MetaChat - I'm editing my first draft and having a panic sttack

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

09 July 2011

I'm editing my first draft and having a panic sttack Basically it's "Wow if I had such BAD PLOTTING and dialogue at the outset how can I be sure the changes are any better cause I'm the still person who made the first horrible, horrible choices."

post by: The Whelk at: 00:44 | 14 comments

DON'T PANIC
and
CARRY A TOWEL

Then imagine what Douglas Adams' first draft of Hitchhiker's Guide must have looked like. (probably Vogons that were more like Vulcans, Slarty Bartfast's original name was Farty and "I never could get the hang of Mondays" before he realized Garfield beat him to it)

posted by oneswellfoop 09 July | 00:54

PANIC AND RUNNING AROUND

posted by The Whelk 09 July | 01:20

Pft. You're not the same person. The same person would think it's perfect. Carry on.

posted by lysdexic 09 July | 01:21

Don't trip over the towel when running 'round. If you do, use it to mop up the mess. Then sit back down and get the red pen out.

posted by lysdexic 09 July | 01:22

I am SO not writing this Lesbian seduction scene right, sigh.

posted by The Whelk 09 July | 01:34

Then don't write it. "A few glances turned into a few words turned into touches and before they knew it their clothes were off and it. was. on." Leave the specifics to the reader's imagination.

posted by apoch 09 July | 02:22

ROCKS FALLS EVERYONE DIES

posted by The Whelk 09 July | 02:35

And then at the funeral home, a man with a gun walked in. His blustery threats fell on dead ears.

posted by apoch 09 July | 02:36

Maybe.. write it bad, with a clear idea of what you think makes it bad. Then come back later and see what it looks like to you then. Maybe you don't really know what's bad right now.

posted by fleacircus 09 July | 09:25

It took me a while to accept that first drafts are supposed to be horrible. Coming back for a second draft is a painful experience for me, because I look at what I wrote and question if I'm even capable of writing any better. I get over that hurdle once I see how easy the improvements and changes start coming, but I totally get your concern. It takes some trust in yourself to just dig in and rewrite and hope that you're honing in on what the finished piece should be.

posted by Slack-a-gogo 09 July | 10:32

Hey, at least you have a first draft. You're light-years ahead of me right now.

(No worries... panic can be very motivating.)

posted by Pips 09 July | 11:17

My first draft has sentences like "Stuff happens here."

posted by Ardiril 09 July | 12:26

"This scene has to establish X and Y's relationship and set up the conflict in a way that doesn't make me want to stab someone."

posted by The Whelk 09 July | 12:50

"The night was moist."

(that's all I got, sorry.)

posted by MonkeyButter 09 July | 14:16

← Smartphone Nightmares. Literally. Ever had one? || Your Saturday's POINTS await you. →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN