Writing Your First Draft

As of two weeks ago, I finished the first draft of my first novel. It took six years and multiple re-starts (as I had a bad habit of stopping in the middle) to get to where I am now. From April of this year to July 20th, I wrote around 68,000 words. This is a little under where I wanted to be, but I’m confident with editing I can bump it up.

How did I get to this point?

It took a lot of determination and learning what worked and what didn’t. First drafts are often forgotten or left unfinished. Throughout all of my re-starts, I figured out what I needed to change in my writing approach to complete my first draft successfully. This included small things, like writing notes, and bigger things, like changing my mindset when I was writing.

Some of the things I did/learned that worked for me were:

• Outlining
• Writing every day
• Bringing small notebook with me
• Bluetooth keyboard for travel
• Writing everywhere and anywhere
• No stopping to edit
• No excuses

1. Mini Notebooks

Starting with the physical items, I purchased mini notebooks and a Bluetooth keyboard to supplement my writing. The two mini notebooks pictured above sit in my purse at all times. They carry notes and ideas for both current stories and stories I hope to write in the future. They are small enough to carry everywhere and we’re extremely cheap to buy on Amazon ($11.11 for a 12 pack).

2. Bluetooth Keyboard

Another useful tool was a Bluetooth keyboard, specifically the Nulaxy Bluetooth Keyboard, which was invaluable on long trips and vacations. It’s super easy to connect to both Apple and Android phones (I have used it with an iPhone SE and iPhone XR) and never disconnected in all the times I’ve used it so far. Easily one of the best things is the incredible battery life between recharges, which was around a month of nearly daily use (between 1 and 3 hours per day).

3. Outlining

Something I never enjoyed doing was outlining. I was always adamant growing up that outlining didn’t work for me because I would always change what I was writing. Even in school English classes where we needed to make an outline for a paper, I didn’t like doing it. When I finally tried to write down a rough outline, which was mainly a series of events, it was strange how much it actually helped me write.

4. Writing Every Day and Everywhere

This one seems like common sense, but it’s surprising how many people don’t do this, especially if they’re just starting out. Writing every day is the first hurdle to cross and arguably the hardest. The easiest thing to do is find a time to devote to writing every single day. For me, my lunch breaks at work we’re a perfect time to start writing consistently. Now, I write any time I have the time.

5. Don’t Stop to Edit

I had personally not done this one too much before, but there were plenty of times I would stop and contemplate restarting. This would usually happen when I got stuck not knowing what to write next. I’d go back and look through some of the story and realize how much I hated it and what I wanted to change. It’s no good looking back and wanting to change things. It’s a ‘first’ draft for a reason. Any and all changes can come once the first draft is complete.

6. No Excuses

Making excuses is easy. I don’t have time. I want to relax after a long day. It’s too hard. I already get up early. I’m not good enough. All of these are valid excuses, but they wouldn’t have allowed me to finish my first draft. The best thing I did was ignore any excuse that popped in my head. It’s crazy how much easier it was to write when I pushed those thoughts away and held onto the thoughts that encouraged and helped me write.

The first draft is the first step to your future. Completing this very first draft is a huge victory and something so many people never accomplish. Even if this novel doesn’t sell or go anywhere further than a file on your computer, the things you learn about your writing and about yourself throughout the journey are invaluable to your future.

Which Writing Software is Right for You?

Today, more than ever before, there are a ton of different mediums to write on. There’s traditional pen and paper, typewriters, tablets, computers, audio recordings, and even phones. Most people opt for typing on a computer for convenience and the plethora of writing software that’s available.

Some of the software (for both novel writing and script writing) includes:

• Microsoft Word
• Google Docs
• Scrivener
• yWriter
• Open Office
• Celtx
• Final Draft
• WriterDuet
• Storyist
• Ulysses
• Focus Writer

Some of these have similarities. For example, Open Office is, in a lot of ways, the free Microsoft Word. Scrivener, Storyist, and yWriter have similar organizational features. Focus Writer is designed to make things completely distraction free by hiding the menus when you go in to write. But which one is the right one for your needs?

