First Drafting, Part 1: Problems

In celebration of my sixteenth completed first draft (finished Rauladin as of July 22nd), I am beginning a multi-post series about writing first drafts.  I hope that folks may learn from it, be encouraged by it, and will help me along and post suggestions, as I myself struggle with this as well (who doesn't?). 

In this first post, I'm going to list common problems for unfinished first drafts. In the following posts, I’ll cover some suggestions and instructions for defeating said problems.  Lastly, I’ll wrap up with some my own time-tested tricks that can make reaching “the end” of your first draft easier.

First off, let’s identify WHY you can’t finish your first draft.  After all, the first step to resolving a problem is to find out what exactly is the root of the problem.

Time

This is often a biggie, and so I’m putting it first.  School, work, sports, family, and chores can take up every spare minute of your time, or, at the very least, leave you too tired to write.  You might be able to get a bit of writing in on the weekends, or right before bed, but it's hard.  And getting extra sleep often sounds like a better idea.

Distraction

(Sometimes this is one of the reasons you have no time, but it can also be a big problem for people who have loads of time.)  Pinterest.  FaceBook.  Instagram.  Emails.  Your cat.  An unfinished text conversation.  Blog articles.  Funny YouTube videos.  You are totally not procrastinating from writing – you just need to do this one quick thing before you write...

Procrastination

(You can use various Distractions to help you put off writing.)  But you tell yourself you need to write.  And then Procrastination says “Hey, why don’t you go play some guitar, or go clean out that junk drawer.”  And so off you go to do something...but not to write.

Lack of Interest

You get to chapter three, and the spark of inspiration dies.  The MC is no longer is fun to write, and the plot is boring.  So you push it aside and start another story, only to get bored with that one, too.  And then you start another....and another....the circle keeps on going.

Perfectionism

You finish the first chapter.  Yay!  Then, while beginning the second, you realize the first chapter is boring.  There's totally a better way to introduce the MC.  And how about adding a tornado??  So you start over.  And over.  And over. 

Or perhaps you are constantly changing things as you write.  That backspace button gets a lot of use, and the word count barely gets higher.  No, there's a better way to do this.  *backspace*  Wait, that shouldn't have happened.  *backspace*  Hang it all, what's going on here?  *backspace*

Discomfort

Hand cramps.  Carpel tunnel.  No chair cushions.  Blunt pencils.  Too hot.  Too cold.  Thirsty.  Hungry.  Ahh!!!

Road Block

This often is a problem for people who don’t plan their story ahead of time, but it can happen to dedicated outliners, as well.  You simply have no clue what should happen next.  How did they get in this predicament?  How do I get them out?  How do they get where they need to go?  What is the end of the story, anyway??  *throws hands in the air*  What to do??

Depression

No one will want to read your story, anyway.  The plot is dumb.  The theme is lame.  And the MC is stupid.  Why keep writing?  It’s just a waste of time.  So you grab some ice cream and watch a movie.

Research

For those of us writing historical fiction, or even modern-day stories, there's always the problem of researching things.  What is it like dealing with an autistic child?  Where is the closest police station from the Washington Monument??  And what in the world did the Pilgrim's really eat at the first Thanksgiving, anyway???

Multiple Stories

Maybe you’re doing two stories at the same time.  Or twenty-two.  In any case, good for you!  But things are going to go a whole...lot...slower.... 

You could be struggling with one of these.  Or a couple.  Or all of them.  Or maybe something that I forgot.  (If you have a problem that I haven’t mentioned, please comment, and I’ll try to incorporate it in!!)

But now I challenge you to sit down with a piece of paper and write down why exactly are you unable to finish your first draft.  You’re welcome to share your problems or keep them to yourself.  But I mostly just want to get you thinking...why is my story not finished yet?

And don't fear: we'll start breaking down these problems throughout the next few weeks.  If anyone wants to stick in a suggestion or pitch up, by all means, let me know.  I am not the Master of this subject, just a fellow writer trying to share her thoughts and personal ways of getting out of these problems.