Starting Again: First Drafts

Bookwise, this last week left me spinning.

I sent revisions on How to Fail at Flirting back to my editor. It’s so close to being done. It’s polished, it’s clean, it’s lovely, and I smile to myself when reading it.

I sent my second book to a third round of reviews with critique partners. This book is well-crafted and my talented friends are catching things I’ll look at in editing, but also giving me feedback on what they love. And—whew!—they’re pointing out the same things I love.

With Nanowrimo kicking off yesterday, I started book three…and it’s new and flawed and choppy and…a first draft. So, in honor of book three and in hopes it is one day polished, clean, and lovely. Here are the things I’ve learned about starting over.
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1. Outline! I used to think I was a pantster. Turns out, I’m not…I just didn’t know how to outline (hence re-writing my first book 4 or 5 times).  I work better when I have a plan to follow, so with books two, three and the ones yet to come, I’ve taken some time to write a logline, a high-level synopsis, and detailed chapter notes before I write.
2. Forget editing. I am not someone who can edit as I go or I will have a beautiful chapter one and then thirteen and a half unfinished dumpster fire chapters that fade into a non-ending. I’ve learned to forgo editing until I have things on the page. I still end up with dumpster fire chapters, but I am able to put them all out at once.
3. Rough drafts are supposed to be messy. A. Suiter Clarke shared a post from Ally Carter yesterday reading the worst thing about first drafts is they come right after last drafts. #Truth. I should re-read the first draft of my finished novels before I begin a new one to remind myself that writing is iterative, that the first draft gets molded and shaped, and that my understanding of comma usage has improved.
4. Misery loves company (and company is on Twitter). Find friends to complain with. Allison Ashley receives “IT’S ALL AWFUL!” DMs from me weekly when I’m drafting and she always reminds me I'm a good writer who writes well and then she ever so nicely kicks my butt back to writing. Find friends like this.
5. If you’re going through hell, keep going. I say this often, but if you hate drafting, just finish the dang book…then you’re editing 😊 It’s that easy, right? I know it’s not, but keep pushing…we want to read to your book.