Drafting a book is hard and complex and can sometimes seem impossible. It takes time, devotion, passion, and a certain skill set. You need to be resilient and able to resist frustration and be able to compromise.
Depending on how much time you have set aside to write, a first draft can take anywhere from a few days to a year or more.
Some writers write an outline of their book, which makes drafting a book much easier. However, writing a first draft can be challenging if you don’t have an outline. Especially when you don’t know where to start.
In this post, I’ll cover the steps you need to write your first draft, plus some things you shouldn’t worry about when drafting a book.
What is a first draft?
The first draft (rough draft) is a manuscript that is completed but hasn’t been edited. It’s a pile of words thrown together that require further work to be ready for the publishing process.
The point of the first draft is to get the story on paper and out of your head.
The first draft is the initial stage in the writing process that allows you to develop your ideas further and get your thoughts together. Here is where you can make sure the plot is laid out clearly (with no plot holes) and see if your characters have enough background information and an exciting development path.
Drafting a book lets you quickly get your story down on paper (or screen). After your ideas are out of your head, you can go back and fill in more details later if you need to.
Drafting a Book: How to Write Your Novel’s First Draft
1. Find your creative writing space.
Find a space that is going to be your dedicated writing space. It should be somewhere quiet and distraction-free where you can focus only on writing. Turn your phone to do-not-disturb. Don’t check emails or social media.
2. Schedule writing time.
A writing schedule is a personalized plan that sets aside a dedicated time for you to write every day. It’s important to schedule time for your writing just like you would schedule a doctor’s appointment. If it’s in your calendar, you will show up. Remember: it’s more important to write regularly than to write in long bursts.
3. Time your writing sessions.
Drafting a book is exhausting, but timed writing sessions help break up your writing into chunks so you don’t get burned out. Many authors use the Pomodoro Technique, which is 25 minutes of writing, then a 5-minute break. This is repeated several times throughout your writing session. Setting a timer will help you focus more intensely on the writing period, allowing you to achieve more than if you try to write for an hour without breaks.
4. Just write.
If you’re having a difficult time starting, don’t focus on the opening scene. Jump around and write whatever is coming to your mind. For example, if you’re working on a chapter and ideas for another chapter come to mind, write them down so you don’t lose those thoughts. You can always go back and reorder them later on.
When you sit down to write, write. Don’t do anything else except go to the bathroom, and only do that if it absolutely cannot be put off.
– Stephen King
5. Do the most basic research.
If you’re writing something that takes place in a specific time period (e.g. Georgia in the 1920’s), you’ll probably need to do some research to make sure that your writing is precise and credible. But, don’t spend too much time researching because that can take away from your writing time. Only research the basics at the beginning of your writing process, such as reading an essay on that time period to get an understanding of that location and era. You can always fill in more specific details later.
6. Don’t worry about what it looks like.
It’s normal to feel like all those words jumbled on the page are just a bunch of stuff that doesn’t make any sense. Don’t worry – the editing process will help clean it all up. For now, it’s important to just get your ideas out of your head and onto the page.
7. Don’t stop to edit.
First drafts aren’t meant to be neat and polished. There will be typos and poor word choices. Stopping to edit will only slow you down. You may start to doubt yourself, causing you to rewrite or give up altogether. Rewriting a paragraph over and over to get it perfect will not get your first draft finished. Focus on the big picture instead – a strong point of view and making sure the motivation of your protagonist makes sense.
8. Track your progress.
Tracking your progress will make you feel like you’re accomplishing something. You can use spreadsheets to keep track of your writing time and word count or just write them on a calendar. There are also apps available that can be used for tracking your progress.
Things You Shouldn’t Worry About When Drafting a Book
Drafting a book is challenging, but when you really stop to think about it, your first draft is quite freeing. You’re free to write without restriction, overthinking, worrying, or expecting too much of yourself. But, that’s all easier said than done.
Here are some things you shouldn’t worry about when writing your first draft:
Writing Quality
Preoccupying yourself with the quality of your writing will slow you down and block your ability to be creative. There is no need for perfectionism during your first draft. Spelling, punctuation, word choice, and sentence structure can all be sorted out during the editing process.
Voice and Style
The best way to find your voice and style as an author is to write what comes naturally and how it comes naturally. First drafts are where you get lost in the story as you tell it and the editing phase is where you work on the way you tell your story.
The first draft reveals the art; revision reveals the artist.
– Michael Lee
Descriptions
Detailed descriptions can be left out and added in after your first draft is written, unless, of course, they naturally come out while you’re writing. Worrying over getting the perfect description will take up a lot of time and it’s more important to focus on getting the story down first.
The Little Details
Focusing on the little details, such as the weapon your character is holding or if the weather conditions are right for the location, for example, can slow you down. It’s best to flag the minute details and fill them in later during the editing process.
Themes
Themes are the ideas that result from the plot. If you start worrying too much about themes while drafting your book, you might start forcing them into your novel, which turns readers off. Typically, themes start to come out when you’re finished writing and you revisit your story. During the revision process, you can start exploring the themes further in depth.
Perfect Structure
While structure is one of the most important features of a novel, you shouldn’t try to make it perfect before you even start to write. Just write your story and don’t worry about whether or not the structure makes sense or is effective and engaging.
Conclusion
Drafting a book is daunting, but don’t get paralyzed by perfectionism. This isn’t the final masterpiece – it’s the messy first step. Remember: the rougher the draft, the stronger the potential. Your first draft is when you can let your imagination flow freely – it’s not the time to worry about technical issues such as spelling and grammar, style, or even perfect structure. It’s your chance to experiment, explore, and get lost in the story. From an unpolished draft, a polished gem can be born.
What are your favorite tips about writing a first draft?
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