7 Rules For Writing First Drafts
“The first draft of anything is shit.”
Staring at a blank page. It’s intimidating, isn’t it?
Part of you wishes the words would just write themselves. But they don’t.
Instead, you have to push yourself to get something down.
So how can you make life easier?
The trick is to set yourself up for success by making things as easy as possible. And then you just need to start writing.
Once you’ve begun, you’ll soon get into a rhythm, and before long, you will fill that blank page or, more likely, blank screen with words - lots and lots of them.
So make writing your first draft considerably easier by following these seven rules:
1. Create a space you can write in
Have you ever tried writing in a busy train station? It’s unlikely to help the first words flow, isn’t it? Yet, creating the right environment for writing is the most critical step you can take to give yourself the best chance of success. Ideally, you want to find somewhere quiet with a pleasant view and a comfortable chair.
2. Start writing the first thing that comes into your mind
Fear of failure makes a blank page so intimidating. Rather than allowing time for the fear to grow, you must nip it in the bud by getting down some words. It doesn’t matter what they are. The idea is that you’re warming up your writing muscles like you might start your car on a winter morning to defrost the windows.
3. Let your imagination run wild
Nothing is off-limits at this stage in the process! Whatever wacky ideas come to mind, just get them down. Indulge your fantasies and resist the urge to self-censor. The editing bit comes later.
4. Ensure you switch off all distractions
Turn off your phone and those incessant notifications. Don’t let anything interrupt you once you’re in the flow. Put in some earplugs if it helps.
5. Write for as long as you can
Once you’re in a groove, keep going for as long as possible. But take a break when you need. For example, a short walk is one of the best ways to reset the mind and generate fresh thoughts.
6. Once you’ve finished your first draft, don’t look at it for at least 24 hrs
You should always write and edit at different times. Your brain needs time to reflect on your writing and devise alternative wording for the bits that don’t sound right. So give your mind a decent break. Returning to your writing after a while, you’ll notice things you didn’t before.
7. Find a way to celebrate
Once you’ve defeated that blank page, you must somehow reward yourself. It doesn’t matter what it is. The reason? Your brain develops a positive association with writing and knows it’ll be rewarded for good behaviour.
If you want to learn more about writing, you might enjoy our copywriting course.
You’ll be guided through the whole journey, from your first draft to your final edit and everything in between. You’ll learn from the best practitioners in the world, who are all Cannes Lions award-winning copywriters.
Copywriters like Steve Harrison , Vikki Ross, Dave Trott, Kate Toon, Derek Walker and many others.
