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Hi, everyone!!! I haven’t been on here in what seems like forever! But I’ve found myself stuck in a problem I was hoping some writers on here could help me out with!
Basically, my WIP is struggling! 🙂
So my main question is, what qualifies as a “first draft?” When writers say that, do they mean the first draft of the whole book?? Or the first draft of a chapter or scene???
You see, I have been trying to write my book as a simplified story as my first draft. Yet now, I am wanting to go back and change things and add to previous scenes. The more I am writing the more I am wondering if I should divide up each scene (almost like chapters) so I can go back easier and rewrite. Should I just finish the story, or should I stop and rewrite when I feel the need to add something?? Should I take it scene by scene instead?
How do you write your first drafts???
Also… BEGINNINGS!!!!!!! How do you write a good, interesting beginning that does your character justice?? My MC’s POV is 1st person so if you know any good writing tips for that style, let me know!!!
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Proverbs 16:2
@hallie-jean Me, I write my first drafts as how I expect my story to be, except really really in need of editing. That is, when I’m on paper. My paper things aren’t good enough to be shown to the world. On PC I just write and try to aim for quality.
First draft I think means the first time you write a story through before you edit it. And I think whole thing.
Usually for me it’s really hard to go back and add things (given I’m on paper half the time) so I just write things out in the margins. But yeah, I think if you want to go back and change, either do it or jot down notes. Not sure how taking it scene-by-scene would end up working, perhaps by the time you finish you’ll want to change things beforehand again. Do you have an outline? Perhaps outlining would help.
Augh, sorry I can’t help more. Best of luck!
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into daysUgh, I totally understand this struggle. I think @devastate-lasting put things well when she said to just go back and leave notes about what you want to change. This will help, since you won’t be taking the time out of writing to actually change those things yet. I always want to go back and change things, since I have a very critical inner editor, but first drafting generally means letting things be and just writing the story until it’s all out on paper, so to speak. Then, you edit the story until it’s the way you want it to be. Once the story is all written out, you can see the elements that are important to you, the recurring themes, the character arcs, etc., and you can piece everything together much more clearly when you’re revising for your second draft.
Also, @sandrina (I don’t know if this is actually her tag, sorry Sandrina!) wrote a great article on writing from a first person perspective. I’m going to try to link to it here: How to Write Realistic First Person Description. My only other advice for this would be to read a ton of first person books and write down your findings about what interests you, what loses you, and other things you notice about how other people write first person.
Beginnings are tough! But again, I wouldn’t stress too much about beginnings right now until you’re done with your first draft. Once you’ve finished with it, you’ll have a much clearer idea of where your characters end up, where you want them to end up, and how you want them to end up there. That means you’ll also have an easier time revising your beginning so it sets up your ending much better.
Take it from me, a forever-wanting-to-revise-writer: revising too much before you’re finished drafting can really take the focus off of your story and start making you think too hard about how awful/nonsensical you think your story is (or maybe that’s just me with my own stories lol). If you let yourself edit too much, you let yourself get too critical of your story before it has even been finished. This is why I’ve actually finished remarkably few stories in the years I’ve been writing. So, I guess I’m just trying to encourage you to keep writing, take notes, and finish your first draft before editing too much. 🙂
Ahhhhhh!!!!!! Thank you so much! I needed to hear that! I think getting your ideas out and writing notes on the side is a good idea! And yes, I do have an outline! However, I’m a little worried that my plot has changed and I’ll have to fix it! But I’ll figure it out! Thanks, again!!! <3
This is very helpful, thanks!!! I’ll try to not worry about how it all sounds and just let the story flow out of me! Thank you so much!!!!!! <3
Proverbs 16:2
Alrighty! So abt the draft thing: I have basically the ideas of Jodi Maile, so thank you for putting this into words.
So for book beginnings, I have opinions very similar to Ted Decker’s. To begin a book, it depends on the writers style and choice of course, but I’m just throwing options and things I typically use. Jumping into the middle of a story, spending a lil less than a chapter describing things, then using most of the book to catch up to how we got in the middle, from the beginning is a popular way. I like to begin in the middle of a small conflict that tells the readers a little bit about the character. Say Joe and Bill were arguing to begin the book. If Joe is very shy and doesn’t like to argue, and Bill is super aggressive in his statements, this introduces them as characters and gives them the little amount of depth they need to begin a story. I always struggle with introducing the villain early, tho. Very key to show the conflict within the fist three chapters to insure the reader’s attention. But you prolly don’t wanna hear me preach on that.
I usually try and prioritize the reader’s attention at the start, just to get them hooked. Any creative way you can think to do that helps.
Oooooh!!!! Beginnings are usually simple for me! But for some reason I could. not. figure. this. one. out! Thank you so much for the tips! I love starting in the middle of dialogue!!!! That always catches my attention! XD
Proverbs 16:2
@hallie-jean Glad I could help! To be honest, I have an outline too, but if my characters want to go somewhere else, I let them and forget the outline completely.
