Ask Me Anything: 'How do you complete a first draft?'
The short answer: you write until you get to the end. Read on for the long answer…
How do you complete a first draft?
Hello and salaam friend,
The short answer: you write until you get to the end.
The long answer: it depends on your writing style.
For some, the first draft is where the story unfolds. They go in blind without any outline. While for others, although the first draft is them telling themselves the story, they have an idea of the beginning, middle and end. I’m the latter.
Before I delve into writing a first draft, I need to know the beginning, middle and end. I also want to know the inciting incident (what changes the character’s situation or forces her out of her comfort zone) and the point of no return (when the character must take full charge of their life, as going back to status quo is no longer an option). I’d probably use Michael Hauge’s method for a rough sketch of my story.
My next step is usually researching the main character(s) and the important secondary characters. I spend time completing character questionnaires for them as this gives me insight into what my character is like, helps me develop their backstory, and sometimes inspires me with new ideas for scenes.
I need to know my main character well enough before writing otherwise I get stuck during the drafting process. Deep insight into a character’s life, personality and quirks, allows me to immediately figure out how they’d respond in any situation I throw them in. This, in my opinion, is one of the ways to build well-rounded dynamic characters. On the other hand, I have to be cautious in order to avoid getting lost in the dark hole of research, while convincing myself that I’m being productive (research feels more daunting than writing sometimes). There’s no book if you don’t write it. Research is simply the background work.
Once I’m confident I know my characters well enough, I decide on the point of view (1st person, 3rd person limited or omniscient) I’ll be telling the story from, as well as the tense. Sometimes I experiment with different tenses and voices to figure out which suits the story best. I write a short outline or goal for the chapter or scene I intend to write in that session, and then I get writing.
The first chapter is usually difficult but I know once I push through and get into a rhythm, it’ll get easier. I tell myself I’m going to have to rewrite it anyway so it doesn’t have to be perfect; I simply need to have words on the page.
And that’s how you get a first draft done: one word at a time, one scene at a time, one chapter at a time, and eventually you get to the end. I’ll talk about middles at some point, but it all boils down to taking it one step at a time.
Wishing you a blessed and splendid week! I’ll be back in your inbox soon :)
Till next time,
Suad