Comments on: The JOY of the crappy first draft

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 00:52:00 +0000

In reply to Emad Al Bashesh. Yes, a crappy first draft is only ONE stage of writing. It will allow you to progress to further stages.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 00:51:00 +0000

In reply to A Smith. Yes! Don't show your crappy first draft to anyone else!

By: Emad Al Bashesh

Emad Al Bashesh — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 21:08:00 +0000

May I consider If I’ve written some draft of such subject, this will lead me to final picture of what I want to reach, this represent the core material, editing will come but core ideas is still, hence I will not begging for more more time.

By: A Smith

A Smith — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:21:00 +0000

I feel your reticence Rosie – it’s hard to give up old habits. But if the thoughts are worth expressing, it’s worth letting them out to see what they look like. I like the idea of keeping the crappy first draft private and agree it is a powerful aid to thinking.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:02:00 +0000

In reply to Rosie.

Thanks for your thoughtful post, Rosie. Here’s what I believe: The act of writing enhances our ability to think. (I can’t find the quote right now but Joan Didion says she uses her writing as a way to think.) If you’re constantly concerned with “getting it right” that feeling impinges on our ability to think, and, therefore, on our ability to write. Can you try writing with the “crappy first draft” mentality as an experiment? I think you might find it extraordinarily helpful…

By: Rosie

Rosie — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 08:53:00 +0000

Hi Daphne. A part of me thinks that crappy first draft works hand in hand with crappy first thoughts. And that part of me doesn’t think it’s okay to rewrite from crappy thoughts. A famous french author, Boileau (1636-1771), once wrote: “Ce qui se conçoit bien s’énonce clairement. Et les mots pour le dire arrivent
aisément” (what is clearly thought out is clearly expressed. And the words to say it flow with ease). I’ve been trained with this sort of “mantra”…it’s difficult to let it go and free write. I feel strong resistance inside me :(( …and this makes me feel sad.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 14:22:00 +0000

In reply to A Smith. I think it's important that NO ONE ELSE see the crappy first draft!!

By: A Smith

A Smith — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 13:17:00 +0000

Was recently introduced to the wattpad application where budding writers post their CFD chapter by chapter as they write it. Even though the draft I read was really badly written and ridden with mistakes, the story was compelling and had me hooked! What a scary route to take though. It’s a bit like going out with curlers in your hair!! I like the sound of your approach better.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 13:38:00 +0000

In reply to CaptainKnowledge. Yes, that can happen. If it's turning out to be a problem for you, I suggest you spend a bit more time PLANNING before you write. Do you mind map, for example? This is one of the processes that can help your writing a great deal.

By: CaptainKnowledge

CaptainKnowledge — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 12:32:00 +0000

Is it normal for some lines in the first drafts to make zero sense? Because that happens to me a lot.