It’s entirely up to your personal preference. If you want a super simple way to write without many options, Microsoft Word, Open Office, Google Docs, and Focus Writer might be your best bet. If organization is your forte, Scrivener, yWriter, and Storyist would work well. Ulysses can give you the easy mobile access you crave, so long as you are an Apple product user. Collaboration might be key to your scriptwriting, making WriterDuet the perfect companion. Final Draft is packed with features, but comes with a hefty price, which could make Celtx seem like the better option.

I personally have used most of these options at one point or another. My go-to four options for novel writing are Microsoft Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and yWriter. For scriptwriting, I know Final Draft and Writer Duet the best.

• Microsoft Word

Let’s start with the most universal one: Microsoft Word. What makes this one truly universal is the incredible amount of people who use this on a daily basis for any number of things. Businesses, schools, students, and more use this software for any number of reasons. For writers, it’s a very convenient software, as a lot of places use it.

On top of that, it’s extremely simple to format your pages to your desired specifications. Headers are a great way to keep your pages organized and looking clean. Tracking any changes you make while editing makes it easy to rewrite. It is also very easy to learn how to use. Since it is common in schools, there’s a good chance you already know how to use it.

The biggest problem with Word is the price, which is why I don’t use it anymore. Microsoft Office is primarily subscription based, with the cheapest option being $69.99 per year (or $6.99 a month.) This is valid for one computer only. For $99.99 a year ($9.99 a month), you get Office on up to six computers. A one time purchase of this year’s version for $149.99 is also available for a single computer.

• Scrivener

Scrivener was designed for writers. Anything and everything you could need for keeping your story organized is in this software. You can add notes, research, create character descriptions, add an outline, separate your story into chapters, scenes, and into different folders, and so much more. Since there are so many features, it can be incredibly overwhelming at first. Thankfully, there are a lot of resources out there to help you understand what the different features are.

This software is available on both Mac and Windows. DropBox is required to transfer any files between the app and the desktop version. As a windows user, I’ve found the software to work extremely well, though I only know how to use the most basic features. At some point, I want to become educated on how to use all of the features, but that will likely have to wait until I buy the app for my phone.

Through ‘winning’ NaNoWriMo, I purchased Scrivener at a discount. The full purchase price is $49 for Mac and $45 for Windows. If you want to purchase a license for both, they do offer a bundle for $80. The iOS app is a separate purchase of $19.99 and it is not currently available on Android devices.

• Google Docs

Google Docs is a great option for those who rely on cloud storage. Everything syncs automatically, making it easy to switch between a computer and a phone. You won’t have to worry about losing any updates if you lose internet, as there is an offline version that will sync when you get internet again.

For a long time, this was my main writing platform. I bought a Bluetooth keyboard for my phone so I could write anywhere I wasn’t by my computer. Being free to use with a very simple design makes it a great option for those who just want to write.

As a file grows, it will start to get laggy and take a while to fully open. Formatting could also be a slight issue. Since I was using my phone a lot, it was often difficult to keep the formatting consistent. I also found that the app had the tendency to auto correct words from the past tense to the present.

• yWriter

In the same vein as Scrivener, yWriter is a great tool for those who crave organization. The big emphasis in this software is separating chapters into scenes. There are also tabs for characters, locations, special items, notes, pictures, and goals within your story. There’s also a handy menu on the bottom to let you know how many words you’ve written in that chapter, individual scene, and how many words overall today. When you are typing, your words per minute is also calculated and shows up on that menu.

This is the program I do my primary writing on at the moment. It’s easy to organize notes and isn’t too bogged down by features that it becomes confusing. There isn’t a lot of special formatting that you can do, which does limit its capabilities, but it’s a clean and easy to use software.

For a free software, this works absolutely amazing. Keeping yourself organized is very easy, though there are some features that are lacking. This is currently only available on Windows, though the developer is working on a Mac version.

• Final Draft

Scriptwriting is extremely simple when using Final Draft. The formatting is set up to meet the industry standard, keeping your scripts looking clean and professional. There is a story mapping and beat sheet feature to keep your script on track. If screenplays isn’t your script of choose, the formatting for TV shows and stage plays is also available.

Though it has been a few years since I last used Final Draft, it was a pretty easy to learn program. Since using it, they have had many updates and have added a lot of useful features, such as tag mode. This allows you to create reports on various elements in your story.

