A new-to-fiction writing friend asked my advice on first drafting. I kind of said, "Uhhh." Then I deleted that (I'm pretty sure I deleted it?) and typed something resembling helpful. I hope.
The truth is, when I wrote my first draft of my first book, I didn't mean to seek publication. I didn't know what I wanted outside of myself, but I knew inside of myself, I had to write. Because I didn't have dreams of world domination yet, I went at it in a highly experimental, even slipshod fashion. I diaried about my characters and plot before I began the book, and a few other times throughout. Every time I began a writing session - back then I wrote at Panera with a pen - I made a bullet point list of what I wanted to happen. I also made a longer list at the beginning of each chapter. Then I went through, scene by scene, and wrote.
I wish I hadn't wasted the time hand-writing two novels, and I wish I hadn't wasted time by not having a working understanding of structure before I began. On the other hand, if I had worried too much about writing the "right way", I might not have started writing. So, for me, the most important part of writing has always been what it still is: Just Do It.
I'm not sure I got around to telling my friend, but S, if you're reading, here's my best advice. When writing your first draft, make sure you keep writing. If you get stuck, get information that will help, then go back to writing. Don't let anything stop you. Don't let hardware, software, worries about your reputation or your influence, not having as much time as you'd like, not knowing a lot of big words*, realizing halfway that your writing is terrible, being scared by what's coming out of you, not having brilliant ideas, having too many brilliant ideas, not having read On Writing, your plant dying because you forgot to water it, not having read enough classics, not having read the bestsellers in your genre, being unsure of your genre, not being completely rested, not having the right music, that creeping feeling in your thighs, being behind on word count, being ahead on wordcount, being out of cookies, or any other thing stop you from writing. Do whatever you need to do to keep learning, but make sure you are writing as you do so.
And enjoy your NaNoWriMo.
*I know you know a lot of big words.
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This is wonderful and I'm sure a lot of new writers worry about this. I know I have. There were so many "oh noes!" that you listed that I had (and still have) concerns of when I'm working on a project. So I'm going to take your advice to JUST WRITE.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
With losing my cat, dreaming about writing only 2 lines for NaNo and waking up in a cold sweat, and my clothes being out of rainbow order, I needed this. Thanks, E. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Start writing. Don't stop. That's the gist of it, isn't it? :)
ReplyDeleteM - practice can only help.
ReplyDeleteAnne - I am sorry you lost your cat! Best of luck on your Nanoing.
Linda - thanks!
Yep. Someone asked me for similar advice. I said 1. Start a story. 2. Finish your story. 3. Learn the whole time.
ReplyDeleteStarting and finishing are the two steps so many people never get around to.
Great post. I think this advice is great for any time during the writing process, not just when you start writing that first draft. The more we learn about the business, the harder and more complicated it seems. Going back to the basics, just writing and not worrying about anything else but getting those words on the page, is a great way to look at it.:)
ReplyDeleteJessica
Yes! Completely agree. Just keep writing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think back to learning to play piano I remember all the silly exercises I hated and how much I wished we could just skip them. And then one day I could play Rachmaninoff, and I realized, "the exercises gave me this."
Even if your early words never see the light of day, they are still valuable and useful. The very act of putting the words down will improve craft and ideas and structure and...
Just keep writing.
Trisha - you're so clever.
ReplyDeleteJessica - I'm revising now, which is hard in one way because there are no word counts, but I tell myself to just "do the work". I think you're right.
Amy - I agree. I'm impressed you play Rachmaninoff.
As the proud owner of one crap draft, one mostly crap draft, and one "hey-this-is-getting-interesting draft" I just wanted to say that you speak the truth.
ReplyDeleteTrisha Leigh's step No. 3 is the vital piece. If we don't learn as we go, it will always be the same and we'll probably stop writing.
Hrmm... my second comment i posted earlier never showed up o_O
ReplyDeleteI wanted to thank you for your comment and ironically my comment (which never showed up) was about learning the techniques and technicalities of writing.
What I had posted earlier was that Editors and Agents are strict with what they are reading, and that for myself, I do not have a background in English or Literature and so it intimidates me the most when I am wanting to put together a story.
But like your post says, I will just keep writing and learn on the way to the final edit. Letting your worries hold you back is no way to push yourself forward.
Jonathan - yes! While I do read about writing, and also read others' stories, I learn so much from actually doing the work that I couldn't learn any other way.
ReplyDeleteM - we're all learning as we go.
I love this. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMust print this and paste on the office wall. Or on my forehead.
Stanley - I'm so glad.
ReplyDeleteThis was beautiful and I needed to read it today. Thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Penelope.
ReplyDelete