Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Writing

Pab Sungenis

(9,612 posts)

1. The real secret?

Reply to NRaleighLiberal (Original post)

Mon Dec 12, 2011, 09:29 PM

Dec 2011

Give yourself permission to write a shitty first draft. The main goal of the first draft is simply to get everything in your brain on paper; it doesn't have to be perfect.

Then take a week off, rest, and only then go back read what you wrote, then start polishing, rewriting, and revising.

And realize it's going to take a long time. My first novel (see the link in my sig) took six years from first draft through the seven drafts it took before it was ready to go to print.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

I am working on my first book...... [View all] NRaleighLiberal Dec 2011 OP

The real secret? Pab Sungenis Dec 2011 #1

Thanks for the advice..... NRaleighLiberal Dec 2011 #2

Create a time and space to write in your routine and stick with it. Chan790 Dec 2011 #3

thanks so much. We actually listened to it on CD. Loved it. NRaleighLiberal Dec 2011 #4

Ballpark minimum is 50K words. The trick is to keep a steno pad by the bed with a good pen. HopeHoops Dec 2011 #5