9 Things I Didn’t Know About Writing A Second Draft

Good morning, Cyberspace! As you all probably know, about a month-ish ago I finished the first draft of my current WIP, everlost. It was exciting. It was exhilarating. It was one of the most epic feelings I’ve ever experienced.

And in the Smudge I wrote a few weeks back telling you all about it, I ended the post with the words–

The first draft is done. The second draft is here.

And I am ready.

And to that, there is only one thing I can say–

LIES! LIES, PRECIOUS! IT LIES TO US!

I don’t think that was an actual Gollum quote…

I, Cyberspace, am not ready.

At all.

In fact, if I were a Christmas turkey, my little plastic popper wouldn’t have even popped yet. I’d still be raw. I’d still be bloody.

I’d still have my neck shoved down that weird hole cavity in my stomach and have my giblets all wrapped up in that nice little bag because, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? I’m still in the wrappings.

THAT is how not-ready I am.

But you know what? I promised to keep y’all posted on how editing is going, and since I have been nothing but straightforward with you (excluding all those times I’ve conveniently disguised the truth, obviously), I have decided to lay all of my problems out in a Smudge and post it on the internet so that the entire world can see it.

And also see my epic failness, because that is the entire point of this blog.

So, without further ado, I present to thee–

Number One– The First Read-Through

As any inexperienced seasoned writer will tell you, after finishing a first draft, there is something that you must do before diving headfirst into the second draft.

And that is called the first read-through.

“Wait…” you say, scratching your itchy noggin. “What’s the First Read-Through?”

Wellll… To put it simply–

First Read-Through

noun

1. when a writer sits down to read through their freshly finished manuscript for the first time (typically a first draft) after its completion
2. when you read through your freshly finished manuscript for the first time after having completed it while scribbling down in-depth/extremely vague notes in red ink and forming a strategic battle plan to completely rip the entire fundamental elements of the entire story and world/planet into fragmented shreds whilst your brain conveniently implodes

My initial assumption of the First Read-Through was the gentle image of me reading casually beneath a beech tree, lightly taking notes (in a gorgeous small notebook) on the minor problems I happened to stumble upon within the carefully crafted pages of my flawless semi-perfect first draft.

Reality then hit me like a Ding-Dong.

The First Read-Through is one of the worst reality shocks you will ever experience in your life. It is brutal. It is death. You will be reading through your work thinking, “What is this even…?” and you will have the sudden and inextinguishable desire to throw your Kindle (which houses the PDF version of your slapped together first draft) into your evening campfire and roast it like a marshmallow.

Number Two– Plot

Or–more specifically–there is none.

I thought I had everything so carefully structured out. I knew my villain’s motive. I knew my heroes’ motives. I knew every single thing that was supposed to happen, down to the pink and green striped sock on Thao’s left foot. (That is completely metaphorical, as Thao does not wear striped socks… [or does he? {#rethinkingeverything}])

But then, as I read through my draft, I realized…

No. There is no plot.

The majority of the story is two of my main characters bickering back and forth for the extent of about four chapters as unknown evil lurks throughout the entire building, and they don’t even seem to care.

Basically, the First Read-Through was me staring at my screen–drool hanging gloriously from the corner of my mouth–pondering why in the world they weren’t all dead yet, because there was physically no way that they would still be alive.

At all.

#fail

Number Three– Plot Twists (and how they don’t exist)

There’s a little secret about Plot that I would like to share with you all today–

It is not a straight and rigid line.

Shocking. I know.

But it’s true. If you can take a ruler and hack a straight line through points A, B, C, D, E, F, and Kill Me Now, there’s definitely a problem.

And it’s not easily fixable.

Because now you must incorporate these little things called plot twists, and let me tell you, they are cruel little buggers. They are pure and utter evil. They make you bend over backwards trying to figure out how to shock your readers, when all you really want to do is curl into a tight little smol ball and cry tears of cotton candy dreams.

I, the Smudgiest Thought, know not how to plot twist. I know not how to even twist.

I am not built for twisting.

Have you seen me? Have you seen my chipmunk self?

Of course not. This is a blog. What, do you think I have a picture of my gross face on the About The Authors page, or something? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA..HAHA…ha

Well, that doesn’t matter, because the truth remains that I still KNOW NOT HOW TO PLOT TWIST.

And this is a problem.

Because my plot (“But Kenzie, you just said you didn’t have–” HUSH, I’M TALKING) is a straight line. A straight, immovable, rigid-as-a-spine line.

And I know not how to bend it.

Basically, my story needs a chiropractor.

Good thing my weird town has two of them, eh?

Number Four– Questioning EVERYTHING.

You know that little voice in the back of your head that tells you that your story isn’t good enough? That you’ll never get published? That you’re basically nothing more than a cookie crumble who lost his way home?

You know. It’s that little voice that writers like to call their inner critique/editor. The voice that we stuff down into the pits of our innermost being so that we can keep writing without having to murder a small village cow in order to vent our frustration.

