The Second Draft Project: To be Mortal.
Preface by the actual author
Every beginning, especially that of a aspiring writer, can be considered a very embarrassing beginning for every writer. It is very rare for the first magnus opus to be a instant masterpiece. Most of those earlier works of authors will never see the light of day. And for most of them, I agree, shouldn’t ever be published. Some early works are just so bad, so cringe worthy for all parties, that nobody needs to pay money for it. However, this is not entirely true.
When I found my first unfinished manuscript on a old computer, it put a smile on my face. I was right back to my younger days, sitting in my childhood room. A dyslectic 14 year old behind her computer, figuring out how she could make this over the top narrative work. The spelling was dreadful, the grammar hilariously bad and the dialog cringey as hell. Still, I made it to 62.795 words before I stopped due to teenage insecurities. And reading it between the lines and remembering the plot, I thought. Huh, the plot wasn’t that dreadful for a 14 going-on 15 year old. Not great or even the possibility for great potential, but good enough to be considered entertaining. ‘Why did I stop?’ I thought. Then I remembered my school days with disapproving teachers and my low grades in languages. Although encouraged by my parents to write, the big bad world was intimidating. And like so many crushed dreams, originating from a sense of incompetence, I quit writing thinking I wasn’t good enough to ever become an author. It’s one of the reasons why I gravitated to animation, because where I failed in schools in some senses, I excelled in visual narratives such as art and history.
Although I am now a Freelance animator, the urge to write a novel has never gone away. Having found my old manuscript that I titled ‘Mystery and reality’, (A dumb title, I know) I slowly realized I could start again. But not this project. I would start another. Which I am currently working on. Haven come across some writers block and research gaps, I decided to bring up my very first attempt to light as a writing exercise and started to rewrite it. Not only that, I decided to share my result as a second draft.
Whether I am good enough or not. Writing is a skill to be learned and I am sharing my learning process as I mosey along. I can hear you thinking; Why on earth publish a second draft? It could never be good. Right? Well, that's the point. Sometimes ‘bad’ is good. Sometimes bad is just as entertaining as good. My mistakes could be guidelines for others to follow. Or not. Also, part of me wants to honor that young girl hidden away in her room typing away. Whose dreams felt crushed when she was told over and over again she wasn’t intelligent or skilled enough to write a book. Well, here I am. Sure, this will not by my magnum opus. Sure, I’ll never be published. But that isn’t the point.
So in short: This will be the uncut second draft of my book from 16 years ago as of now. And I am sharing it online for everyone to see. So everyone can see my process, my bad grammar and my honest attempt to become a better writer. If you have tips, or something grinds your gears, or you just think it’s a plot hole to many. Here’s your chance to be an editor and come along on my writing journey.
So here’s good luck to the both of us.
This chapter is part of a Second draft series. ‘To be Mortal’ is a writing exercise in which I include readers in my drafting process. The good and the inevitable ugly plot holes all out on display. If you want to practice your editorial skills. Have at it. I truly wish to have this be an open exercise for everyone.
