Surviving the First Draft Blues
Accepting your first draft’s flaws is the best thing you can do for your writing
“The first draft is black and white. Editing gives the story color.”
― Emma Hill
The first draft of my novel was actually a novella.
I had written it in under two months, and was super pleased with myself. The idea felt strong, the language of my narrator felt real and compelling, and I felt I had a winner on my hands.
Then I put it down for a month before reading it again. This has always been my habit as an author. When I finish any piece, be it a short story, a novella, or a full-blown novel, I make it a point to put it down for a period of time before reading it again. This, I find, helps to give me a fresh read of it — not as the author but as a reader.
After a month, I picked it up and read it again.
As you’re probably already imagining: it was terrible.
I had the First Draft Blues.
First Draft Blues: The sorry emotional state which accompanies the realisation that your first draft just isn’t as good as you thought it was.
