#WritingCommunity I've been working on a first draft and often come up with ideas that will need substantial rewrites to implement. I find myself tracking back and forth through my first 20k words and not making much progress. Is this just The Process, or would you writer types approach differently? - ThreadSky

sschulze.bsky.social • 34 days ago

#WritingCommunity I've been working on a first draft and often come up with ideas that will need substantial rewrites to implement. I find myself tracking back and forth through my first 20k words and not making much progress. Is this just The Process, or would you writer types approach differently?

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vinegarmichael.bsky.social•34 days ago

Everyone's process is different, but it almost always boils down to a variation "word vomit > edit > repeat" until you get something you're mildly satisfied with.

badpilgrim.bsky.social•34 days ago

I should own stock in post-its for this but I keep writing forward and all new ideas/fixes/etc go on their own post-it. Then once the first draft is out, I start the post-it redraft

bodymapsyoga.bsky.social•34 days ago

Get out of the words for awhile and let the parts of you where there are no words come to life. Then you’ll have insights, pictures, threads to go back and build with. Walk in the woods, cook, swim, stare at the sky—anything to shift your space/perspective.

reburnruffian12.bsky.social•34 days ago

I snort multiple storylines in the same worldbuild, then write them in various styles, sometimes switching from one storyline/style to another mid-writing because there are no rules, no Gods, no Kings.

grizzarkhov.bsky.social•34 days ago

I gave struggled with this. With my current project I set an intention to just push through my first draft. I kept notes about ideas but kept going. Once my draft was done it was easier to sort through the additional ideas. Now, on draft 2, I know what I need to rewrite.

thewildlander.bsky.social•34 days ago

This is the process for most.
But one day you ll have to finish a project.
It does not have to be good, just finished. So you not only learn the skills you need at the beginning, but also learn the skills for endgame.

maratearendel.bsky.social•34 days ago

Agree with everyone!Just finish drafting and remember it will be the worst version of itself and no one has to read it, but every further rewrite will get better.
Also, I sometimes write the new ideas at the top of the relevant section of the first draft so that the changes are more official

johnwgant.bsky.social•34 days ago

George R.R. Martin writes a character pov through, then moves to another. Those characters may come together and their stories might contradict and often do. George rewrites extensively.

I do not do this.

You will find your way Steve. Just keep writing.

lfrostwrites.bsky.social•34 days ago

I would just power through and finish the first draft, knowing that rewrites will happen. My story would change as I discover it anyway, so may as well plow ahead. I recently trashed and rewrote my first nine chapters (twice) and I’m so pleased with the final result. Good luck!

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