Very messy. Or not messy at all. Your book’s first draft is such a personal thing. A first draft is like how much butter and jam you like on your toast; it depends on you and your character. But it’s a question I’m often asked at our creative writing retreats in Tuscany.
“Can my drafts be messy? Should they be neat and tidy? Or can they be all tangled up, with paragraphs and phrases and dialogue that I may not use?”
I’ve seen first drafts and subsequent drafts with alternative endings. No formatting at all. No paragraphs at all, only great slabs of text (that almost did my head in). Drafts in which characters need to be removed or added. Or need more inner reflection, or less character inner reflection. There are first drafts that need massive re-structuring. As well as drafts that have very wobbly beginnings. Or the plot is not solidified. Mostly though, first drafts are over written and need to be cut. And definitely those initial drafts help us crystalize themes and plots as we plod through them.
The main thing to understand is that your drafts are working documents. They are flawed and will be imperfect. That’s what makes it a draft. Rarely does a first draft need ‘tweaking.’ It’s more likely to need a machete slash, cut and paste.
The meaning of the word draft is:
Draft is defined as an initial version of a piece of writing or written document, which is often checked before verification.
It’s an odds-on bet if you’ve finished your first draft, you’ve just spent a long period of time actually writing. But the words are now on the page. So, congratulations! Truly well done you. It’s a huge thing to finish your first and subsequent drafts because if you haven’t written any words down, you’ve got nothing to work on.
So to answer this blog’s question, it doesn’t matter how messy your first draft is! Just write it!
Don’t forget Laurel Cohn and Lisa will be running a special The Next Draft retreat in Florence from June 25-29, 2023. All drafts welcome! This is a unique workshop that drills down on your revision process. Please earmark your diaries and join us in Florence for this event.
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If you’d like to share any comments or thoughts, I’d be happy to hear from you. Email me directly at lisacliffordwriter@gmail.com.