What does your first draft usually sound like?
- Thread starter mountainwildfire
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Something like...
Once upon a time, There was a person, prince, princess,werewolf that hikedappeared...so on so forth.
How you write your story the first time WITHOUT editing.
Everyone's first drafts are different. So there's no rule on how it should or shouldn't look like.
There's no such thing as a perfect first draft, unless of course, the first draft was typed by a monkey.
Everyone's first drafts are different. So there's no rule on how it should or shouldn't look like.
There's no such thing as a perfect first draft, unless of course, the first draft was typed by a monkey.
There's no such thing as a perfect first draft, unless of course, the first draft was typed by a monkey.
Of course.
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Depends on what kind of day I'm having - sometimes it's the sound of one hand clapping, sometimes it's the whir of every dearly-departed writer in the history of the world rolling over in his/her grave at the thought of me trying to join their ranks...
Seriously, though - clunky and prone to infodumps that gradually get edited out as they're written into the actual story.
Seriously, though - clunky and prone to infodumps that gradually get edited out as they're written into the actual story.
My first drafts coming off the keyboard always sound too good to be true. And when I go back and reread, they are too bad to be true.
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Like somebody's dropped an electric razor into a garbage disposal and amplified the sound. Or somebody's pushed a running diesel engine down a metal staircase. Or a chainsaw trying to cut through 15" of titanium on a cold day and somebody's used peanut butter to lube the chain. Or a petulant 15-year-old girl screaming I HATE YOU!!! because you don't have the sense to let her date her 45-year-old tattoo artist boyfriend. Or...you get the idea.
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My first drafts normally read like horse piss, mate lol. There's bad pacing, inconsistencies here and there, etc.
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mine sounds like some cheesy cartoon show. It's very lame. But i read somewhere that the best thing to do is to keep writing and don't go back to fix anything until you've finished and go back and revise and that's when you make changes. And if you decided to change location or something like that then note it where you are and go back to it and so forth.
So that's what i'm going to try and do. For now just write it out so it's done and then go back and change it, adapt it, make things different and so on.
So that's what i'm going to try and do. For now just write it out so it's done and then go back and change it, adapt it, make things different and so on.
How you write your story the first time WITHOUT editing.
Everyone's first drafts are different. So there's no rule on how it should or shouldn't look like.
There's no such thing as a perfect first draft, unless of course, the first draft was typed by a monkey.
Quite big chunks of mine tend to survive unscathed - beginnings especially rarely get changed so- dunno - they just sound like my writing. There aren't usually massive stylistic differences between the first draft and the finished product.
Too much dialogue and too little description. Good description takes a lot of editing and thought for me, and when I write the first draft I try to plow through it so I don't get caught editing every word in an endless loop. So I just let the characters talk and and do stuff, then fix it up later.
If you want a quick look at what I just wrote as it came to mind for my book "The Waters of Tiger Rod", it's posted on my little web site. cwilson.20fr.com . It's rough...remember I haven't revised this book yet...not even done with it...but it will give you an idea.
Just click on the "excerpts".
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First draft (which I use as my outline): I got out of the car. It was snowing. I went into the store. I looked for Cockeyed Joe. I saw him standing over by the beer. I pulled out my gun. I shot him.
second draft: One snowy day, I blew Cockeyed Joe's brains out over a beer.
second draft: One snowy day, I blew Cockeyed Joe's brains out over a beer.
Mine are wordy, which is all right. The first draft is where I throw all the clay I can dig out of the story earth onto my table. The second and third and possibly fourth drafts are where I craft the clay, carving away all that isn't necessary and molding the remainder into a (let's hope) sleek fictional vessel.
For example, my latest novel was over 132,000 words in first draft. The second draft was 102,000 words. The third, half finished, is about 96,000 words. I expect it will come in at around 94,000-95,000 words.
For example, my latest novel was over 132,000 words in first draft. The second draft was 102,000 words. The third, half finished, is about 96,000 words. I expect it will come in at around 94,000-95,000 words.
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My first drafts sound pretty much the same as my final drafts, seeing as I try to write it properly the first time and the two are the same. After several years have passed, THEN my first drafts might sound like crap. The first drafts I'm writing right now sound just fine to me.
I shan't give example paragraphs, for my work is out there on the Web for anyone to see if they wish. Even the really lousy early stuff.
The first drafts I'm writing right now sound just fine to me.I shan't give example paragraphs, for my work is out there on the Web for anyone to see if they wish. Even the really lousy early stuff.
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He typed madly, furiously even, on the old, grimy, gray, sweat-covered keyboard. Words swirled in his alcohol and caffeine addled brain like puppies in a mosh-pit.
"This will be hell to edit," he thought sadly, with a touch of remorse.
Suddenly, without warning, he clicked on the internet icon. He knew the location by heart, his fingers knew it, his mouse knew it, too. A writing forum appeared on the screen, covering the madness that was his nascent novel.
"Ah, a diversion," he thought happily, distracted.
"This will be hell to edit," he thought sadly, with a touch of remorse.
Suddenly, without warning, he clicked on the internet icon. He knew the location by heart, his fingers knew it, his mouse knew it, too. A writing forum appeared on the screen, covering the madness that was his nascent novel.
"Ah, a diversion," he thought happily, distracted.
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