{"id":27773,"date":"2023-12-01T03:00:50","date_gmt":"2023-12-01T11:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=27773"},"modified":"2024-12-30T23:41:24","modified_gmt":"2024-12-31T07:41:24","slug":"so-youve-written-a-first-draft-now-what-by-catharine-bramkamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2023\/12\/01\/so-youve-written-a-first-draft-now-what-by-catharine-bramkamp\/","title":{"rendered":"So You’ve Written A First Draft, Now What? by Catharine Bramkamp"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"So<\/a>Let\u2019s welcome back monthly columnist Catharine Bramkamp<\/a> as she shares with us \u201cSo You’ve Written A First Draft, Now What?\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n

***<\/span><\/p>\n

You did it! You wrote up 50,000 words during NaNo and you are not only exhausted<\/strong> but currently squinting at the living room wondering if a well lit holiday tree will distract the family from the five inches of dust on the backs of all the chairs.<\/p>\n

They will not notice.<\/p>\n

And you, you marvelous author, will take December off.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve probably read, and forgotten countless writing articles suggesting that after an intense session with a novel or any work, an author must take a break.<\/p>\n

You think, but breaks are for sissies.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nope, breaks are for artists. And you are an artist.<\/p>\n

Vacation<\/h2>\n

Here is why;<\/p>\n

Even though you are \u201cfinished\u201d, your book and characters are still fully living in your head.<\/p>\n

If you return to your MS to edit the day after you finished the draft you will automatically<\/strong> fill in spaces and sentences with what you think, totally missing that not all your thoughts made it down to words on the page.<\/p>\n

After a month of intense writing you may hate all your characters and would happily kill them all in the end.<\/p>\n

Leave them alone<\/strong>, this is not Hamlet, and besides, murder is a lazy way to resolve plot troubles.<\/p>\n

The solution?<\/p>\n

Vacation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t really matter where, the goal is to literally distance yourself from the work and think of anything and everything else.<\/p>\n

Read, cook, bake, indulge in creative work that is uncoupled from writing<\/strong>, this will renew you and improve your writing.<\/p>\n

Take as many walks as the weather permits.<\/p>\n

Walking is a time honored way to ruminate over creative work.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Strike out to the streets carrying nothing more than a question about the book (and money for coffee).<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t listen to a podcast about how to be a best selling author or listen to the latest audible best seller, or even listen to music.<\/p>\n

Be quiet.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think about the question.<\/p>\n

Notice the trees, the change in seasons, the weather.<\/p>\n

And yes, carrying a small notebook or index cards is acceptable!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Give your novel a rest so when you return to take a look, it\u2019s with refreshed eyes.<\/p>\n

A Couple Ideas For The Road<\/h2>\n

And a couple ideas to consider when you return to the manuscript:<\/p>\n

Read the messy first draft through, ouch!<\/p>\n

What were you thinking?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

You were thinking 50,000 words by Dec. 1st. Everyone does.<\/p>\n