I’ve finally done it! I’ve completed a first draft of my first ever novel.
I’ve always been an avid reader. My parents introduced me to Enid Blyton (Mr Twiddle!) at an early age and I devoured everything I could get my hands on. I soon moved on to my parents’ collections of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Crime and Thriller, Western and Comedy. My student grant went on Science Fiction and Fantasy books, though the beer probably accounted for most of my overdraft.
But for decades, I’ve wanted to write a book myself. I have collected story ideas and concepts on scraps of paper going back twenty years, and in 2019 I finally bought myself a black A5 journal to capture them properly. It’s now crammed with one-line concepts, half-formed characters, sprawling outlines, and all the strange things my brain throws out — mostly sci-fi and fantasy.
I read books on writing, followed podcasts, watched YouTube videos, and attempted NaNoWriMo a couple of times. I have several beginnings, but none of them even make it to the end of Act One.
I am, as it turns out, an expert in procrastination.
I tried discovery writing a couple of years ago for NaNoWriMo but got lost in the weeds. So this year, I prepared by developing an outline for something I’ve been nibbling at for a few years. Then, the week before, I switched to another, more recent idea.
It’s the story of David, once a successful city analyst, who believes he is going mad when he sees ghosts. He is joined by the spirit of his late aunt and Andie, a talented maintenance worker with a secret.
I started strong for a few evenings, then fell out of love with that story too. But I persevered, reworked the outline, and kept writing. In the middle, I went down the research rabbit hole, spent far too long curating hundreds of old story notes, and registered this website.
And yet, on the 24th of November, I finished my first draft.
It’s rubbish!
No really. I knew it as I was writing it: the plot sagged, the characters wobbled, the worldbuilding leaked in several places, and stylistically… well, let’s just say I’ve given myself a lot to revise.
But that’s okay. In fact, it’s expected.
Because by finishing the draft, I’ve learned more than I ever did from all the books, podcasts, videos, and conversations combined.
Most importantly, I learned that I can finish a story. The feeling is amazing! Invigorating! Inspiring!
I used Scrivener to compile it to ePub format with a quickly crafted front page and sent it to my Kindle. Reading it the following evening, I could see all the problems clearly… but also the little gems. A turn of phrase. A bit of dialogue. A scene description that actually worked.
For the first time, I have something to revise — and a real sense of how to do it. Whether I rewrite this story or move on to a new one, I know the next draft will be much better.
But first, I just need to finish this article.
Procrastinating like a boss!
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