Saturday, March 04, 2006

Drafting...

I'm not talking about the thing speed skaters do to cut down on resistance and pass someone, I'm not talking about drawing up plans for something either (despite what my hubby says this word means). I'm talking about writing drafts...

When I initially decided to write with the intention of getting published, I did my usual routine... Research, research, research. Somewhere in the research process I read that Lori Foster doesn't do more than one draft. She simply writes and edits at the same time and is done. I thought, Sounds like a plan to me. Mwahahahahaha... If only.

For a while I struggled to make my first draft as perfect as possible. But it took me FOREVER. Then I realized, I needed to get the story down and then I could go back and rework what needed to be reworked, erase what needed to be erased, and thump myself on the head for using the same words over and over and over and over and over.

And I've found I'm a much happier writer that way.

What about you? Are a single pass perfectionist, or do you do a couple of several drafts?

Oh yeah, and here's a treat for the weekend:




April (who isn't Lori Foster, but enjoys reading her single draft books just the same)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I could never be a one draft writer! It takes more than several edits to consider the book done, and maybe not even it!

Cole Reising said...

First Girl I want to say - ummmhmmm ummm where do you find all of these delicious men!?

Second - I'm with you. No way could I write like that. I'm a gazzillion times over drafter. :-) I write the first one down as fast as I can possibly type just trying to convey the 'feelings' a few key words and key scenes. Then I begin my second draft - adding so much meat. Then my third draft - looking for what I missed in that thing called the plot under the plot and then... well, I think you get the idea.

A gazillion drafts later I have something I'm excited about. :-) If there is one thing that I'm learning the more I meet other writer's is that we all have our own way of doing it and their all 'right'. So do what works best for you! And don't forget the most important element - Have FUN!

:-) Cole