The day is finally here. I finished the first draft of my very first novel.
Yay!
Right?
Honestly, I was expecting this huge wave of relief and excitement. What I got was a half hearted “eh” from my inner, exhausted, voice.
In reflecting on the (big) difference between the two extremes, I realised that there was a lot to learn from my experience writing, and completing, my first ever first draft of a novel.
1. Things don’t always go the way you expect.
Whether you plan every chapter, or wing it from start to end, much like life, writing a book can surprise you. The plot can change, it can take longer to finish than expected, or you may feel completely different about the story at the end. Be open to changes and embrace the new as it takes form, as you add more words to the page and your book becomes what it will inevitably be- even if it’s not what you expected in the beginning.
2. It takes time.
Writers aren’t known for their patience. We have this thing in our head, and we need to get it down NOW, before the thought/image/memory/idea fades, lost forever amongst the late-night musings we think up moments before we drift off to sleep.
I hate to say it but, NEWSFLASH: writing a book takes time. Sorry, but it’s true.
If it really bothers you that much, take notes- LOTS of notes. Write an outline, scribble down snippets of conversations, write scenes or chapters at random… put down whatever comes to mind, just enough that when you do get to it, you haven’t forgotten.
But above all else, be patient.
As long as you keep at it, it will get done. Eventually.
3. It won’t be perfect- and that’s not only ok, it’s a good thing.
We’ve all heard it: First drafts are meant to be crap. That’s what revisions are for.
So, stop fighting it.
I get it. It’s that image in our mind again. Nagging at us to put it down on paper, clear as day, like a scene from a movie, or the memory of a perfect moment, played over and over in our minds. It only seems right to make it perfect. It’s justice, is it not, to make every word shine, like it does in your mind.
But you know that frustration that plagues your mind every day? You know the one, about how it’s taking FOREVER to finish this damn book? (See #2)
If you spend all your time trying to perfect one moment, one scene, one chapter… How long will it take to finish the book?
On the flip side, what if you just wrote the first draft, as crappy as it may be, and then make it shine later? Scary thought, right?
Consider this: You don’t polish a diamond before you cut it, do you? You don’t repaint your walls before you renovate. You don’t wash the dog before you play in the mud. (At least I hope not!)
Fact: As you write your story you understand it better. No matter how much you think you know your plot or your characters, no matter how thorough your planning is, you always have a better understanding of your book once it’s complete. Once you have that ground work, it will be easier to see what needs the most work, and that’s when you pull out the weeds and plant the flowers.
So, embrace the suck while you’re drafting. Save the obsessive perfectionism for the revisions. Don’t worry, you won’t publish rubbish. But you’re not expected to dig up clean, cut, polished gold either. Take it easy on yourself.
4. You won’t have all the answers at the start- even if you think you do
I know, I know. You have a plan for your book and you’re sure it will stick. You know exactly how your characters will act, and react, how their story will play out, and all the little plot twists and subplots.
Nope. ‘Fraid not.
Don’t get me wrong, plans are great. But there’s something about a moment that changes things. Have you ever planned to say something to someone and then you open your mouth and what comes out it completely different from what you had in mind? It just happens. Sometimes it’s a big change, other times small, but when you’re in a moment, something happens. And it happens when you’re writing too.
Characters will show you more of themselves than you knew at the start, plot twists will have a bigger impact than you expected, and you’ll just change your mind about some things out of the blue- making the book better than you planned.
Go with it. Explore the unplanned. It could just lead to magic.
5. Mindset plays a big part in how you feel about your book- including its quality, your perseverance, enjoyment etc.
I’ve bounced back and forth with this book, from excited to finish it and share it with the world, to never wanting to publish it, to possible publication down the road, and everything in between. I’ve cared about what other people have thought about it, and not cared at all. I’ve fast drafted sections, and revised others- currently, the first half of my MS is much more polished than the second.
What do all these different mindsets have in common? What keeps me going through all these changes? Two major beliefs.
1- I am doing what I can with what knowledge I have NOW. As I grow and learn as a writer, my writing will improve, and that’s ok. I don’t have to be the best writer ever to just start, to give it my best and work out the kinks as I learn.
2- If I do it right, it will be awesome. I don’t have to do it now, I have to do it justice. If I take my time and put in the work, the finished product will be something to be loved and proud of- how I feel about it now is irrelevant.
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