How to Write Your Rough Draft 2.0

During the NaNoWriMo Now What? Months, we’re focused on helping you revise, edit, and publish your story. Today, NaNoWriMo participant Osie Cairn shares some editing advice on updating your messy first draft to version 2.0:

Writing that initial rough draft for me is a lot like careening around corners and sitting in the backseat while my sister’s learning how to drive: Absolutely terrifying. Sure, you can let your Inner Editor out while writing, but you’re probably not going to get much done—just like your sister isn’t going to get better if you kick her out of the driver’s seat to drive to the store yourself.

But after that journey is done? When you’ve written “The End” on your rough draft and know every mile of the journey your characters take? That’s when your editor gets to take control. That’s my favorite part of writing.

Editing is where you already know the story, who the characters are, what the plot is, and so don’t have to worry about what’s going to come out when you type. You don’t have to slog through a scene wondering where you’re going or if it’s going to be relevant once you reach the end. Because you already know. It’s all written down.

It’s where you get to take the mess of a rough draft and turn it into a shiny new Rough Draft 2.0.

Sure, it can be super intimidating to know where to start when you look at the mess before you, to wonder how you’re going to fix everything that’s wrong with it, but hey, you’ve already written that rough draft! You’ve already done the hard work. You kicked your editor to the back seat so your creativity could take the wheel and get you to where you needed.

Now, you get to jump into the driver’s seat (and take control of the radio).

On this part of the journey, the biggest thing to keep in mind is this:

Editing is just like writing that initial draft, but this time you know what you’re doing.

I keep notes about what I want to fix or tweak while I’m writing the initial rough draft so I know what to work on when I get around to editing. If you haven’t done that or don’t have a general idea of the big things you want to work on, writing up a list can be a good first step. It’ll get you thinking critically about your story and focus your attention on the areas that need it.

If you already know what needs fixing and you’re at that “Ok, but how do I actually fix it?” stage, then it’s time to turn your initial rough draft into Rough Draft 2.0 with three simple steps.

Open up your rough draft.Open up a blank page on your favorite word processor, notebook, or typewriter. Rewrite everything from word one.

Just like you wrote your rough draft one word, sentence, and paragraph at a time, you’re going to write your Rough Draft 2.0 the same way. But, this time you already know what’s at the end, what scenes are relevant, what details need to be cut or included, what lines are in character or not. You get to write the story and know where you’re going.

All of the changes you make, they’re going to cause changes later down the road. New plot holes might pop up and old ones might disappear. Old scenes you thought needed a complete rewrite might be cut completely, or a detour might bring the perfect opportunity to resolve multiple points at once.

That’s just part of the process.

Fix what you can on this draft, and let the rest wait for a later pass.

Writing the rough draft might be like watching your sister learn to drive, but editing is a road trip where Rough Draft 2.0 is only one stop.

Osie Cairn is a multiply disabled queer author who hates making eye contact. They also beta read and edit others’ work when their own writing doesn’t provide them enough material to satisfy the red pen. In addition to thinking editing is the best part of writing, they have special interests in space, science, stars, and sharks. Oh, and dinosaurs, but those don’t start with an S.

Top photo by Samuele Errico Piccarini on Unsplash.