Remember, first drafts always suck.

Just a little quicky post today.

I'm back in the writing game and working out plot elements and scenes for the third book in the Immortalis series and I keep finding myself typing out stuff and then deleting it.

Not a good idea!! Writers, don't do this to your first drafts. Let the story come out organically. Let it flow from imagination to paper.


It's ok to write bad in a first draft. First drafts always suck. They are not what will get published.

Constant spot editing and scene perfecting comes later, after the story is written. If you don't get the whole story down, you will never do it.

So, I say this as much to myself as to you others out there struggling with a first draft.  Write the story as it comes, whether it sucks or not, just get it down on paper. It can always be edited or fixed later.

Thank you, that is all. =)

5 comments:

Roni Loren said...

I always edit as I go, it's a terrible habit. I'm trying to get better because I agree, you just need to get it down first, but it's such a challenge.

Lynsey Newton said...

Thanks for this because this is exactly what I'm experiencing at the moment. I didn't realise I was the sort of person to edit as I wrote but I've realised that this has to stop or like you say, I will never get anything written down!

Stina said...

I'm bad for doing this. For me, it's not so much that I'm editing as I type my first draft. I'm just contemplating what to write next, and I accidentally edit what I just wrote. ;)

Have a great weekend!

Rebecca said...

Good advice. When I'm writing first drafts I don't even look at spelling. It has to come out while it's coming out. Then...I wind up will all sorts of junk I have to fix. ;-) character's named "that dood" or "lord boiger" and other assorted intentionally misspelled words so I can find them and give them names, or locations.

Jessica Nelson said...

Yep, yep! Good post. ;-)

About The Author

Katie Salidas is a USA Today bestselling author and RONE award winner known for her unique genre-blending style.

Since 2010 she's penned five bestselling book series: the Immortalis, Olde Town Pack, Little Werewolf, Chronicles of the Uprising, and the all-new Agents of A.S.S.E.T. series. As her not-so-secret alter ego, Rozlyn Sparks, she is a USA Today bestselling author of romance with a naughty side.

In her spare time Katie also produces and hosts a YouTube talk show; Spilling Ink. She also has a regular column on First Comics News where she explores writing from a nerdy perspective.