DUring my 1st draft, the word count was a major motivation tool. The gradual increase of the total word count, give me the sense of making progress, and kept me on track. Now I am in 2nd draft - using the word count to track my progress doesnt work. As in this draft, I am cutting out loads of unwanted scenes, clear out word vomits, basically keep things crisp and clear. I would like still to have some progress bar in the 2nd draft, to tell me that i am progressing. Chapter count is not helping as i stay several days on a single chapter. Any idea on what metric I can use as progress here?
Nope. Now the real work begins! You make a great point about that the elation of the first draft, plowing through that field of virgin snow, followed by the interminable slog of all the clean up that follows. Not exactly the law of diminished returns, but close enough.
I do multiple passes. Each pass, the number of edits drops. That's my progress meter, just how fast I can read the scene.
Hello @Want2Write I find the first draft most fun, see the second draft as an idea blossoming with 3rd, 4th and more drafts as refinements. Since you have found a way to plough through the 1st then maybe you need to change the perception of your second draft. When I finish a 2nd draft, this is my call to send it to readers for feedback. I do so knowing there are mistakes but also knowing there maybe plot holes and since it is at the early stages, then amending them via feedback is not so damaging to the confidences in comparison to a nearly completed (in my own eyes) story. Motivation is a funny thing though and often drafting can feel like a slog, so do reach out to readers and share a few chapters. Gaining likes and positive feedback does peek up the motivation, so that maybe an idea for you to try.
