Just as Rome was not built in a day, a novel is never written in one sitting. All bestsellers began with a draft, an outline, a first version… which we call the first draft! But what exactly does this expression “first draft” mean, and what is it used for? How to finish a first version of your text? What are the next steps towards publication?
Just as Rome was not built in a day, a novel is never written in one sitting. All bestsellers began with a draft, an outline, a first version… which we call the first draft! But what exactly does this expression “first draft” mean, and what is it used for? How to finish a first version of your text? What are the next steps towards publication?
WHAT IS THE FIRST DRAFT OF A MANUSCRIPT
The first draft refers to the first complete version of your manuscript. This means that you have finished writing your novel, from beginning to end to middle.
Be careful, the impression of completion that emerges from this explanation is misleading: the first draft is only a working basis , a “raw” version of your novel. It contains the story you had in mind in its entirety, but with its inconsistencies, its missing or too many chapters, its sentences to rework, its characters to deepen, etc.
There is therefore obviously no question of sending a first draft to a publishing house! Its function is quite different.
THE FIRST DRAFT WHAT IS IT FOR
This is the characteristic of all first drafts, from the great writer to the budding author: they are never perfect. Their usefulness lies above all in allowing you to have a complete first base to improve. Indeed, it is difficult to add the final touches to a manuscript that does not yet exist! We must therefore understand that the quality of the work is not what matters at the moment.
By writing a first draft, you divide your writing project into two very distinct stages, which makes them more easily achievable: first writing your story (the first draft), then critically examining what you have produced (proofreading, correction, etc.). The main difficulty is not to give in to the temptation to do both at the same time. It is very common to want to go back to the text that you have just written, simply for the sake of perfectionism, and to continue by writing, correcting, writing, correcting...
This method is, however, counterproductive: by unconsciously encouraging you to multiply rereadings and therefore modifications (often minor) as soon as you write a sentence, it greatly slows down your progress in writing and you do not see the end of your text, which can create a form of discouragement. It is therefore necessary to separate the two phases to fully exploit the advantages of the first draft.
HOW TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF YOUR FIRST DRAFT?
Good preparation before starting to write a story is recommended to avoid the famous blank page syndrome ! Here are some preliminary steps to take:
brainstorming to write down the slightest idea that comes to mind
research , if your novel is based on facts that require specific knowledge
a detailed plan (after sorting each idea) that organizes the skeleton of your plot, built on a narrative outline
character sheets to master your protagonists at your fingertips.
Of course, this method is not valid for everyone; some authors find, for example, that the detailed plan slows down more than it helps to prioritize ideas. However, we advise experimenting with this technique to determine which working method is most appropriate and suited to your personality. The brainstorming and the character sheets may be the two elements you remember, or only the detailed plan. There are no rules as long as you feel comfortable and efficient!
THE WRITING PHASE
Now for the most interesting stage, that of the actual writing! The objective now is to start writing without interruption , avoiding at all costs going back to correct a typo, remaining frozen in front of your page looking for the “right word”, or constantly rereading the last chapters. that you wrote. If you get stuck, your plan must be there to guide you, although you of course have the freedom to deviate from it.
In the first drafts, regularity takes precedence over quality. A tip to help you resist the temptation to endlessly rework your first chapters without ever moving forward is to impose a (reasonable) deadline by which your first draft must be completed.
In order to respect it, you can set a number of words to write per day or per week; Software such as Scribbook allows you to accurately track your writing statistics over time. You will thus get into the habit of writing regularly and the inspiration will only be reinforced!
Questions, identification of inconsistencies or missing information will inevitably handicap you during the writing process. Don't let them stop you: simply write down what comes to mind as you read the text, for example using Word's comment function . You can work on resolving each question later, when reworking your text, which occurs once you have written a complete first draft.
WHAT TO DO ONCE THE FIRST DRAFT IS FINISHED?
After spending several months with your head immersed in your project, the first thing to do is to take a little break and move away from it for a few days, or even weeks. Take the opportunity to devote yourself to other activities!
The cut will allow you to approach your manuscript again with fresh eyes, during the next tedious stage of proofreading /rewriting . It's about transforming the sketch into a finished project, polishing the rough jewel to transform it into a diamond. You will have to rework the overall structure of your manuscript (coherence, rhythm, characters, narrative arcs, dialogues, etc.) as well as the more precise aspects (narrative techniques, figures of speech, spelling and typography, etc.
USE THE SERVICES OF A PROFESSIONAL
The moment when you feel that you can no longer rework your text further does not yet mean that it is ready to be published: rather, it marks the moment to dare to entrust your manuscript to hands other than yours. Indeed, by reading and rereading it, you know each word by heart and certain errors and inconsistencies become invisible to you, hence the interest of an informed outside perspective .
It is better to avoid asking loved ones for such a mission, your emotional connection could hinder their objectivity! For this reason, all the services offered on Édith & Nous are provided by people who are experts in the world of books:
the Rereading workshop is made up of literary advisors, all editors by training and profession, who will provide you with critical and constructive advice on your novel as well as suggestions for improvement
in our Correction workshop , professional correctors with spelling typography qualifications will track down the slightest typos that you may have missed during the various proofreadings
For almost all writers, the first drafts represent only an outline, the starting point of what will become a published novel. This step is therefore essential, but especially not the last: an unreworked first draft has practically no chance of being accepted by a reading committee (except for genius authors…)! Publishing houses certainly have varying requirements, but all agree on one point: the editorial work that will be carried out on the text must remain reasonable. Hence the importance of not neglecting the rewriting phase.