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I’ve finished a draft before, and thus I should know what I’m doing. XD However, I just started a new project, and the first draft is giving me trouble. Shocker, I know. I’m absolutely sure no one else has experienced this fantastical phenomenon.
My question is, how do you tough through some of the sections which aren’t as fun to write? And how do you motivate yourself to keep going when your finished sections look pretty bad?
I’m beginning to wonder if I should try a new move and do something like an advanced snowflake outline, where I make the outline more and more detailed until it’s a first draft. I love the editor phase, so that wouldn’t be out of the question. But I’ve never had this much trouble with a first draft before, and I feel as if it should be easier, if only by a little. I would love to hear anyone’s tips or tricks, before I go to that extent.
Another issue. I have a writing style in my mind which I want to have in the finished product, but it takes up so much energy, because it’s a balance between two different styles. Should I try to write the story in a simpler style first, and add layers of tone later?
So uh, yeah. Feel free to chime in if you have a writer’s block with your work.
"If I don't like something, it's probably sanctification. Ugh." -E.C.S.
Tags @loopylin @freed_and_redeemed @rae @koshka @elishavet-pidyon @linus-smallprint @savannah_grace2009 @jonas @ellette-giselle @godlyfantasy12 @anyoneiforgotandanyonewhowantstotalkregardlessofactivity
"If I don't like something, it's probably sanctification. Ugh." -E.C.S.
*whimpers*
I’m struggling too right now. Just trying to make the time to write, and then when I do I find myself staring blankly at the page wondering why anything but my WIP will write but not the WIP…
*Sighs*
I’ve also only finished first drafts for short stories, not a novel yet. Which is something I’m hoping to change this year but life.
So yeah. I’ll be hanging out…
First Grand Historian of Arreth and the Lesser Realms (aka Kitty)
Fork the Gork*Sighs extremely loudly and dramatically* I feel you, girl. Life is too complicated to be thinking about complicated stories.
"If I don't like something, it's probably sanctification. Ugh." -E.C.S.
I have never even been close to finishing a rough draft before, and I probably won’t ever at this point, but I’m interested to see what other people have to say.
Official KP archivist ✨
I struggle with finishing too! (Or getting anywhere beyond Chapter 3 before I subside to excessive world building….)
I have found that writing out my thoughts for the scene no matter what they sound like does help me get something to work with. I can trash it later, but I will probably have a scene “frame” solidified. (Is that a thing? Does some fancy author teach on scene frames? I need to know. XD)
You have listened to fears, child. Come, let me breathe on you... Are you brave again? -Aslan
Here I come to the rescue!!!
lolololol.
Okay, so I have a process. (I was actually just explaining this to someone)
So, before I ever begin to write I pray. I write down the idea in my prayer journal and say, “Lord, here’s my idea. If you want me to write this book, give me the rest of the story” and He does.
After that, before writing, I graph my characters so that I have sound, strong characters. Then I make sure I know the beginning, (how I want it set up, my world, my culture, etc) I know the climax, (what i need to foretell, lead up to, and prepare the hero for) and the end. (the goal I’ve been pushing the book toward this whole time.)
After that, I sit down a go. Turn of spell/grammar check if that helps, but go, go, go. Get the story on the paper in whatever way you need to. Do NOT rewrite, edit, etc. Just get it down and don’t look back. That’s draft one. Often in this stage I info dump the first chapter just to have everything necessary on paper. Don’t worry about style, making sure things flow, etc. Just get the story down. And, write at least 500 words a day. I know that’s not much, but making sure you touch your draft every day, (Sunday not included unless you want to) really keeps away writers block. And pray about it. Go to the Master Author and ask Him for help! He’s not too busy, He can hear you, He loves you, and He gave you this gift. Of course He wants to help you. I pray through places where I feel like the story is dead. I tell him how I’m stuck, and I ask for help. He does. Sometimes I get a crazy idea, sometimes a friend mentions something in a random conversation and everything clicks… but He really does help. That’s draft one.
Draft two is focused on going back and reading through, fixing any plot holes or places where the characters are under or over developed. Maybe throwing in a little foreshadowing.
Draft three is style. Go in and really look at your style. Maybe rewrite a few scenes, make sure you don’t use the same descriptive word too many times, etc. (This is always the time that I re-write chapter one)
Draft four is focused on going through and catching anything that auto correct and grammar check missed. (or this might be when you turn those on if you had turned them off)
Draft five is after I share with people. Then I go through and make changes based on their notes. This is when I put a draft on KP, or when I print it off, throw it in a 3-ring binder and give my friends a pencil. I often ask friends to write it down if they think they’ve predicted a plot twist. Then if that was something I really needed them not to guess so early on, I can look into changing a few things. I can get some feedback and take what I want and do the changes I need. etc.
Draft six is after I let my editor at it and she sends it back with every page marked. *sobs* This is the time you are thoroughly sick of your draft.But then I make grammar/spelling/structure edits and read through her plot/character suggestions and see if I want to use any of them.
Then I upload to my formatting program. Format, upload to printer, and print the first copy.
The copy comes in the mail and you suddenly love your book again! You sit down with a red pen and a stack of sticky notes. This is when you go through for any grammar/spelling/structure edits, any final plot-holes, any rephrasing, and also any formatting issues. Mark with a red pen and put a sticky note on the page. Then draft seven comes when you run those final edits. Then you print. Every first edition has 5-15 mistakes. That’s the saying anyhow. I print 30 first editions.
Draft 8 comes when you catch those 5-15 mistakes, (or your friends do) and you make those corrections. Then you continue to print the book.
