Online Writing Workshop
"Drafting: Not Just for Architects"
You can't build a home without a plan, and most architects need more than one draft to get the results they want. The same is true for writers. No one can do everything — story arc, character development, dialogue, accuracy — in one try.
When writers say they wrote a story in one sitting, they usually mean they did little or no revising. That's great, if the result is good. But it's rare. For writers whose work doesn't come this easily, one way to consider the editing process is the way an architect plans a building, as a series of drafts.
Rough Draft: There's a reason this stage is called the rough draft. For a master builder on a Tuscan hillside, the immediate goal isn't a detailed drawing of each room. It's to capture the concept emerging while creative fires burn hottest. For writers, the goal is to capture the overall story and basic shapes of the characters, and do it as quickly and single-mindedly as possible.
Editing at this stage is mostly developmental — largely done "back of mind" as you work to get everything down, making mental notes on whether characters are believable, dialogue is realistic and plot rings true. Jot down the essential concerns, but don't dwell. This helps avoid distractions, especially since many issues won't resolve until later in the story, or at the end.
Where you're stuck for words along the way, explain to yourself what should happen. When the draft is done give yourself time and distance — emotional and physical. Write something else. Read other things. Move away from the work.
Floor Plan: Once you have the story down, read what you've written, preferably in one sitting and not where you wrote it. Taking drafts to public places makes it easier to see problems you might otherwise miss. As you read the manuscript — paper still works well — note what to change.
Now it's time to shore up plot problems, form scenes to advance plot, shape dialogue for real meaning and build characters. It's at this stage that revision and reconstruction live. When the manuscript reaches a point where it's holding its own, give yourself time and distance before the next stage.
Interior Design: At this stage planners consider what a home will feel like to live in and how it will look to the owners and those who visit. What kind of lighting works best? What fixtures and flooring? What about window treatments?
Now it's time to keep what works and remove everything else. Rework what's good to make it better, and polish imprecise wording for clarity. One way to tell whether to cut is to consider whether the scene, dialogue, character or chapter advances plot. Answer honestly, and resolve any questions that arose in earlier drafts.
It's impossible to build a home without a plan, and it usually takes more than one pass to achieve the desired result. Many writers even say they enjoy these stages most, losing themselves in the work for an outcome they can be proud of.
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