Tag Archives: first draft

Why Is It So Hard to Write Badly?

Posted on April 24, 2015 by J. Sevick

One of the most important tricks to actually start writing—perhaps the key to a finished first draft—is to learn how to write badly. This may seem counterintuitive; after all, isn’t the point of learning to write and wanting to write … Continue reading →

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In the Trenches: Tips for a First Draft

Posted on March 6, 2015 by J. Sevick

So I’m writing again, which is… awesome. Scary, always, but awesome. But, as always, it means I’m in my head too much, constantly analyzing and worrying and working to psych myself up. I won’t say that writing is more of … Continue reading →

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Permission to Fail

Posted on February 20, 2015 by J. Sevick

I always thought finishing a draft was everything. Not just because that’s the only way to even get close to publication–because I figured that all my doubts and insecurities about writing were just because I didn’t know what I was … Continue reading →

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Analysis Paralysis: Killing Your Novel Before It Dies… Or Even Lives

Posted on February 13, 2015 by J. Sevick

[So there were zero votes in last week’s poll… which I take as the entire internet choosing the secret fifth option: “Don’t care, nobody reads this crap anyway.” Which is probably for the best of humanity, so… For now, I’m … Continue reading →

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The Three Types of Drafting Doubt–And How to Fight Them

Posted on July 20, 2014 by J. Sevick

It’s a little premature to say I’ve mastered my doubt. Unfortunately, one finished first draft does not a career make. But the mental transition I’ve made in the last month has at least given me the confidence that I can … Continue reading →

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Writing Through a Bad Scene

Posted on July 17, 2014 by J. Sevick

Despite all the omnipresent advice to just keep writing, no matter how bad, there is nothing quite as cringe-inducing as writing your way through a scene that just isn’t working. The dialogue isn’t flowing, the characters are boring cardboard, and … Continue reading →

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Embrace Your Writing Tics

Posted on July 15, 2014 by J. Sevick

The biggest key to drafting is the ability to write badly, but that means a lot of different things. One of the most blatant and immediate things it means is that you have to embrace your own writing tics—those little … Continue reading →

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The Three Drafting Mindsets that Made it Happen

Posted on July 14, 2014 by J. Sevick

Unfortunately, for all my “revelations,” I can’t really point to any one thing, one trick, that made me able to finish a draft. I did come up with a shift in my perspective of the project—making it YA, for some … Continue reading →

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A New World

Posted on July 13, 2014 by J. Sevick

Three weeks ago today, I was driving home to my parents’ house, realizing I was going to fail the One Month Challenge. Such a simple task, to stick with one story for one month, and I couldn’t do it. The … Continue reading →

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A Short Break

Posted on July 5, 2014 by J. Sevick

In lieu of the drafting madness of the last week and a half (and in support of it), I have decided to take one week off from the blog. I will report back here on July 13th, unless anything interesting … Continue reading →

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