You know that meme where writers name their files "Final Draft", "Final Draft 2", "Final Draft 3", "Really Final Draft", "Really, Really Final Draft", "Seriously Final Draft" etc. I get that. I'm currently working on the sixth draft of an MS I literally named "Final Draft" three drafts ago. Past-Me probably thought it would be. Present-Me …
Just as no two writers will write an idea the same way, drafting is a unique process as well. Some authors may draft their MS in as little as five passes, others (raises hand) might have 20 odd drafts under their belt for certain works in progress. When drafting is such a mammoth task, it's …
Continue reading 6 Draft Checklist Ideas (And Why You Should Create Your Own)
Some (rambling) thoughts about the MS I have out on submission. Let me know if you can relate... This is the draft where I saw everything that was wrong. This is the draft that broke me. This is the draft where I wanted to give up. This is the draft I learned from. This is …
There’s a reason it’s a good idea to not show anyone early drafts, and that’s because it’s usually full of writing that should be cut. And these cuts aren’t darlings—writing that’s good but doesn’t fit with the story—they’re the parts of your MS that will make it stronger once you’ve removed them. They are the weak …
Continue reading 8 Early Draft Cuts For A Stronger Manuscript
As a writer who has spent the last few years drafting a four book YA series, I thought I’d gained a good grasp on how to write. I’d ironed out the head hopping that embarrassingly featured way too much in my first drafts. I’d mastered ending each chapter with a cliffhanger. And I’d worked out …
This week I reached the end of a draft I’ve been working on for the last few months. This version was draft 19. I started draft 1 in 2001. I’m aiming to finish draft 20 (yes there will be at least one more) by the end of this year. I'm hoping it'll be the one that is …
Continue reading 6 Reasons Why You Should Love Your First Draft
“Keep your prose active.” It’s one of the most well-known pieces of writing advice and one of the most frustrating. Sometimes when writing, especially when you’re first starting out, you have no idea what words are making your prose non-active. You’re just writing, using the words that sound right. It’s not until you see the difference creating an …
If you’re a writer who is a planner, one of the first things you’ll do when starting a new project is to create an outline. If you’re a pantser, like me, you’ll shun outlining in favor of writing by the seat of your pants, or in other words, not knowing what you’re doing until you’ve …
If you’ve ever edited a manuscript, you’ll know that it takes many drafts and lots of re-writing to shape said manuscript into a readable book. Amongst those drafts should be a pass that includes finding a word that is repeated so much that you could turn it into a drinking game. I call these instances …
K.M. Allan 