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?
Inspiring post! I’ve had the experience of polishing the first chapter till it shines, only to have to change it later, when something else in the story throws a kink in it. Frustrating. And kicking myself because I wasted time laboring over something that I’ve had to toss away.
No the first draft won’t be pretty, it won’t be a gleaming materpiece, as you so aptly said, “they are messy and muddled and awkward and hard” but learning that it’s okay to write now and revise later, makes for much more freeing writing. (for me, at least). Thanks for such a wonderful post! (waving pom-poms for you…Go, Caryn, go! or Write, Caryn, write!) 🙂
I’ve done exactly the same thing! Polish, polish, polish, DELETE. So much harder to delete shiny chapters, isn’t it? And thanks for the cheer! I’ll return the favor: Go, Susan, go!! 😀
A writer friend told me when I was working on my first book “get to 80,000 words because that will put you in the minority — most people don’t make it all the way through the first draft.” There was something really exciting and motivating about the prospect of my chest breaking the ribbon at the finish line. When I got tired that was the visual that just helped me push on through.
What a great visual! I love the idea of writing toward that finish line. I did something similar with my first book. I heard that 90% of people who tried to write a book never finished, so I was determined to be in that 10%. It’s neat the things we tell ourselves, isn’t it? As long as it works!
Hi Caryn – I found you on Liz Fichera’s blog. I couldn’t agree more. Write that darned draft. There is no way it will be perfect. Write it and then review, review, review. I’ve gotten to the place where I really enjoy the review process because I can make my work shine. 🙂
Hi, Amy! I’m so glad you found me! And thanks for telling me where you came from, too; I’m always so curious about that. And I’m with you on enjoying revisions (most of the time). I never thought I would, but now they’re my favorite part because I can see the story take shape and become the book I wanted it to be.
This is PERFECT for NaNoWriMo! Thank you! I need to resist my urge to edit…. I’m panicking because I think my MS might be too long, but I don’t want to go into edits right now,
Thanks! I hope it’s helpful. And, yes, it’s so hard not to edit, isn’t it? Then that revision brain kicks in, and drafting gets SO hard. Good luck!
I just have to keep telling myself that it’s more important to get the idea down than it is to get it perfect now.
I so agree! That’s the wonderful thing about revisions, isn’t it? 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Caryn, I know your focus is first draft, but all of your positive tips are just the kind of reminder/kick-in-the-pants I need to help me with the “looking down” I’m doing now as I roll up my sleeves for my next round of revisions:-D
Good luck with your revisions! I hope they’re going well. I’m in that stage right now, too. It’s my favorite part of the process because it’s so fun to see the book take shape.
Caryn, THANK YOU. Just what I needed to hear! I’m sloshing through my WIP and hating how ugly it is. But, you’re right, revisions will come later. Both your tortilla and your Vogue model metaphors are spot on!
So glad you enjoyed it! And ‘sloshing’ is the perfect word for it. Good thing slow, messy progress is still progress! Good luck with your WIP! I hope it all comes together in the revisions! That’s when I think it really starts to become a book.
Just finished a first draft! That ending was killing me for similar reasons – too scary! I just pushed through (after futzing about for quite some time).
Woohoo! Congratulations on finishing your draft! That’s fantastic! (Yes, I know it was a week or two ago. Sorry. I didn’t get your notice until recently.) Anyway, good luck with your revisions. I bet the book will be fantastic!
Caryn,
I know how you feel! First drafts are rough – I, too, am a perfectionist when it comes to writing. On a positive note, being a perfectionist is motivation to continue editing and revising until it’s right!
First drafts are so hard on perfectionists, aren’t they? I do love your point, though, about how it comes in handy during revisions! So true! “Good enough” usually isn’t actually good enough for publishing, so that perfectionistic streak is really important.