The end.
Okay, I hope that was helpful. This is how I do it and part of the reason I can write so many books.
Also, I have set a rule ever since I started writing. We do not touch a new project until the old one is done. So, there’s a little motivation all in itself.Also, sharing the chapters with a super close friend/sister/brother/etc as you write gives a fun motivation because then they are asking for the next chapter, and you get the encouragement of instant feedback.
Anyways. Hope that helped!
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
*Ellette proceeds to give her whole process without hesitation*
XD You know what, I’ll take it.
And, write at least 500 words a day. I know that’s not much, but making sure you touch your draft every day,
See, 500 words is easy, but sometimes I finish and realize the trajectory is all wrong. That means if I pick up from there, the trajectory will continue to flow in the wrong direction, and the story will go in a direction I don’t want.
I probably just need to outline more. Even though I already have a 10k+ outline. I have a great brain for planning, and a teensy-weensy brain who carries the plan out. It’s like Taravangian from Stormlight Archive.
Also, I have set a rule ever since I started writing. We do not touch a new project until the old one is done. So, there’s a little motivation all in itself.
Ooh, that’s a good point. I hadn’t thought of that. I have two brainchild projects which are steadily updated every day, but forcing myself to not write anything for them would be an absolute nightmare and I would have to write something through a different outlet. 🤔 Cool!
"If I don't like something, it's probably sanctification. Ugh." -E.C.S.
…
So… the first draft of Guardian Angels I literally started writing while waiting for a piano lesson, and I had no idea what I was doing. I still have no idea honestly. Apparently, my idea of ‘first draft’ is wing it.
And I currently only get motivation from my characters and someone very special so I have a lot of unfinished things…
Sorry, don’t think I am qualified to help even if I could.
You need French Toast.
#AnduthForever (💕)I don’t think I’m quite the person to ask. I tend to hyperfocus on a single project and put any other story ideas to the back of my mind for later. I’ve only ever written two first drafts, and that was some time ago. So I am lacking experience in this area. (Looks like Ellette has you covered here though. @ellette-giselle, how many first drafts have you written again?)
Some advice I have heard with the first draft is to write without looking back. Forget about grammar and things like that, just get it out of your head and onto paper. I would say it is a good idea to put off that particular style for the first draft and worry about it later.
However, one this is one thing I know of that does help me. I find that something that motivates me is having people share it with me and give me some thoughts right away. Before I started posting second-draft chapters here for TNPT, I had written something like 6 chapters in 3-4 months and I kept getting distracted by other things. I also had plenty of free time here. Once I knew someone would be reading it right away and telling me some thoughts, my speed picked up to 1-2 chapters a week, even though at the same time I started a job and some post-secondary courses, cutting down my free time a lot. For my first draft of TNPT and the only other full story I wrote, Adventurless, I also had people reading it encouraging me to get through it. Also, if you have others reading it who are interested, then you have someone who will bother you for new content.
Keep in mind though that everyone is different, and what works for me might not work for you.
Sometimes it is necessary to paint the sky black in order to see the stars.
So, before I ever begin to write I pray. I write down the idea in my prayer journal and say, “Lord, here’s my idea. If you want me to write this book, give me the rest of the story” and He does.
This is really good. I need to do this more. And one of the major themes of book two of TNPT is trusting God!
8 drafts per book? Phew! I hear the usual is 5.
Sometimes it is necessary to paint the sky black in order to see the stars.
So… the first draft of Guardian Angels I literally started writing while waiting for a piano lesson
So real, though. I probably invented 50% of my early story concepts while waiting for piano lessons.
Sorry, don’t think I am qualified to help even if I could.
It’s okay! If you get an idea, shout it out, because I think anyone with experience reading or writing can give ideas. Even if they aren’t backed by experience.
And hey, it isn’t like you are inexperienced. You’ve written a ton of Guardian Angels.
"If I don't like something, it's probably sanctification. Ugh." -E.C.S.
However, one this is one thing I know of that does help me. I find that something that motivates me is having people share it with me and give me some thoughts right away.
My first draft, as it is, is very undecipherable. However I am comfortable sharing things with my little sister and I’ll keep this in mind.
Keep in mind though that everyone is different, and what works for me might not work for you.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had identical brains? (It wouldn’t, but it would at least be practical.)
8 drafts per book? Phew! I hear the usual is 5.
I think this is one of the more varied things, from what I know. I’ve heard of some authors who only take a couple drafts, and others who go through two dozen.
"If I don't like something, it's probably sanctification. Ugh." -E.C.S.
Last I counted I was at 69 full length novel drafts.
Prayer really is important. God has given us this gift, we should ask Him to help us use it.
Yeah, I do four drafts, then share, then do more.
It’s how I write so fast. Most people I know do the steps of draft 1-4 while they are writing, which tends to slow them down and cause them to lose interest.
No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.
Prayer really is important. God has given us this gift, we should ask Him to help us use it.
I completely agree!!!!
I also pray about EVERYTHING…like asking Jesus to help me pick out outfits or other random things lol
I totally understand how you feel *cries*
No matter how cringy it is, sometimes it is better just to slap something down on the paper. Sometimes I have to literally say out loud “Sara, it is okay to write crap.” XDXD like, I have to remind myself that I write for my own sanity, and it doesn’t matter what others think of it. It doesn’t have to be good. it just has to be real. As long as you love it and it contains a piece of your heart, that’s all that matters. <3
This lady thrives on the divine grace of Faith and the rich embrace of caffeine.
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