Yeah. Take that voice, add it to a just-finished, brand-spanking-new first draft, and then multiply it by about 3 billion.

That, dear bean, is your new inner editor for your Second Draft.

ENJOY!

After finishing the First Read-Through and realizing the majority of your story is riddled through with holes the size of Texas, about as cheesy as a lump of Swiss, and covered in clichés and stupid characters, you are most likely going to encounter a week of insanity in which you completely destroy every single plan you’ve had for this story from the very beginning, rip all of the fundamental elements out and throw them to the Seven Winds, and also capture about three Plot Bunnies that make you realize that your current story is completely lame, and you should totally change absolutely everything up and go with this idea instead.

Because that’s going to be so much better, right?

Right????

RIGHT?????????

Number Five– “THE FACE”

Working on a Second Draft is basically just you staring at a screen filled with terribly written words that you once thought were the best thing since sliced bologna while making a face that is a mixture between smelling the glorious scent of a rotten egg and looking like someone just threw their fresh toenail clippings into the Jell-O pudding.

In other words, it is quite indescribable.

Number Six– It is NOT as fun as a First Draft

There’s something I wished I had realized when writing my First Draft, and since there is no longer any hope for me, I shall impart my wisdom unto you:

Writing a first draft is basically just letting loose your creativity waterfall.

There is no right. There is no wrong. There is just pure, unpressurized fun.

And do you know what a Second Draft is???

It is pain. It is death. It is your inner editor marring your beautiful First Draft in crimson ink dyed with the blood of your enemies.

Pretty much everything you shrugged at and said, “EH. I can fix that later!” has now come back to bite you in the bahooty. All those things you skimmed over for “FUTURE YOU” to sort out have now returned with a vengeance, all snarling eyes and flashing teeth and evil cackles that fill your deepest, most darkest nightmares.

And if you’re currently stuck in the middle (or the beginning or the ending) of a First Draft, and find yourself thinking, “If only I could just get this done!”, I must say–

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA–NO.

Just eat a cookie and remind yourself that you could be me right now, with silent tears leaking out of your eye sockets to drizzle down your pale, sickly face as you wonder when it is acceptable to print out your entire manuscript, start a fire in the middle of your yard, and throw the freshly printed pages into the charred logs and burning sulfur ash to watch it shrivel into a decrepit being that was once your pride and joy.

Number Seven– Writer’s Block still exists

You know how, when writing a First Draft, you tend to procrastinate writing by doing everything and anything in your power to not write? Like cleaning your jungle of a room, reading that book that you absolutely forgot about, organizing your writing folders because you’re obviously still a writer, even though you’re not writing…?

#logic

Yeah… That still exists in the Second Draft.

I thought I’d be super pumped to wake up everyday and get started on sorting out my characters, world building, developing plot arcs and all that enchilada cheese. And for a while, I was.

And then it came time to actually perform the execution of all of my sloppily written notes.

Now I’ve got a slightly clean room, am tackling my TBR pile by adding more books to it, and also have discovered the joy of spending time outdoors.

Number Eight– It doesn’t matter where you are in the Book-Writing process, the part you are currently on is the worst…

I’m 10% positive I saw a quote that was similar to this by some famous person, but, of course, when I went back to try and find it again, it was gone like a single drop of moisture in the heat of the Sahara.

But seriously, this is the cold hard truth. If you’re on a First Draft, you’re probably looking at your manuscript thinking it’s the worst thing you’ve ever written. If you’re on a Second Draft, you’re doing the exact same.

Same thing goes for Third Drafts and Fourth Drafts and even publication. Because I’m going to let you in on a tiny little secret here (I know, I know, I’m so full of wisdom today)—

Even after you publish your book, if you read through it, you’re going to find things you want to change. You’re going to find things you hate, and you’re also going to find things you wish you had never written in the first place.

“But Kenzie,” you ask. “You’ve never published a book before. How do you know this?”

Trust me, my smol little bean. I know.

(because I know ALL, obviously)

So as I’m sitting here, looking over my Second Draft and seeing all of the drafts ahead of me, I am reminded of one final fact…

Fact Number Nine– The Second Draft is not the Final Draft, therefore it does not have to be absolutely perfect…

And I am so, so thankful for this piece of knowledge.

Because, while I know deep down in my soul that this story can turn into something beautiful, I also know that it doesn’t have to all be perfected in this particular draft. There’s plenty of time for polishing and line-editing and smoothing out the wrinkles and all that jazz in later drafts, when I have more of a grip on what it is I’m trying to accomplish.

Or, you know, maybe all writing is just staring into the void wondering what in the world you’re even doing until it’s done.

That sounds pretty accurate.

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Well, now, that ended rather abruptly. ANYWAY! What do you guys think? Are you currently trying to slog your way through a Second Draft? A First Draft? Are you thinking about publishing, or haven’t even plotted your first chapter yet? Let us talk about ALL of the drafty things below!

And bring some blankets, because I have a feeling it’s about to get chilly!BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

(I’m probably the only one laughing here…)