The Rough Draft Process

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Today is all about rough drafts. Bear with me, because it might seem more like a journal entry than a blog post. But I think that’s the best way to let you behind the curtain to see the complexities of creating a rough draft.

It was a daunting start. I knew I had this big task and this dedicated time to do it so I couldn’t procrastinate or shirk on what I’d set out to do, but starting any kind of project feels like the biggest thing in the world.

I spent the first week and a half of my time researching, developing an outline, going over the research, asking questions, and trying to come up with characterization. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, even though it was based on real life. The problem was, while I knew my hero and heroine, I didn’t know them back then. And people are so very different as teenagers than adults!

In a way, this part was easier because I had some characterization tools I was working with and I could do a little each day. It meant I was working, but I didn’t have to do the overwhelming task of actually starting to write. I figured out each scene I would need and the order I wanted it in, the POV and structure, and then tried to flesh out each scene with pertinent details I could use to write it. It was also a good time to ask questions. Details like where was that beach? what color was that dress? and who was involved in this scene? Those questions continued throughout the entire process and I still have a few now! There were always going to be gaps I would need to fill in myself, but I wanted to create as true an essence as I could, not just of these people, but the places and the time period. You’ve no idea how many times I researched if ‘such and such’ was around in the 1970s!

I calculated that with the time allotted for the writing part (January 15-March 29), I needed to write two scenes a day and I was trying to average a thousand words a scene. Having specific tasks to accomplish each day definitely helped keep me on track. Maybe not motivated to write, but motivated to finish my tasks for the day.

I had to start. And I did. And I kept doing it every day. I took the weekends off. My brain needed that and I was busier those days anyway. I took walks and other little breaks in between scenes. Some scenes were easier to write than others. Especially at the beginning, I found I could write more naturally from my hero’s POV than my heroine’s. I’m still not sure why. The beginning part was almost easier to write because everything had to get established and words were needed to explain what was happening.

But then that middle. Oof, it was a slog. I suddenly felt like everything I was writing was redundant, that the plot was derivative, that everything was too disconnected. Maybe I was writing too much and I needed to condense things. Maybe this would be better off written in a different format. Every scene felt hard to write and I didn’t always like the words I’d gotten down. But I did keep up writing my two scenes a day.

I tried to encourage myself with reminders that a rough draft is always so much worse than the final work. I just needed to get everything out and the editing could come later. This was a departure for me because I typically like to read and edit as I go. Not only do I catch typos, but I’m able to keep storylines straight and avoid plot holes. I still prefer this method, but it didn’t really work for the task I had set before me. So I just kept writing.

I got closer to the end and realized I had miscounted. Now I needed to write three scenes a day if I wanted to finish by my (self-imposed) deadline of March 29. That was what I did for the last two weeks of writing. It was harder, not only in the matter of how much time it took, but because it was a lot of creative brain work to get out 3000 words a day, even if I was taking breaks in between. I also didn’t have as much creative space and time because I was back from my trip that gave that to me and I had other responsibilities. I felt the writing was distracting because I had other things I needed to concentrate on. But I got it done.

I felt better about the writing itself. The scenes were easier to write, more fun to create, and I enjoyed getting to bring characters to the end of their arcs and relationships to the fullness I wanted them to have, tying all the threads together. That is definitely a satisfying part of writing. I hadn’t read anything I’d written so far, but I went chronologically from beginning to end, so it felt like I was at the end of my journey, just like they were.

It was a bittersweet victory to type the last word and count up the final (for now) wordcount. It is the longest thing I’ve ever written and I’m proud of it. I don’t know its future, how it will be published or received, but this labor of love is at least here in physical form, though it will still grow and change as all children do.

Discipline is really important to writing a rough draft, especially in a three-month time period. Having an outline to go off was essential for me. I also had the time, which was a true blessing. But I think the most important thing is to want to do this creative work. That’s the true motivator.

And then I let it sit. Not just for my brain’s sake, but to let it breathe so I could come at it again with fresh eyes. I’ll read it for the first time myself soon. And then come the next steps. Publishing steps. Steps I dread more than writing the book, if I’m honest. But each book has its stages and this important stage is done.

That is the story of writing this book. It can’t truly encompass the whole experience, but if you are writing a rough draft, be encouraged. It is possible. It might be hard, but it is worth it. Even if no one else on earth ever read it, I would be happy to have finally written it. A rough draft is a big accomplishment, so go for it!

I will keep you updated as to the future, though I’d love to know if you have any questions or thoughts on the process so far. Title suggestions are still welcome!