Hard writer truth time:
First drafts suck.
Almost everything stinks the first time you do it. That’s because it’s THE FIRST time you do it. But, we tend to expect to have our writing be perfect somehow.
Why?
Guitarists don’t expect to be Mark Knopffler the moment they pick up a guitar. Singers don’t expect to be Norah Jones the first time they sing. Sculptors don’t expect to be Michelangelo.
Here’s the Thing:
Being good takes practice.
And even if you’ve written 100 novels already? There is a high likelihood that your first draft of your next novel? It’s going to suck.
But it’s not the end of the world. The end of the world is when you give up.
So, how do you make your sucky first draft better?
Think about it.
WRITER TIP OF THE POD
You want to make that first draft a better second draft? Think of these three things to start off right.
- Think about what your character wants more than anything in the world. Make sure you have that in your story.
- Think about what your character would never do – not ever. Revise your story so that this becomes a high moment of tension, of possibility.
- Add tension to every page. EVERY PAGE!
DOG TIP FOR LIFE!
Sometimes, it’s hard to catch the ball in your mouth, especially the first time. Try again anyways. Once you do it right, you get the ball… in your mouth! Score!
