by R.L. Lake

Created on: August 28, 2009

A first draft is just that-a first draft. It's the first version of the short story, poem, or novel that's floating around in your head and it certainly will not be the last. A first draft is rough, unpolished, and most likely full of errors but it is also the most honest expression of your ideas. While there will certainly be second, third, and perhaps even fourth drafts, it is the first that sets the tone for the success of your writing project.

Let the writing go where it will

Many writers make the mistake of attempting to edit their work as it lands on the page, or even worse, before the ideas even make it out of their head. In order to get the most out of your first draft, you must learn to disable your internal editor or you'll never be able to get the words out. You'll get so caught up in trying to write perfectly that you won't actually be able to write anything. The best way to approach a first draft is to simply let the ideas take over, no matter how good or bad they may seem. Just write down whatever comes into your head without worrying how it sounds. The more ideas you get on paper, the more you'll have to work with later.

Forget the rules

The first draft is the one time when you can forget how you're supposed to write and just write how you want. Grammar, punctuation, spelling are secondary at this point and it's okay to break the rules. Experiment with different points of view or with different styles. Don't get bogged down in the mechanics of how to write and which comma goes where. These are things you can pay attention to later. For now, your focus should be solely on getting the story down as completely as possible.

Give it some time

Once you've gotten your first draft down, the next thing you'll want to do is put it in a drawer and forget about it. In the meantime, move on to something else. Work on another project and forget all about your first draft until enough time has gone by that will allow you to look at the work with fresh eyes. For some writers this may only be a couple of weeks and for others, it may take years. By giving yourself a break from the idea, you will be able to see more clearly what works and what doesn't when you go back to it.

Writing a first draft can be an intimidating process. However, the key is to focus on the story rather than the act of writing. There is no such thing as a perfect first draft and allowing yourself room to make mistakes is part of becoming a better writer. The number of drafts you write in the future may become fewer but the first draft will always be the most important.

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