I try to write to the best of my ability when I do a first draft, but there’s always tons of things that need changing. Quite often, I’ve completely scrapped a first draft, because it just didn’t work. I guess I’m a perfectionist, since I’m a obsessive rewriter/drafter etc, and there’s always a point when I have to step back, throw up my hands and go ‘Okay. Leave it alone’. I’m not yet an accomplished enough writer to get anything exactly like I want it to be, so I have to put up with my work being ‘good enough,’ and even that takes a lot of work.
For some reason, I feel the opposite way, but for the same reason as you: I don't think you should have to "put up with" your work being "good enough". Feel free to write 50 drafts if you'd like! Now, having said that... Yes, the beginner writer, in my opinion (and this is coming from a complete beginner, mind you), needs to understand that he or she can always make it better, somehow. I just don't believe one should obsess over it and try to make it as perfect as humanly possible. Reasons being: It can't be done. Even the greatest authors of all time would have done well to improve their greatest work. Also, you will find that you are going to edit your piece until the end of time, or until you just submit it for publication. But regardless of when you do, it will always stand to have some improvements made. But on the other hand, I think that's the beauty of writing. It's subjective in every way. One may say there isn't a single thing wrong with a novel, even down to the word choice for every single sentence. Then another writer may say, this could have been so much better. But the writer may have felt it was the best he or she could have done; or they wanted to submit it before they reached the point of insanity. But I think that the writer should make the improvements that the piece could stand to have made to it. Never just "settle". Sometimes, I would even say you shouldn't throw your hands up and say "Leave it alone", because at the last minute, if you were to take that last minute before submitting it, you could find a change that needed to be made. Of course, the change could always be suggested by your editor.
You know, your post has made me think about this in more depth, and I think you have a good point. But even with all the reasons you’ve provided about why not to obsess - and they’re all perfectly true - I don't think I can help it. With everything I write, my problem is that I know it can be improved, but I don’t know how, and it can be horribly, horribly frustrating because I’ll rewrite that bit, change this bit, mess around to try and find out what it is that’s wrong about it, but I honestly don’t know. I hope that’s something you learn with experience. Heh, yeah.
I'm just a big hypocrite, because that's what I do, despite the reasons I provided about why you shouldn't obsess. There's just too much to work with after a certain point.
No, I think hardly anyone is ever happy with their first drafts. Sometimes I am happy with several sections of them, though. When I write a first draft, I'm still not quite sure where the story is going to go, so of course I have to rewrite when I change my mind halfway through. I usually complete the first draft before revising at all. I have trouble finishing stories, and if I get too bogged down in details early on, I give up. I think it is important to write your best in the first draft, though, because with every additional one it gets harder and harder to tell what's good and what's bad.
I have no delusions about my writing. I do not expect "great things" from a first draft, nevertheless I am thrilled when I complete an initial manuscript. That sense of accomplishment inspires me to tackle the job of editing my story into something I feel my intended readers might enjoy. The editing on my current novel took around ten "re-writes", including one driven by comments of an independent editor and another editing guided by the comments of a test reading group at the local college. .....NaCl
Through this thread, one of the difficulties or miscommunications that I've seen is what each writer defines as being a "first draft". It seems to fall into three camps: A. A first draft is a very rough sketch that will need major revision, rewrites, scrapping whole sections and creating new. B. A first draft is a first pass on a piece that is pretty well set, and may need some minor cleanup (typos, a missing word, switching to more a more effective verb here or there) but will otherwise remain pretty much as is. C. A first draft is somewhere in between definition A and B. Why each meothod is used may have something to do with writing styles/methods, or even writer experience. At the two extremes, "A" may occur with someone who has a seed of an idea and just sits down and writes. "B" may lean toward someone doing serious planning (on paper or in their head) before writing, and often relying on experience to avoid pitfalls requiring major revisions. While method "B's" main advantage over "A's" would be saving time and possibly ink (or excessivly annoying electrons) overall, in the end, it doesn't matter as long as the end product is a quality piece. Terry
irrelevant, since my post was in response only to this: ...and not to people who write several drafts...
Whenever I write an outline or a first draft, I go insane because it's not perfect. Grrrr... I am a Word-Document-Neat-Freak if you will.
Lemux, I feel the same pain. I'm never ever happy with it. I've started five novels, but by the time I get to chapter six or seven, I've already gone back and rewritten all the previous chapters at least ten times, wasting months of time, and by then I'm so over the original idea that I can't see it anymore and I ask myself what in the world I was thinking. I read a piece of advise not too long ago. Don't go back and read any of the chapters, just write, write and write until you get to the end. Then go back and edit. I"m trying it with my new novel, but lord it is hard. I had to put the chapters on disk and made my husband hide them from me. Geesh...
