Last October I had an idea for a new book. I did what I usually do: I began to read about the subject, trying to grab hold of the idea in a more concrete fashion. After a couple of months of random, not very focused thought, I took my usual next step. I tried writing a couple of chapters, feeling my way. That was in December. At the time, I thought those chapters were okay, but the press of other work, with deadlines, turned me elsewhere.
Today, I remembered those opening chapters, and, wanting to take a break from my current project. I took a look at those December chapters.
They were pretty bad. Yet … I could see where they might provide the basis for more work.
Speaking for myself, my first drafts—absolutely first drafts—are usually awful. The point is, however, the idea has promise. Indeed, quite often, an idea is far better than the initial execution of that idea. The trick—if that is the word—is not to be discouraged by those first efforts. Accept that first drafts are first drafts. One must take the long view. Give me a year or so—and eighty drafts—then we will see if I have made anything of what I have done.
When you write, time is not just a good friend; time is your essential friend.
2 thoughts on “Taking time”
I loved this blog. Right now I’m working on a book series but I know my draft is absolutely awful. However,everyone who I explain the story to falls in love with it so I know I have a gem plot, but it will take a lot of editing until it is ready for publishing. I just hope I can speed up the process once I finish engineering school because I have 26 books outlined and I’ve been working on the first draft of the first book for two and a half years now!
I agree! It’s easy to get discouraged with a terrible first draft, but I find that the more I rewrite the draft, the closer it gets to the idea in my head–and then it becomes even better than the idea as it becomes a real story on paper.