(The sound of a pen scratching.) LOGO.
Hellooo everybody! Today we're tackling a subject that ALL writers can relate to,
and that's how to write your very first draft. The first draft, also known as the rough draft, is
exactly what it sounds like. It's the very first written version of your story. A LOT of people
struggle with writing their first draft, so much so that they never make it past this step. While this
is common, it's not particularly surprising. First drafts are a monumental undertaking, and especially
if you're new to writing, it can feel incredibly insurmountable. But it really doesn't have to be
THAT big of a deal. Any multi-published author can tell you that getting over the hump and finding a
routine that works for you will make the process SO much easier over time. That's where I come in.
I am breaking down my top 10 tips for writing your first draft so you can make the process as smooth
as possible. Before we get started, I gotta give all my love to ProWritingAid for sponsoring today's
video! If you're writing a first draft, you're gonna want to listen to this, because ProWritingAid
will be your absolute best friend. ProWritingAid is a FANTASTIC platform that not only helps writers
edit their work, it also helps them understand those edits so they can improve over time.
That's what I love most about this platform. I don't just want to have my mistakes pointed
out to me. I want to learn WHY it's a mistake so that I never make it ever again in the future.
Even better, ProWritingAid isn't just a basic grammar and spell checker. It definitely has those
features, but it's also a style editor as well as a source of education. Say, for example, you
have an issue with passive voice. ProWritingAid will point out the passive voice. It'll explain
exactly what passive voice is, AND it'll show you how and why to avoid it in the future. It's also
got in-depth reports, articles, videos, and quizzes that help you strengthen your writing overall. You
can try ProWritingAid out for free. However, if you want to try out their premium platform, which is
the platform I use, you can get 20% off right now by clicking the link in the description below! Get to
clicking, and your writing will thank you - as will all of your future readers. If you want access to
even more goodies and writerly advice, be sure to subscribe to my channel and ring that bell. I post
videos on Wednesdays, with bonus content on Mondays. And don't forget my number one best-selling dark
fantasy romance The Savior‘s Sister is out right now! You can get it in ebook, paperback, or hardback,
and you can get it at all major retailers! I have all of the links listed below. With that said, let's
cover my 10 tips for writing your first draft. First drafts are hard, especially if this is your
first time tackling a novel. But these tips will help put the process into perspective and make
it a little easier for ya. Number One (1): Accept the suckage. Honestly, the first thing you gotta do when
you start a first draft is accept that it's gonna suck. You're gonna have moments where you're typin’
on your keyboard and all that's coming out is pure dog shit. Diarrhea, straight across the screen.
This is inevitable. It's very rare for any part of your writing to come out perfect on the first
try. You're going to be tempted to type and delete, and type and delete, and type some more, and delete
some more just trying to get it right. DON’T DO IT! Just accept the suckage. Understand that yes,
some of these sentences are going to blow. That's a problem you'll tackle another day. Because if
you worry about it right now, you'll never finish. The first draft is all about getting words on the
page. You can improve and refine them in draft two. Number Two (2): Outlines save lives. I know you don't
want to hear it, but I’m gonna say it anyway, bitch. First drafts are really hard, but having an outline
makes them SO much easier. They eliminate most of the pitfalls that can derail the writing process.
Got writer's block? Not if you have an outline, because it will LITERALLY tell you exactly what
you need to write next. Is your first draft filled to the brim with plot holes? Not if you already
tackled them in the outline. Obviously, you're going to have to experiment with different outlining
methods to find the one that works for you. But if you've pants-ed yourself into a corner, outlining is
the easy, obvious solution. Number Three (3): DON’T read it. I know you wanna. I know you're tempted.
But DON’T DO IT! A lot of people complain that they never progress on their first draft, because
they're constantly writing words, reading said words, realizing it's a clusterfuck, and then deleting
everything. You know what would eliminate this issue? If you don't read it. That's not
to say you should never read your first draft. Just don't read it in the middle of a writing session.
Focus instead on getting words on the page, and read that shit later - once you've finished your
daily writing session. Pro Tip: I personally will spend a day writing, and then read everything over
the following day. This method works for me because it gives me enough distance from the
writing session for me to not judge my work too harshly or overthink it. Number Four (4): Don't edit. Do
you know someone who's been working on their first draft for five years? There's a good chance they've
gotten stuck in an editing loop. Some writers never finish their first draft because they're
too busy picking and prodding at it trying to make it perfect. It'll never be perfect. And yes, writing
a book can take a really long time. But unless you have extenuating circumstances, you should never
be spending years upon years on a single draft. If this is an issue you struggle with, then the key is
to fight your inner editor and plow through that draft. Don't edit ANYTHING. If that means you have
to resist reading the first draft, then do it. At the end of the day, there is NO point in picking
at a draft that never gets completed. Save your perfectionism for draft number two. Number Five (5):
Okay, maybe SOME of you can edit. While many writers are at risk of falling into an endless editing
loop, there's a hefty chunk of us who are at the opposite risk. For some writers, including myself,
continuing a first draft while knowing there's a laundry list of edits to tackle
is a recipe for progress crippling anxiety. They struggle to produce content ‘cause they can't
stop thinking about how all those previous errors may disrupt the flow of their story.
