3 Tips to Aid You in Writing Your First Draft

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I’m writing a first draft right now, and if there is anything I’ve learned from this experience, it’s that this first step is often the hardest.

Where does one start when writing a first draft? Are there any tips or tricks to make the process easier?

There is no be-all-end-all when it comes to writing the first draft, but these are a few tips I’ve picked up while writing.

1. Set Deadlines

This tip isn’t anything new, but one cannot stress its importance. Setting deadlines—not just a deadline for the completion of the first draft, but daily, weekly, and monthly goals—can keep writers on track and boast their motivation to write. Whether goals take the form of word counts or hours written, goal setting plays a crucial part in completing the first draft.

2. Don’t be Afraid to Write Out of Order

When I started writing, I always wrote my first drafts in chronological order—chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, etc…With my current WIP, I’ve been jumping around more often.

When I reach a particularly challenging scene, I can skip it and come back later. I don’t have to break my writing flow and I’m not forcing myself to write a scene I’m not in the proper mindset to write.

This technique also allows me to go back and change things as I write my first draft. Maybe I come up with this awesome plot twist I want to foreshadow it in chapter four. Instead of waiting to add it in when I edit, it is perfectly fine for me to take a few hours to rewrite chapter four.

Any writing is good writing, whether one starts at chapter one or chapter thirty. Every scene I write is one less scene I have left to write.

3. Don’t be Afraid to Spend a lot of Time on Your First Draft

One of the most common pieces of advice I’d received as a new writer was: Don’t worry about the first draft being perfect, just get words down on paper.

While I think this is great advice for new writers or perfectionists, it is by no means a cardinal rule. Giving a sensible amount of thought to each word I write boasts my confidence in my first draft, and it removes some of the stress that comes with editing.

This tip is not going to work for everyone, but I find it extremely helpful. If I give more thought to my first draft, and spend time on minute details, it gives me a better foundation for the story.

I don’t want to spend too much time on each word (many of them will still be rewritten), but taking a slower approach will save me some time in the future.

I hope these tips are helpful. Make sure to leave a comment and subscribe to my blog to get notifications when I post.

It’s been a pleasure writing for you, and until next time—stay weird and stay writing. - Lexi