A Beginner's Guide to Writing a First Draft
- kristen
- Aug 12
- 4 min read
Every novel starts as a blank page. The ticking of a clock. The searching of your mind for the right words. The opening sentence that will captivate your reader. If you're not sure how to begin the act of writing, I'm here to help. Follow these steps to make the most out of your first draft.
Don't Overthink the First Draft
A first draft is like a sketchpad. A place to flesh out ideas, make mistakes, pour your heart on a page, and make a mess. But don't overthink it. The act of writing a first line, a first page, a first chapter doesn't have to give you a migraine or produce a masterpiece. What matters is that you start at all.
Take out a piece of paper, open a new document, or grab a tablet and write a scene, a feeling, a few lines that speak to you. Yes, right now. Do it. Once you have that down, set a timer. Write for thirty minutes, whatever comes to mind. If it's clunky dialogue, who cares. If it's a scene where aliens invade the Sahara, so be it. Get it down. Then worry about the details.
Set the Tone
You don't have to have the perfect plot right out of the gate, but you should have an overall theme, tone, trope, or goal for your characters to achieve. Without some kind of mission, the book won't be able to stand on its feet.
I like the approach the plotting portion like a true pantser: I start with the end in mind then figure out how to get there. Without an outline or true characters formed in my head. I write. I listen. I think. I create as I go. And for me, this method works. I get what I need to (the story) out and worry about details later. But I always make sure to choose my overall theme/goal before I write.
Add Some Layers
Your first foray into novel writing does not have to be complex. But to make it more interesting and to carry the reader from start to finish, it's a good idea to include some padding in the plot. How? Add some side plots (also called subplots)! These additional stories affect the main character and/or minor characters in smaller ways and add to the overall storyline.
To do this, map it out like so:
Main storyline: Funeral director Adra Carpenter makes a bargain with a dead ghost hunter (and Adra's ex) to save his soul by fake dating the Grim Reaper.
Secondary storyline/side plot 1: Adra's niece starts dabbling in communing with the dead after interning at the funeral home over the summer, but one snap decision brings major consequences. It's up to the Grim Reaper and Adra to save her too.
Secondary storyline/side plot 2: Adra and the Grim Reaper's fake relationship spans elaborate parties in the Overworld and Afterlife, but the more time they spend together the more they start to catch feelings for each other.
Spice It Up
When writing a romance, it's key to add some elements of attraction. Everything from bland bell pepper to fiery ghost pepper goes. Just make people fall in love with falling in love. Be it emotional connection, woo-worthy dialogue, or long walks on the beach, bring the two together.
Where other genres are concerned, up the stakes. Bring on the tension. Increase the suspense. Elevate the novel's mood in some way to hold a reader's interest.
Lead the Charge
Creating characters is one of the best parts about writing, in my opinion. For me, my characters appear like mirages. Not fully formed, just the promise of potential. By writing and spending more time with them, I flesh them out into full-bodied people with hopes, dreams, flaws, and desires.
You can do this too by creating character sketches. This is what you think it is: a description of the character. Everything from hair and eye color to bone structure, how they take their coffee, their mother's maiden name, least favorite foods, and bodily tics. Learn the character inside out, write about them, and then use that information to write them into your story.
Note: I create character sketches after I've started writing, but for top results and to make drafting smoother, consider "sketching" before you write. (Who knows? Maybe I'll try it sometime and let you know.)
End With a Bang
It's important to remember that surprise/heightened emotions/cliff hangers drive momentum for the characters and the readers. Along with spice, make sure each chapter and the ultimate conclusion of your novel add on an emotional/suspenseful/surprising note. Ways to do this include: a thought or suspicion, a revelation/epiphany, dialogue, or tense moment.
On a related note, ending your book the right way is also important. What I mean is, in the first book you write, make sure all the loose ends are tied up. You can certainly include elements like unfinished business, an unresolved relationship, or a persistent problem to hint at a sequel(s), but first-time writers sometimes overreach. If you promise the reader something at the beginning, bring them closure in the end.
After "The End"
Once you have a whole novel in front of you, put it away. Shelve it. Write something new.
If you can't stop thinking about it and the need to continue working on it lingers, a few months later give the novel to someone else to read. Then you reread it. Consider tightening phrases, adding to storylines, reducing word count, and getting reader feedback. Then rewrite. And rewrite. And fine tune. And ask yourself if you want to publish it.
Note: Not every first book gets published. Many writers craft multiple books before they settle on one to show to the entire world. Often it's book 2, 3, or more that sees the light of day first. Then others (including book 1, perhaps) follow.
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