If this sounds like you, fortunately you're not alone and the solution is simple: edit as you
go. Yes, it's a tip that doesn't work for a lot of writers. But if you are the exception to the rule,
have at it! Pro Tip: For my personal routine, I will spend the entire day writing out my first draft
without reading or editing anything. The following day I will read over everything that I've written,
while making edits along the way. And once I've caught up, I continue writing and the cycle repeats
itself. Number Six (6): Habit over motivation. “But Jenna, I'm just not motivated to work on my first
draft.” No one gives a shit. Get over yourself! Motivation is great, but it's also unreliable.
So instead of waiting for motivation to strike, focus on forming habits. Create some sort of
writing routine and hold yourself to it. For the first week, it'll probably be easy because you're
excited and inspired! But after that, shit's gonna get rough. That's when you really need to push
yourself and fight through the lack of motivation. Stick to your schedule, and eventually, writing will
become a habit - a part of your weekly routine. Once you reach this stage, your writing will become a
lot more consistent, which means you'll get that first draft done a LOT faster. Number Seven (7): Set
goals. There are two types of goals writers can set: long-term goals and short-term goals. Long-term
goals typically cover several months. I personally like to set quarterly goals, where I will list
the page count I would like to write within three months. But when it comes to creating writing
habits, it's extremely important to set short-term goals. Specifically weekly and daily goals. In these
situations, we're strictly looking at productivity goals, and there are three ways to do this.
The first one is word count goals, where you are holding yourself to getting a certain number of
words on the page by the end of the week or the end of the day. Next are page number goals,
where you're trying to get a certain number of pages written by the end of the day or the end of
the week. Then there are scene goals, where you're trying to reach or surpass a particular scene in
your book. For example, my goal today is to finish the fight scene, or my goal for the week is to
reach chapter four. You can choose any goal-setting method that works for you. Feel free to experiment
until you find the one that suits your process, but the point is to create some kind of goals. That way,
it's MUCH easier to hold yourself accountable. Number Eight (8): Understand your distractibility.
Life is full of distractions that can derail your productivity. You need to pay attention to
what specifically distracts YOU and work toward eliminating it. I say this because while some
distractions seem obvious, not everyone reacts to stimuli in the same way. For example, if you find
social media distracting, you can simply turn it off or put your phone in a different room.
However, I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. I find complete stillness and silence very
distracting. Because of this, it actually benefits my writing process for me to have something going
on in the background. For example, a Discord chat. My point is you are a unique snowflake and you
respond to stimuli in your own special way. Figure out your distraction weaknesses and address them
accordingly. Number Nine (9): Create a list. While you're writing your first draft, you're probably gonna
start noticing a lot of your weaknesses. Maybe you realize you have a natural inclination to
abuse the shit out of filter words. Maybe you genuinely have no idea how commas work. If you're
the type who edits as you go, you can potentially tackle these issues in your first draft. You can
easily plug a scene into ProWritingAid and have it point out all of your issues with punctuation.
From that point forward, you can avoid making those same mistakes in the future. But if you're
NOT comfortable editing as you go, which as we already covered is very common, make a list of your
recurring issues. That way, once the first draft is over, you have an easy reference guide of what you
need to tackle in draft two. Thanks to that list, you can easily plug your draft into ProWritingAid
and you'll know EXACTLY which mistakes to look for. And Number Ten (10): It’s not done. “But Jenna, it's
obviously not done! It's a first draft.” Bitch, then why are writers always freaking out ‘cause
their first draft isn't perfect? At some point, you're gonna read your first draft and think, “Wow,
my story sucks.” You may edit it along the way and STILL feel like your book blows major ass.
Before you freak out over how you are the shittiest writer in the world, take a deep
breath and remember: IT’S NOT DONE. This is just the first draft. Your story doesn't suck, it's
incomplete. There are like 10 more drafts to write. There's self editing, there's the professional
edit, there's beta readers, and critique partners. There's proofreading! You got hella work to do!
The first draft isn't supposed to be good. In fact, if your first draft is even REMOTELY decent, that's
pretty epic. Pat yourself on the back! But if your first draft didn't shape up the way you imagined,
breathe. It's fine! You can whip it into shape later. So that's all I got for you today! Thank you SO
much to ProWritingAid for sponsoring today's video! You guys, I am telling you, if you are working on
your first draft or pretty much any draft of the writing process, ProWritingAid is a godsend. You
can try ProWritingAid out for free, or you can get 20% off their premium platform by clicking on the
link below! Save yourself some money! Save your manuscript! You'll be glad you did. Don't forget
to subscribe to my channel! I post new videos on Wednesdays, and if you want to be alerted as SOON
as I upload, ring that bell! The Savior's Sister is available in ebook, paperback, and hardback at
ALL major retailers! So if you like dark fantasy, if you like romance, if you like action and adventure,
be sure to pick up a copy! I got the links in the description. And be sure to follow me on social
media! I'm on Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook - and of course, you can Tweet me @JennaMoreci! Bye! (Rumbling Male Voice) This
is Brontes. Why, the FUCK, haven't you subscribed to Jenna’s channel? Do you really want to face me?
If you don't do it, you know what will happen. I'll rip out your tongue, torture you, then leave your
rotten corpse out for the birds to feast on it. Now press the goddamn button. And the bell, too.