How to Finish a First Draft: A Strategy for Going the Distance Without Editing

Why people never finish their drafts

As you write, you start to dislike the opening and go back to fix it. Once you start, you polish the first scene dozens of times and never write a single line of what comes after. This is the most common pattern behind unfinished drafts.

The cause is trying to draft and revise at the same time. The eyes of the person writing and the eyes of the person editing are different, and switching between them back and forth slows your writing down dramatically.

Five rules for the drafting stage

1. Don't reread earlier scenes. Read only yesterday's last paragraph and keep going.
2. When a sentence feels awkward, leave a note in [ ] and move on. Example: [add description here]
3. If you can't remember a name, place or date, use a placeholder (XXX) and keep writing.
4. When you're stuck on a scene, write a one-line summary such as "the two of them have a big fight here" and go on to the next scene.
5. Don't go back to the beginning until you've reached your target word count.

Build a system of note markers

To find the places you'll fix later, it helps to decide how to mark them. If you use the same symbols everywhere, a single search during revision will find every note.

Break the word count into pieces

Writing a story of 100,000 characters feels overwhelming, but writing 1,500 characters a day for two months feels doable. Divide the total length into daily amounts, make a checklist by scene, and tick off each scene as you finish it. Visible progress is a strong motivator.

When your draft feels terrible

It is normal for a draft to be terrible. Readers of finished works only see the result after revision, so it is easy to assume the first draft was just as smooth. In fact, many writers say the goal of a first draft is simply to get it written.

When you don't like your draft, there is one thing to tell yourself: "Now is the time for writing. Fixing comes later." If you don't waver on that distinction, your speed changes.

Rest after finishing the draft

When you finish a draft, don't dive straight into revision. Rest for at least a day, two if you can. With time you can see the text as if someone else wrote it, and the quality of the problems you find in revision changes.

Try it yourself: a plan to finish a draft this week

FAQ: I dislike the opening so much that I don't want to write. Fix the opening after the draft is finished. For now, just confirm that the story gets to the end. When you feel the urge to fix the beginning, move it into a note and keep going.

1. Decide the total length and deadline for your draft.
2. Divide the total by the number of remaining work days to get a daily amount.
3. Make a length table by scene and tick off each scene as you finish it.
4. Choose your note markers ([expand], [check], etc.) and write them at the top of the document.