Writing the first draft of your book can be quite exhilarating. But as much fun as it is, there are a few things you should avoid to give yourself the best experience possible. Today, I’ll share some of the things you should be aware of while writing.
After you write your first draft, though, you’ll undoubtedly find a few things you want to work on for the next book. We all have habits that interfere with our writing, and you’ll need to work on yours to get the most out of the experience.
With each book you write, you’ll get better and better.
What to Avoid During the First Draft
Every author is unique and will have his or her own way of doing things. Yet, there are quite a few common elements that plague a lot of writers, especially those working on their first books.
Hopefully, I can help you avoid some of these things when you begin working on your first draft. These are all taken from either my personal experience or from those close to me who are also authors.
So, what are some of the mistakes that a lot of people make while writing the first draft?
1. Expecting Perfection
No one publishes the first draft of their books. It’s a waste of your time to focus on trying to make the manuscript perfect. It doesn’t have to be in order to write a good book.
In reality, most of the awesomeness of your book is going to come during the editing phase. After getting some feedback from beta readers, editors, or agents, you’re going to make some changes to the book regardless.
The only editing I do while writing the first draft is spelling errors that the Grammarly Chrome extension detects. Most of them are fixed automatically, but there are times when I jack a word up so badly that even Grammarly has no clue what the hell it’s supposed to be.
In any case, avoid trying to write a perfect first draft, and don’t waste your time and energy. You want to get the story out of you in a timely manner, right? Trying to polish it up as you go is going to take a lot of your time.
Besides, you might find yourself removing some of those “fixed” scenes later during the editing phase.
2. Cramming Too Much Detail
I know someone who spends a lot of time trying to explain and detail all of the mechanics of the entire universe he is creating. What winds up happening is that he’s writing something that is confusing and very difficult to follow.
Not just from the perspective of the reader, but his as well. He keeps getting hung up on the mechanics of things that aren’t pertinent to the story.
You need details of certain things in your world to give it life. But providing the backstory for every creature, plant, and civilization can make for an exceptionally boring read.
Your reader only needs to know what is relevant to what he or she is reading. Using an entire page to describe an item and its historical reference is quite excessive.
Instead, I use a drip method to reveal my worlds. For example, instead of providing an entire backstory of a fantasy religion on a single page, the information about it is slowly “dripped” throughout the novel as needed. It’s more incidental than anything.
3. Not Using a Map
Perhaps one of my biggest mistakes while writing the first draft was not having a map of the landscape. I thought I could keep all of the details in my head until I began writing the second book.
For those of you writing books based in the real world, it’s not difficult to find the layout of the landscape. Google Maps will be your best friend and can help avoid inconsistencies in the first draft. But as a fantasy author, not having a map and the basic lay of the land makes continuity so much more difficult.
That is perhaps the only thing I would change when I began writing Kingmaker. I would have used something like Inkarnate to keep track of the world’s details as I wrote the book.
A map will help you keep details accurate while keeping the continuity of your books realistic.
4. A Lack of Story Details
The details in the story can turn an otherwise bland read into a work of art. However, too much detail can lead to a slow read that winds up putting your audience to sleep. And that’s not a good thing.
There is a balance of pacing that you need to deliver. This is where show versus telling comes into play. To “show” a reader a story means to write details that bring a scene to life. To “tell” a story cuts a lot of those details out to quicken the pace.
Unfortunately, a lot of new writers will skimp on many details that would make the book more engaging. Whether it’s out of fear of being long-winded or not putting thought into the scene, a lack of details is a common issue with many authors.
Yet, it’s OK to go back and add in those details once the first draft is complete. That’s what the editing phase is for.
5. A Lack of Character Details
The details surrounding the story are one thing, but a lack of details for characters can make them seem bland and two-dimensional. Your reader should care about what happens to the main characters of the book, and that is accomplished by making them feel real.
I’m not just talking about the physical appearance of a character.
An interesting character has details that highlight strengths and weaknesses, behaviors and mannerisms, the character’s outward demeanor, and the changes he or she makes throughout the book.
This is one of the reasons why I was excited when Reedsy added the planning boards to the writing app. I could spend time fleshing out a character in such a manner to help me present it as a real person.
6. Editing While Writing
Although some people are capable of editing while they write, generally speaking, it’s often discouraged by experts. This goes along the same line of trying to make the manuscript perfect.
There are a couple of reasons why many suggest that you don’t edit while writing the first draft. It can disrupt the creative process as you risk getting stuck on smaller details. And it can cause a distraction, which can lead to you losing focus on the project.
I usually view editing while writing as a waste of time. That’s because I know that I’m going to make a lot of changes during the editing process that may get rid of those edits anyway. Plus, I like to focus on just getting the story out of me and then adding the details.
Instead, if there is something that I absolutely want to adjust, I’ll highlight the section and make a note for myself. Apps like Reedsy Studio, Word, LibreOffice, and more make highlighting and note-taking easy.
So, to finish writing the first draft in a timely manner, I avoid full-on editing of the manuscript until the story is complete. It’s general life chaos that winds up derailing most of my efforts to publish.
7. Subplots and Plot Devices Going Nowhere
Sometimes, you’ll have a great idea for a subplot or perhaps add plot devices that just don’t work. Maybe you simply forgot those elements as you write and they get lost in the aether.
Make sure you’re keeping track of those elements. It’s quite easy to forget a few key details, especially if you’re working on a series of books. The last thing you want is someone scratching their head wondering what happened.
