What's In A First Draft? Book Writing Tips From Robin Rice

Robin Rice, author of The Mayden Chronicles at http://www.MaydenChronicles.com, offers her take on what needs to be in a first draft of a chapter in a novel, and what can be left for later.

THE MAYDEN CHRONICLES is a magical novel being written as a blog in real time (about a chapter every ten days) with video posts to enhance the story as well as to reveal the actual writing process. We have prizes for those who comment, including a grand prize $3,800 diamond studded watch form Baume & Mercier. We feature young adult writers and posts on creating excellence in any field. We especially love to incorporate the comments from our readers into edits and next chapters.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• draft
• editing
• fiction
• write
• book
• robin
• rice
• ya
• young
• adult
• novel
• writing
• magic

[PvtFreddy]

I've just found this video and its great to hear someone just lay it out and say in a polite way "just write it".

My question comes for after the first draft. How do you as a person decide how to really grasp your teeth into the editing process? For example: its it better to begin from chapter 01 and work your way through or just pick a chapter and say "what the hell, I'll work on this today"?

Thank you

[TheRobinRice]

I've been trying to reply here, but so far no luck... let's try again!

[sswizard]

Do i have to get my first draft copy written?

[TheRobinRice]

nope! copyright is automatic these days, and while anyone can steal an idea, few will try to steal actual words. When you are published, copyright makes sense.

[TheRobinRice]

Absolutely AngelofEdward... I used to worry about that all the time, and it really slowed me down.  now, I know I will go back. Keep writing!!!

[AngelsBlackRose]

I love your advice but i don't know why I always try to make it perfect on first draft, and you help me with getting off topic? I can still hear most of my elementary school teachers saying, "STAY ON TOPIC!" haha... So can ya help me?

[SlightlyWetFart]

Thanks for your motivational advice. I'm 35,000 words into my first draft and was losing heart, thinking that, because I'm rushing along to get the story out, my prose is not as colourful and succinct as it should be. I just have to keep in mind that that will be resolved in second draft.

[dreamhorsey]

thank you so much on making all theis videos! do you just write as a hobby or a full time?

[JuddQueen]

thank you for uploading :D 

[edvill82]

@MiCompre thanks for the tip :)



[MiCompre]

@edvill82

Was it Lincoln who said 'A man's legs should be long enough to reach the ground'?

A chapter should be long enough to do its job. Chapters work best if you leave a cliff-hanger at the end too, especially in omniscient voice. Leave your hero in desperate trouble and cut to another scene, from another character's point of view. That will work. Just so long as a chapter doesn't groan on and force the reader to put the book back on the shelf!

[MiCompre]

All of my first drafts are mere outlines.

Get that right and the rest should follow on. But those darned characters will insist on sneaking up on me and have me change things to suit them. Snag is, my hulking great protagonist is too tough to argue with...

[deneco4]

Im a published author...and this is shit that I still need to hear, because each book is a battle.

Great information!

[creativityWORLD]

when i write a rough draft it i usaully only a chapter or half a chapter but it is usually at night, so when i finish i go to sleep. then when i wake up i feel like writing something else, or starteing something new, but i keep telling myself to just keeep writing it "might get better" but i find my self with thousands of papers on my bed..

[Channelobunnies]

Thanks for this! This is what I'm suffering through right now. I can't begin to say how much I'm looking forward to being done the first draft and getting into the editing. :)