Advantages of Writing a Fast First Draft

Every one of us is different, which means we each need to discover what process works best for us when we write. Some writers meticulously plan out every detail of their story before they begin the first draft, some dive right in and wing it. Some writers will polish a chapter until they can move on, some power on and go back later to do the polishing. There is no right or wrong way to write, however this post is about the latter technique. It's about why I've found writing a fast first draft is advantageous:

1. To avoid the doubts. Doubts can make the writer question everything from the believability of their plot, the realism of their characters, and even the worth of being a writer. These doubts may raise some valid questions, but mostly they'll cripple the writer. As a result, the writer may veer from staying true to their story, or worse, quit. Writing a fast first draft will keep those doubts under control.

2. To be yourself. Similar to the point above: If you think about it too much, you could over analyse. The writing could then become stilted and 'proper' and you could lose your unique voice.

3. To keep the descriptions under control. If you are a writer like me, you can get caught up in the wonderful world you've created and indulge in rich descriptions. However, if you're moving quickly through the story to get it down in words, then you're likely not spending the time on descriptions. Descriptions can not only distract the writer, but when they're overdone they can distract the reader. I find it harder to delete a beautiful description than to add one later.

4. To stay focussed on the main plot points. Distractions have a way of veering the story away from the main plot, especially if you don't plan the story ahead. Writing fast will help an author keep an eye on the big picture.

5. To save time. I used to edit as I wrote because I loved to read my polished word. The problem was when I'd finished writing that first draft and read through it as a whole, I discovered some of those polished scenes had to go. I'd wasted so much time on sections I eventually tossed. Now I tell myself anything can be fixed… later! The main story structure is the most important element of the first draft stage. The rest can wait.

6. To finish. Many people start writing a novel, yet so few actually finish. Because writing a novel is a slow process, celebrating at key milestones is important to keep the motivation levels high. For me, finishing the first draft is one such milestone. When it's done I have a completed story in my hands. Don't underestimate the power of a finished story.

Do you like to write a fast first draft? What do you find slows the process down the most?

Word Search Checklist

While working on my latest work in progress I wrote down a list of all my favourite overused words. We all have them. These are the words we love to repeat because it’s easy to throw them in while we’re in a mad rush to get the story down.

They are convenient words, but they weaken our prose. They drag our creativity into the realms of laziness. They are perfectly fine for the first draft. However, once you’re satisfied with the structure of the story, they should be culled. Below is a sample of my list:

Almost, be, but, felt, gasp, got, is, just, little, looked, *ly, nice, only, put, quickly, said, sat, scowl, seemed, some, so, suddenly, that, then, very, walked, was, went, were.

Thank goodness for the Find/Replace feature in Word. What are some of your favourite repeat words?


Thanks to Jasmine at An Author’s Ramblings, my newest follower. She inspired this post with her post about the word, ‘that’. Check it out here.

My Writing Process – Part 1

Today’s post is part of Shallee’s What’s Your Writing Process Blogfest. We can write about any part of the writing process, but I’ve decided to write about the whole thing from start to finish. Because I wrote more than I originally intended, I have split this post up and will post the final part of my writing process on Friday.

How does it all start?
1. The desire. You’d think the idea for a story would come first, but for me what comes first is the desire to write. No matter how great my story idea’s might be, they won’t come to fruition if I don’t have the passion.
2. The idea. I’m not one to wait for inspiration. If I did, I’d be waiting a long time. Ideas can come from anywhere, but when I’m focussed on a search for an idea, they generally spring from a single word or a single image.
3. The development. I pursue the idea, create the characters, and see if the idea is worth the time to write a novel. I will write the beginnings of a loose outline.
4. The outline. By this stage I’ve decided to go ahead with the story. I then work on a more detailed outline. This includes post-it notes on the whiteboard, character sheets which include their development through the story, world building and how the setting might change the plot.

How do I write?
5. The First Draft. It’s time to begin writing. Using my outline as a base, I try to write the first draft as quickly as I can. I try not to worry too much about detailing descriptions, proper grammar or polish. I just need to get the story down. I will often throw in a few notes to remind myself to do extra research where needed.
6. The break. I need time to step away from the story. I will either begin another project or write a few short stories.
7. The read through. I will come back to my work in progress (WIP) by reading through the entire novel. I will make short notes only, but I will try not to edit yet.

On Friday I will describe what I do at the editing stage.

How do you get started with your writing?