When talking about the craft of writing, one piece of information regarding techniques and advice is more fundamental than many others: Where on the scale from first idea to final book does this piece of information or advice belong?
The scale
The scale loosely:
- Idea + (maybe) Synopsis
- First draft
- Editing
- Final draft (from the author)
- More editing/drafting in preparation of editing, perhaps with a publisher
- Final draft ready for publishing
- Published book
- Literary analysis etc.
You may also have a bunch of drafts from a beta reader process.
Where does that piece of advice belong?
A book is very different when it is a first draft to be edited and when it is a published work to undergo literary analysis.
Advice that is perfectly reasonable for a final book may be totally inappropriate for a first draft.
A first draft really only have to exist (or more bluntly, it’s always going to be shit in need of editing). Applying the whole “what must exist in a good piece of literature” to a first draft or even before sitting down to write one just risks deadlocking the writing process and cause anxiety and anguish.
Once you know if the advice or technique speaks of the draft, the finished work, the editing, the ideas phase or whatever else, you also know when to apply it, if it is important for you right now, or maybe even more importantly, if it’s something you want to use at all.
First drafting paradigms
One important discussion is what should happen between ideas and the first draft. Should anything happen (outlining) or should the first draft come purely from ideas (seats of pants) and then be edited into something that seems very planned?
This one depends on who you are as a writer. I’ve landed in that how “quick” your creative engine is will be one important factor. If you can switch it on and off, jump between scenes in the story with it without problem, then outlining may be for you. If, on the other hand, it’s like a hundred-car train that need a lot of effort to get going and then will keep going no matter what and no matter where, then seat-of-the-pants may be more your style.
Talkwards 