The one thing I have to accomplish—or I won’t be able to live with myself—is to be a traditionally published author. I know. It makes no sense in so many ways. Yet this is the rainbow bridge of my dreams.
Because life isn’t always about making sense. It’s about living without regrets.
I came close to my goal with the book I queried late last year. But close isn’t good enough. I realized a little (?) too late that the story, while good, wasn’t unique enough for a debut author. No worries. I’ve heard of a number of now-published authors who didn’t make it out of the gate with their first book. Then when they sold their second book, the first was sold too. That’s the success scenario I choose to believe in.
So… Now it’s time to kick up my game with a new project that has a unique concept. It’s time to dig in and get serious with the infamous First Draft.
First Draft ~ Fact and Fiction
Pounding out a first draft is different for every author. For some, the words flow out of their fingers like milk and honey in the promised land. Yeah, right. So. Not. Me.
For me, a first draft is all-consuming. It’s when the characters blossom to life in my head, transforming into three-dimensional people. Usually with a healthy dose of attitude. Story wrinkles slap me in the face—plot pits big enough to swallow a T-Rex whole—I didn’t foresee in the initial planning phase. It’s a fictional wrestling match and dance party rolled into one, an oxymoronic medely of inspiration, frustration, and a high flying creative dopamine rush.
Yes, folks. The writer’s high is real. And it’s free for anyone crazy enough to venture down this path.
I’d like you to think that my First Draft Dash is as fluid as an Olympian going for the gold. But let’s be real. My first draft process looks a lot more like this…
In the race to keep the momentum flowing, real-life stuff falls off the truck, only to be trampled beneath the hooves of those bulls.
Dust, dishes, and laundry be damned… and the better part of social media too.
Ready…Set…Go!
The good new is, first drafts don’t last forever. In fact, this is going to be a relatively short sprint.
Head down and fingers to the keyboard on March 21st.
Crossing the deadline finish line on June 21st.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
Yeah… about this blog…
During the first draft dash, I won’t have the bandwidth to come up with thought-provoking posts on a regular basis. In February, when I was plotting out the new project, I did Zip. Zero. Zilch blog posts.
I didn’t want this blog to go dark for the next three months, so I’m bringing out a series I’ve been thinking about for some time. It will be based on a series of letters written to me by legendary Disney animator Frank Thomas over a number of years. The correspondence originated out of my love of animation and computer graphics, but ultimately brought me to the path of writing fiction for young readers.
Coming up next:
“Letters from Frank ~ Insights on Animation, Computers, and Elephants”
Elizabeth Fais 
Mine involves running around in small circles going ‘argh argh argh I’m gonna die’. Metaphorically, of course… 🙂 Actually it’s pretty thoroughly planned. I’m on a project right now involving having to get 60,000 FINISHED words, including peer review, within 8 weeks – this is challenging but do-able. The real problem with timing on this one is the fact that I am reliant on third parties to come back to me with commentaries… but we’ll see where it gets to.
60,000 “finished” words in 8 weeks (with reviews) is an aggressive deadline. But I know you can do it. My 40+ hour a week technical writing day-job is what pushes out my schedule. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who runs around in circles. I’ll even clean the house to feel more productive. I’ve found that walking away from the keyboard for a bit and doing something mindless, like cleaning, is the fastest way to have a creative breakthrough. Best of luck with the third-party input. Getting feedback from content experts is the hardest thing about technical writing. Everyone is so busy with their own deadlines, and they have to fit in giving review comments in too.
Since last summer, I’ve spent most of my time revising, rewriting, editing, torturing the words on the page, whatever you want to call it. I took deliberate breaks to write new pieces, but they were necessarily short so they didn’t distract from the bigger projects. And Wow! I’m ready to start from scratch with a new big project. Don’t know what it’ll look like yet, but soon…very soon…
All the best with getting your first draft finished, Elizabeth!
I was heavy into revision last year too. A very different type of focus than writing something new, at least for me. A little scary when I “think about it.” The trick for me is to jump into the “doing” of it. That way I get caught up in the process and forget the fear. Until I hear the trampling hooves of those bulls behind me anyway.
🙂
Keep me posted on your *new project*!
I am a traditionally published authored and, I must admit, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. Now, I simply want to be read, no matter how I publish. That being said, I wish you all the very best!!!
I’ve known enough published authors to realize that traditional publishing is not glam and glory. But it is a kind of validation that some of need, if only once. I’ve heard of a number of traditionally published authors who branched out into self-publishing and are doing quite well for themselves (given their fan base). I agree that reaching our audience, in whatever format, is what’s most important.
Elizabeth – Please, lead the way. I need all the help I can get.
Thanks for commenting.
Good luck on your writing. I agree, the creative process is its own high.
Thanks, Tim. Word by word.