The Writing Process discussion

Writing the first draft can frighten any writer. When you're faced with a blank screen, and knowing that you have get 100,000-or-so words out of that keyboard, it can be scary.

The first draft is, in many ways, just a matter thought process and outward attitude. Sure, you need the writers' toolbox, the language skills to translate visions and sensations into words. Foremost, you only need the right mental disposition.

The most important thing to remember is:

You cannot get it wrong!

I'm serious. Nothing you do is irretrievable. So let the flood out, keep your "editing persona" quite. Start little, word by word, sentence by sentence. Those 100,000 words are already there. You need only to brush the keyboard without thinking of it.

The majesty of an iceberg comes from being 7/8th under water. Write with what is invisible.

Well...boy do I wish that was true. When I wrote my first draft it was well over 330 000 words and I wrote the whole story in present tense...

Needless to say I had to do some re-write. Eventually I turned it into a gigantic outline and it has made my writing much easier.

The message here is to put everything that comes to mind on the first draft...

Of course, writing a whole novel in the present tense would be tough even at the 5th draft :)