When I wrote Kingmaker, there were a few instances that I forgot to embellish that would have impacted the rest of the series. Luckily, I caught the mistakes during edits, but it almost created an embarrassing issue.
That’s why I try to outline most of the book nowadays. I had outlines for Kingmaker, but the scenes in question were additions that would have affected the next four books.
You also want to make sure you don’t have too many branching subplots and such. They can take the attention away from the main story and reduce its impact on the reader.
8. Not Taking Notes
Taking notes can provide all kinds of assistance while writing. It can also make editing so much easier and quicker. As I mentioned above, I usually highlight the sentences, scenes, or even dialogue that I want to adjust. I utilize the hell out of the comment system in Reedsy Studio.
It’s part of me not editing the book as I write but have specific adjustments I’d like to make.
Anyway, taking notes while you write will give you a base to work from when it comes time to edit. If you don’t have a comment system in your writing app, use a notebook and pen. Copious note-taking can save you a lot of aggravation and time.
9. Being Afraid of Reader Feedback
One thing you need to keep in mind as an author is that you’ll never please 100% of the people 100% of the time. People are going to hate for the sake of hating. Don’t let yourself be afraid that you’ll offend someone with your story – because you’re going to in some manner.
Being afraid of negative feedback contributes to gutting the story. You may be tempted to remove pertinent scenes or dial-back key moments that can essentially castrate the impact of your story.
You don’t have to walk on eggshells to make sure you please every reader.
You want to write for a specific audience type but don’t sensor yourself or your characters. Writing a good book is subjective, and people will love and hate your book regardless. But don’t tip-toe around something because you’re afraid of being canceled on Twitter.
On the other side of that coin, though, you need to keep your target audience in mind. You don’t want to go out of your way to create something rancid unless that is your reader base. It’s kind of like reading the room, and some things can be left out that would otherwise trigger a very negative response.
No matter what, though, write the story you want to tell.
10. Not Giving Enough Time to Write
Perhaps one of the hardest parts about writing a book is not giving yourself enough time to write. This is especially true for those of us who have a family to care for, a full-time job to hold down, and active social lives.
This is one of the reasons why I am adamant about creating realistic goals for yourself. Create blocks of time for writing throughout the day when you’re capable of sitting down and typing.
I try to dedicate at least two hours per day for writing and editing my books. In that time frame, I can write between 2,000 and 2,500 words in a first draft, and I use the writing sprints on YouTube to do it.
It’s important to avoid a lack of time to write that first draft. Otherwise, it could sit on your computer indefinitely, never seeing the light of day.
11. Not Taking Enough Breaks
Taking breaks can help you avoid burning out while writing the first draft. I know the temptation is strong to push yourself into a gooey paste to get the story out. But you don’t want to burn out before the book is published.
If you don’t find time to breathe and relax, you’re no good to any of your fans. Keep in mind that stress and other negative emotions can influence word choice and story development. Not to mention that you’re more likely to make mistakes.
Some experts and online algorithms are committed to promoting the grind. It’s a push to constantly create content whether it’s for social media or recognition in a search engine. But when you’re always dialed to 11, it will impact your mental state.
I’ll take a break from writing even if I find myself in the zone after two hours. The next day, I come back fresh and excited to continue where I was writing.
Your Next Steps After the First Draft
Wrapping up the first draft will be incredibly exciting. Relish in the pride and accomplishment as most people who start a book will never finish writing one. And if you’re conscious about what to avoid, you can finish that first draft in a few months rather than a few years.
Of course, that also depends on how much time you allot yourself and how fast you are as a typist. Regardless, that first draft will do wonders for your self-confidence and pride.
However, writing the book is just the first step. There are a lot of things you’ll have to consider before you can call it a book. Editing, cover art, marketing…publishing a book is a time-consuming process. Still, I think it’s worth it, especially when I look over at my bookshelf and see a few copies with my name on the spine as the author.
What should your next steps be after finishing the first draft?
Take a Breather
It’s a good idea to take a step back and relax. Although you should have taken a few breaks to avoid burning out while writing the first draft, I’m talking more about taking a few months to recharge.
Experts say you should take between four to six weeks before you come back to edit a manuscript. And I can attest to how helpful that is for finding all kinds of issues in a manuscript.
Consider Beta Readers
Beta readers are exceptionally helpful for discovering everything from plot holes to the strength of a story. They can provide a slew of ideas that you might not have even considered.
Use beta readers you can trust and avoid signing up trolls to read the first draft. You want the opinion of your fans, not some random stranger who is looking for social fame.
A Plan for Editing
Take time to consider what kind of editing and how much of it you’ll need. There are so many different types of editing services out there, and you probably don’t need to pay for every single one.
That’s even if you have thousands of dollars on hand to pay for those editing services.
You want to avoid upsetting the reader with a poorly crafted novel after the first draft. Whether you have a friend help you or use tools like AutoCrit to edit, polishing up the novel for consumption is of utmost importance.
Get the Story Out of You!
The purpose of the first draft is to get the story out of you. It’s not going to be a perfect shining example of your writing prowess. For most of us, it’s going to be a jumbled mess that needs polishing.
But that’s OK, though. As I said earlier, no one publishes the first draft of a book. Even your favorite authors will go through several rounds of edits before submitting the manuscript.
Do what you can to avoid various distractions and hammer out that first draft. The incredible feeling you’ll get once you’re finished will inspire you to keep going forward.
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