The price for the regular version sits at $249.99. This will give you the current version of the software and allows you to upgrade to the next version for $99.99. There is also an educational version made for students and teachers, which requires academic status verification, for $129.99. If you aren’t sure about Final Draft, a free 30 day trial is a good way to get a feel for it.

• WriterDuet

WriterDuet is an online scriptwriting software designed for collaboration, though it is possible to use it solo as well. With many of the same features as Final Draft, this is a great resource to use if you are just starting out with scriptwriting. Though it is an online service, any changes made while offline are synced when brought back online.

One of the great things about this is your first three scripts are completely free. This gives you the opportunity to test it out before making any decisions on buying the Pro version. Real-time collaboration is a great feature for anyone working on a script long-distance. Just like in Final Draft, the implementation of tags helps keep things organized. The Pro version also gives you a desktop app, allowing you to write online and offline with ease.

After your first three scripts, you’ll be paying $11.99 a month or $89 for a year if you want to subscribe to the Pro version. It should also be noted the creators of WriterDuet have made WriterSolo, which is a completely offline tool with a pay-what-you-want model.

• What Now?

Those are only six of the dozens of software that’s available out there. There were plenty on the above list I didn’t cover in this post, as I haven’t used some of them. My personal preferences out of the above are yWriter, as it’s a free software that was very easy to learn, and WriterDuet, which was what I used to write my first full-length screenplay and was also easy to learn.

Hopefully, this gives you some ideas of the different software available and helps you make a decision on what’s best for you.

Two Years Later

Today marks almost exactly two years after my last post. A lot of things have happened, both positive and negative, which have strongly affected my writing.

It’s been two years since I graduated college. Almost two years since I began working full-time. In about three months, it will be two years since I last spoke to my Dad.

Last year, I was lost. Things happened, but a lot of those things feel like a blur. The one thing that didn’t happen was writing. Sure, I participated in both Camp NaNoWriMo months and in the regular NaNoWriMo, but outside of that, I couldn’t force myself to do anything with writing. There were too many painful reminders of what I had lost.

This year started off the same. There seemed to be no logical direction with my writing. It was always there in the back of my mind, but nothing came of it. At least, until April. From then until now, a lot has happened.

70,000 words later, I have a completed first draft. There are three outlines of different stories ready to be written. I’ve read more books than I’ve read since college, including plenty about writing itself. I’ve found ways to hold myself accountable and stop myself from taking breaks. Goals are being made and being completed. After everything that’s happened, I’ve finally found the spark I’ve been missing.

Writing is my passion above all else. It took a while to remember that, but it’s the truth. When you have something you are truly passionate about, it will always find its way back into your life.

The Funny Thing About Writing

You know what’s interesting about writing? When you are writing and you suddenly start thinking about how to motivate yourself. That leads you to searching google for ways to motivate you to write. Time passes and then you realize you’ve been spending all of your time looking at ways to motivate yourself rather than actually writing.

Things will always get in the way of writing. Whether it’s something silly like that or life things getting in the way, they will always get in your way. You might convince yourself that there is no way you’ll be able to write because of what is going on. The thing is, it’s important that you write anyway. You need to prove to yourself that you can write through anything, even the worst times of your life. Setting aside that twenty minutes a day to write is the one reprieve you have from the world and everything it throws at you.

It doesn’t matter how little the time is that you give yourself to write: every second counts. When you write things that you hate and know won’t be in the final draft, at least you wrote something down. Editing is there for a reason.

That leads me to the itching desire to go back and fix things that you know need to be fixed. Maybe you were having an off day and the writing is lackluster. Maybe there is a glaring plot hole that completely messes up everything with your story. As long as you know where these mistakes are, you can easily fix them after the story is complete. For plot holes, you’ll know what it is and be able to have a fix that you can use for the rest of the story. Fixing it in that moment isn’t completely necessary. Instead, jot it down on that page or in a notebook where you keep all of your notes. Whatever you use to plan out your story (no matter how little is planned) is where those fixes would be listed.

I have found that writing about this actually helps me focus on what I want to do with writing and motivates me to write. They may just be my thoughts about writing in general, but they still help me get that extra drive to write. Whatever your vice is to keep writing, do it. For me, it’s writing about my thoughts that are keeping me from writing. Find what motivates you to write and go for it.