I don’t know if there’s an actual term out there for when writers sit down and write their first draft, but I’ve started referring to it as “free writing”. To explain how I came up with that term, I need to go back many years ago to when I wrote my very first novel. After sitting back and seeing all the pages I’d written, I realized, to no one’s surprise, it was absolutely terrible. It took me a long time not to give up on the story and to gather up the courage to rewriting the entire thing. The only problem was, my fear of getting it wrong again meant I became obsessive about editing. So much so, that I almost forgot what it was like to write rather than to edit.

Now that I’m actively writing the first draft of Book II within my epic fantasy series, I am getting to experience that wonderful, creative free-reign again. That free flow, however, has reminded me of how much I used to struggle with it (and still do from time to time). Yes, when I write, I follow a detailed outline I have planned out, but I previously got caught in the mire of trying to fix everything at once. The result of which, made me continuously loop back around to editing the first few chapters and kept me from progressing. When I finally realized all those pesky edits would still be there when I finished, I allowed myself to push through and ignore them. Suddenly, my progress jumped ahead, and before I knew it, I’d written a 110K novel (one that was worlds better than my first). After that, I worked on editing, editing, and more editing. But I had written a book, and knowing that got me through the editing process.

Jump to the here and now, and I am once again fighting that inner voice telling me to stop and fix all the small details. I find myself reminding that inner voice that now is the time to let go and free write. Every time I do, a weight is lifted off me and I swear my storytelling improves! It’s been exciting to dive into a first draft again. Sure there will be edits, but they can wait. Now is the time to grab a mug of something hot, flex those phalanges, and let the creativity flow!

Happy free writing, fellow storytellers!