamed first draft to a previous book’s reworked, polished, final form is like comparing a supermodel’s eighth grade school picture with her Vogue spread. Not fair. Everyone looks awkward at the beginning. The pretty comes later.
The book will not be perfect.
The book will not be perfect.
The book will not be perfect.
But it can be fixed. That’s what revisions are for.
Just type.
Don’t look down.
How do you convince yourself to keep going on difficult writing days?
I can’t help but think we teach writing the wrong way in high school. We tell kids to write up a story in a set amount of time, while we watch them, hand in the first draft and then… grade that! Seems very cruel. Somebody should have told me in school that no writer actually does it that way.
Yes. I agree. I do wish there were a better way of doing it. When I taught English I required multiple drafts, and graded the final. We talked about how to revise and I tried to show them. Still, I think some of the art of revision comes later, when you have the capacity to see your work as a whole, and are ready to really get in there and change it.
Don’t look down is great advice. I’ve just started a new project, and I’m just free writing – unfortunately, looking back through my notebook (I like to draft long-hand) I’ve written the same scene in about three different ways!
Ha! I know how that goes. I’ve done exactly the same thing before. Maybe your subconscious keeps making you revisit that type of scene because it feels like you haven’t truly addressed it? Good luck!
Great post Caryn,
My first draft is often very bland and resembles nothing that is the finished product. Just get it down first, and flesh it out later is my motto.
I usually have no trouble with motivation, but just this past week I’ve only written 1.000 words. Shame on me, I know. Usually it’s around 2.000 a day, but life seemed to get in the way.
Then I received an awesome review for one of my novels. This certainly made me wake up to myself. lol. Knowing I have readers out there who are enjoying my writing is doing wonders. I just have to keep reminding myself of that.
Writers and authors, have self doubt, we question too many things, when your memo is exactly what we should be doing. 🙂
‘I built a page of reminders to look at any time my typing lagged.’
Great idea. One I may pinch. 🙂
Yay! Congratulations on your well-deserved good review, Suzanne! So glad it’s been motivating for you. And, yes, definitely steal my idea and make your own page of reminders – whatever works best for you.
I found you on Bonnee from Australia’s blog and came to say Hello. Writing the first draft quickly from start to end, without caring how it is written, is good way to start. Only when you have the first draft complete, you know that you have a novel and all you you have to do is improve it it many times. I don’t look down at my complete first draft. On the contrary, I celebrate that I now I have a book in waiting.
Hi Giora! Thanks so much for visiting – and for telling me how you found me, because I’m always curious about that!
And I love your way of looking at it – as celebrating having a book in waiting. Such a good attitude for going into revisions – and a great thing to look forward to when writing that tricky first draft.
This sounds just like me. I wrote two rough drafts this summer, so this is all fresh in my memory.
I agree with Charmaine. I remember writing my first few stories and thinking I was done with a little or no cleaning up.
Wow! TWO rough drafts this summer?!? Way to go! Must have been a busy summer!
And, yes, I cringe when I think of my early stories, where I thought revising meant making sure I had all my periods and commas in the right places.
First drafts are my nemesis! But unfortunately, it’s not possible to skip to my favourite part of the writing process, revisions, without writing one. 😉 Some great advice, Caryn – I especially love your point about how the pretty comes later. I just wish I could remember that when I’m tearing my hair out over my ugly, awkward first drafts!
Ha! Yes, kind of hard to revise a manuscript when you don’t have one in the first place, isn’t it? And I have the same issue, forgetting that the book can be prettied up later. At least writing fast means we get to revisions sooner, right?
Ooh, I love this. I may print a copy for my bulletin board. 🙂 I learn the same things over and over as well, and I have to remind myself to loosen up–and remind myself that the first draft of this one will look ugly compared to the pretty ones I’ve finished. I like the way you said it. Very cute! Thanks for the boost!
Now I’ll cheer for you: GOOOOOO CARYN!
Thanks for the cheer, Dawn! Here’s one for you: Go, Dawn, go! Rah rah rah! Hey, that was kind of fun. 😀
And, yes, please feel free to print out the post! I kind of like the thought of having my words printed out and stuck up on a bulletin board somewhere…
P.S. – By “cute,” I meant the part about the supermodel’s 8th grade pic. I think your post was beautifully written and full of wisdom.
LOL! Thanks for clarifying, though I had a feeling that’s what you meant. And thanks for the nice words, too!
Great post. The book will not be perfect! So true.
Thank goodness for revisions, right? 🙂
First drafts are not perfect– I keep telling myself this every day
Me too! Good luck with your book, and thanks for Tweeting the link to this post!