I always go back and make changes and changes. Sometimes i wish i could be happy with first drafts. Sometimes i am but only for about a day. The first draft is the most truthfull document in a way. It displays your talent in its rawest form. Jack Kerouac wrote his masterpiece "On The Road" in one continued sitting. I envy that level of genius.
My editing technique is full of self loathing. I write say half a page, re read over it and edit it until I'm happy (which translates to hacking to bits). After that, it doesn't progress far and is probably the reason why I haven't written any lengthy stories. A month later, I go into my computer files and drag out what I've written, and I'm quite surprised about what I read. After so much doubt in my writing ability when I was writing, to re read it with fresh eyes is a nice feeling. My tip is to lock your story away for a while after finishing what you define as a 'first draft', and looking back over it in a couple of months time.
Alright, so I've been planning this new Novel rather attentively these past days. I mean, not simply starting out on Chapter one and going on from there like I usually do, which by the way isn't all that bad for me as I get fresh ideas and I can change a lot of things from what I first started out with. Anyway, I have done somekind of Rough Draft, planning on all the Main Characters, the Plot, the Layout and detailed Time Period but I was wondering all that time if I have been doing it right. What do you think? How should a Rough Draft be set and what is all of the things you put in it? Plus, any tips on writing a good Novel? By that I don't mean the style and all the Spellcheck and stuff, I mean the Sceduale on writing, when to stop writing for the day/night and whatever else anyone can think of. Thanks! --Melanie
As for the last question about a scheule on writing, I think that is something that everyone must figure out for themselves. Someone is at their most productive late at night while others like to write early in the morning. So when it comes to when to write there is nothing that's right or wrong. As long as it's the right thing for you it doesn't matter when you do it. As for the planning of your novel... I guess that also depends on the writer. Some like to have everything planned when they start writing, while others want more freedom. So again, I say that is also up to you. And good luck with your writing!
It sounds more like you have an outline rather than a rough draft (which I associate more with 'first draft'). But personally, when I write, I tend to outline the major plot points in my head. I also work on characters - what they look like, their history, etc. Once I've worked on it mentally/verbally (sounding board friends are great), and I've had time to revise and the like, I get my butt into gear and write the outline down. Generally, it's morphed quite a lot by the time I've got everything written down, and it's still very general. And then I start writing. ~Christian
Alright. Thanks, that sounds good. I have pretty much everything under control then. I'll be putting up a part of the first Chapter in a week or two so keep looking!
How you approach a rough draft is a very individual matter. Some prefer to plan everything out in advance, down to minute details before writing the first actual sentence of the piece. Others start with a scene idea, and not even necessarily the opening scene, and just start writing to see where the situation and the character lead off to. However, I do recommend that "rough drafts" be kept out of sight, like the crusty uncle who drools and farts all the time. Don't share or ask for opinions about Uncle Gus until you've cleaned him up a bit and adjusted his diet. It amazes me how often people throw something together in a few minutes and omigodIcannotwaittoshow everyone! Instead, sit on it for a time, and look it over after a few hours, or even days. Fix the things you notice on a fresh reading, and fix all the SPAG errors you can before showing it to anyone else. You may even find gaping plot holes you want to hurriedly cover over, and signs of exhaustion-induced dementia in which you called Sally Bruce by mistake. Always put your best foot forward. No matter what anyone tries to tell you, first impressions are hard to erase.
Well also keep in mind that everyone has a different method of writing. I used to write simply by sitting down and typing. I found I tended to get bored with the plot/have no idea where to go with the story halfway through the book/story, so I adopted my method. Do whatever works best for you. ~Christian
I am currently on Chapter Two of my new novel. I'm trying to go through and write out all the ideas in my head. Unfortunatly this has produced a terrible first draft so far. I'm wondering do other people have crappy first drafts or is it just me? I know I'll have to rewrite all of this. Which is okay , but I'd like to be able to just write it well the first time.
A certain level of crappiness is something of a defining characteristic of a first draft. The fact that you recognize the crap is actually a good sign. There are too many who write crap and somehow think it is diamonds.
Oooh, my first draft so far in (70,000 words - or around there) looks like I dragged it through the mud. I went back a few months after I wrote the first chapter and used so much red ink that it looked like my paper was bleeding. Still, it helps to revise after a certain time frame. Tighten descriptions and dialogue, get rid of the unneeded garbage -- you know, that stuff.
Yes indeed. I'm working on a first draft right now (as in, I'm distracting myself from working on it by browsing these threads...) and I'm shuddering as I'm writing it. I just have to keep telling myself that I'll revise and revise and revise again and it will shape up eventually.
