First Drafts Are Only the Beginning

 

I once knew a newbie writer who dashed off a short story and was thrilled to think she'd finished it. She knew that she'd better look it over for errors before she sent it flying into cyberspace to an editor. She was giddy over how easy the writing had been. When the story was returned with a rejection note, she was devastated. What in the world was wrong? It was a good story, she told herself.

Maybe if Nellie Newbie had studied a few books about the craft of writing, she'd have learned that the first writing is the first draft, and it holds a key word. That's FIRST, which indicates that there should be more to follow. 

Our quote today puts it in pretty plain language. "I'm writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shovelling sand into a box so that later I can build castles." 

An architect doesn't draw a house plan, then start building. No, he/she starts with one plan, then adds things, takes away other things, then redraws the plan. Maybe several times before the final one is ready. 

Writers do the same. When we write the first draft, we're getting the main ideas down, kind of telling ourselves the story. It's like the base for a tower of building blocks. Each draft thereafter can be considered one more block in the tower you're building. 

You might be thinking--Whoa! Did she just say 'each' draft? Good grief! How many must there be? That depends. You can write 2, 3, or more. You write until you feel satisfied that you've covered all bases and are ready to show your work to an editor. 

Things to consider when writing drafts:

A. Write the first draft, then put it away for a couple days, even longer. It will look different to you when you read it after letting it sit. You'll see things you didn't when you read it over immediately after writing it. 

B.  Give thought to structure. Are you happy with it, or do you perhaps see some places you'd like to change in the next draft?

C.  What about the mechanics? Are there spelling errors, punctuation changes needed? Active verbs needed to replace those nasty little passive ones? Is the dialogue clear? Are you showing every place you can rather than telling? Have you added enough sensory details to bring your readers into your story?

D.  What about emotion? Is there enough to speak to your readers? 

E.  What can be cut to make the story stronger? Or what might you add to do the same?

F.  Finally, read it aloud. You'll catch many small things that you don't see when you read silently. 

Good writers create more than one draft. How many is up to the writer. After each one, be sure to put it away for a few days; bring it back and see if it meets all your requirements, and if it pleases you? If it does, then you're ready to submit.