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into daysI do the same thing with my outline!!! My characters are even more random than me! XD
Proverbs 16:2
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I totally get the struggle! First drafts can be so confusing, lol.
My thinking is that going back to change stuff can bring you out of the story and promote perfectionism. At least for me, since I find myself obsessing over the parts I added and forgetting to move on with the story. I think a great option is to finish the story and just jot down what you wanna add later! Making scene cards may also be helpful to you. 🙂
Also I think first drafts are of the whole book. But I could be wrong on that. XD
As for my first drafts, I try to write as fast as I can, ’cause I find that helps me keep my excitement for this new story going! I think two months is sufficient time to finish, any more than that and I’d probably get all stressed like “whyyy can’t I finish” lol
I wrote an article about POVs a while back. Maybe there’s a thing or two in there that can help you! 🙂 You can go here if ya wanna check it out.
I just write my stories and then edit them. Many of my novel length stories are fanfictions anyway, but I try to make them good, even if nobody’s going to read them. I think “first draft” is whenever you begin writing the story rather than just planning it out, whether that’s a short version or the whole 500-page thing. I often notice that I’m getting off character or off theme, and that’s when I edit. For example, a friend of mine noted that my characters for my dystopian novel, Into the Forbidden Cavern, were way too trusting. If they were in a harsh, oppressed world, wouldn’t Commander Fireheart (a character in the rebellion of the story) at least set Torrent (the MC) up for a background check? I haven’t edited the story yet, but I should.
Where'd I get ya this time? The liver? The kidney? I'm runnin' outta places to put holes in ya.
@hallie-jean Hey! Welcome back!!
I write first drafts like I would a normal novel. Then during my second draft, I go back and edit everything, add scenes, take out scenes, whatever needs to be done. Then if I think it needs it I’ll do a third ‘rewrite’, but I normally just stick with my first two steps XD
I love beginning my chapters with odd sentences or things. I figured out that (for me, anyway) throwing in dialogue as soon as possible hooks the reader quicker. I like to start chapters with random things like: “So you’re telling me the whole reason I missed taco night four nights in a row was because you accidentally flushed the magic ring down the toilet?!”
Things like that just spice things up for me XD
"It's easy to be caught up in stardust and whispers when reality is so dark and loud."
I do the same as @daisy-torres. Although, I do keep my first draft in a separate doc in case I reread later and don’t like my 2nd draft. I like to end a chapter mysteriously as possible and pick up on a different POV if there’s more than one. I like stories where the chapter ends in one charrie’s POV, and starts in a different one; it adds suspense, so they have to read on lol
I also like having dialogue at the start of chapters, either that or flashbacks/dreams/nightmares that will scare the wits out of the reader. Muahahah
Like with my one charrie; he’d not been in the previous chapter, because it was on a different POV and this next chapter starts with him entering an evil fortress then a giant wolf kills him right before he gets the magic sword he needs to defeat the enemy. then at the end of the nightmare, the MC wakes up wrestling with his blanket and falling off the bed in the bunkhouse he’s in, and he must have been making a racket because his sleepy grumpy neighbor promptly bangs on the door and yells; “you’re scaring my kids! keep it down!”
I love the dialogue @daisy-torres !!! that. is. awesome!!! XD
I'm 'a homeschooler' because cookie-making writing artistic animal-whisperer isn't a job title
…..I’m currently doing the first draft as well and UGH IT IS HORRIBLE but I’m just trying my best to ignore that fact and move on.
I mean.
horribly horrible. So so so so so bad…..sigh.
I could def use some encouragement because…boy do I feel like it’s awful. It’s gonna take a lot of work to the point I’m just not even sure I’ve done a good job even tho I know first drafts aren’t good. STILL I FEEL LIKE MY DRAFT IS THE WORST DRAFT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE.
ok that might be a bit overly dramatic but u get what I mean.
as for beginnings I TOTALLY feel ur struggles because I get stuck there all the time. There r 2 tips I have.
1. Don’t write them linearly, just skip to scenes u wanna write
2. just do it. Force yourself to get some sort of beginning on there (that’s what I did and now I’m working on acts 2 and 3!
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#ProtectSebHey Hallie! Good question! A first draft is the first written version of your book. For me, I like to write all my words at once, then edit it afterwards. I always try to edit while I’m writing, but that’s not a great habit to build, because it can make me pretty discouraged. And like @devastate-lasting said, notes would be good to remember scenes you wanted to write previously. Just take it step by step. If you’re a planner, then plan before writing. If you’re a panster, then write and keep track of your thoughts separately. If you’re a plantser, then do both! XD
Ahhhh, good beginnings. My main tip is to write the MC in their element. Give the readers something that’s fascinating about the MC and they’ll probably be hooked pretty fast… It’s helped me soooo much. Also, scatter your worldbuilding around so there’s no info dumping.
I hope this helps!
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