How Many Times Should an Author Redraft a Story?

Sameh writes:

We met at the 2009 writers' conference in Cocoa Beach, where you taught the morning sessions on fiction. I appreciate your encouragement, as thereafter I seemed to find my voice, and set out to write. I was lucky to find a great mentor, Prof. Susan Hubbard. I completed the manuscript, titled The Little Grammarian, in January of this year, and have been revising and re-revising it since.

Dear Sameh,

I am very pleased to hear you have found a good mentor and are making solid progress on your writing career.

There are elements of 'voice' that are only learned through extensive first drafting. Because of this, I would urge you not to make the critical error of equating your career with this first novel. It may require several stories before your internal voice is brought into harmony with the exterior demands of the publishing world.

By this I mean, do not under any circumstances feel you can REDRAFT your way into a career. You must learn to focus BEYOND this story, and see the goal as becoming a published author. Not merely the author of this work.

No doubt during your training as a psychiatrist you came across a multitude of misconceptions that, unless caught early and dealt with well, could potentially have wrecked your career. I assure you, Sameh, this is one such issue when it comes to writing. You must first draft. You must face the challenge of the empty page. You must start a new story. And you must move on.

I wish you every possible success,

Davis