4 Tips For Writing Your First draft
Lesson from C.S.M.
Finishing a first draft is an incredible accomplishment.
It’s the true birthplace of your story and a mark in your novel’s journey that sets you apart from aspiring writers.
The first draft isn’t the end (writing is rewriting), but finishing it allows you to further sculpt your rough words into something spectacular.
Don’t allow yourself to get stuck partway through a first draft.
Use the 4 tips below to push through this incredibly difficult stage of the writing process:
1. Write Something Bad
First drafts aren’t about perfection, they’re about getting words onto the page.
Accept that your first draft isn’t going to be a literary masterpiece.
Consider this teaching from Scott Adam’s Reframe Your Brain:
The only bad writing is no writing at all.
Everything else is either good or under-edited.
It's liberating to give yourself permission to write poorly initially.
The goal is to get those story ideas out of your head and onto the page.
Once we have something written, we’re able to edit it.
As Adams points out: “Editing is easier than writing, so putting something on a page moves you to an easier phase of work.”
2. Put Your Phone Away
Distractions are the enemy of productivity.
While writing a first draft, you want maximum focus so you can lose yourself in the world of your story.
Your phone, with its notifications and endless temptations, can easily pull you away from the world you're building.
To stay in the flow, designate specific writing time free from the digital buzz.
Let your imagination run wild without the constant ping of notifications.
3. Don't Edit Yet
It’s often helpful to think of writing and editing as two separate processes.
Resist the urge to edit as you go.
Your first draft is about exploration and discovery, not perfection.
Editing prematurely can stifle creativity and interrupt the natural flow of ideas.
Give yourself the freedom to make mistakes, take risks, and uncover hidden gems without the critical eye of editing hovering over your shoulder.
4. Use Pen And Paper
When I wrote my first novel, I got trapped in my first draft because I kept going back to edit passages I had just written. Things became much easier once I ditched my computer and moved to pen and paper.
I know what you’re thinking— it takes much longer to write. But it’s worth it.
In a world dominated by screens, there's a unique magic in the tactile experience of putting pen to paper.
Step away from the digital realm and let your thoughts flow through the tip of a pen.
You won’t be stuck in the analysis-paralysis associated with being able to go back and edit in your writing software of choice.
Switch to the computer once your first draft is completed and you’re looking to tune up what’s already been written.
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