Here’s Why You Should Write Your Novel’s First Draft in 3 Months

It sounds impossible, but I first got this notion from reading Stephen King’s On Writing and it’s permanently changed my perspective on how I should approach writing a novel.

“I believe the first draft of a book – even a long one – should take no more than three months…Any longer and – for me, at least – the story begins to take on an odd foreign feel.”

Okay, we’re not all as prolific as Stephen King. Heck, the man’s a full time writer, he isn’t balancing a career as well as his writing. What does he know? But time was, Stephen King was a mere mortal like the rest of us, starting a family, working a regular job, and getting his writing out there. And his words of wisdom are wise indeed. At least I think so.

I’m a perfectionist, like many writers, which often means writing a first draft is an uphill battle. Every blank page seems an impossible mountain to climb. I doubt every word, every sentence, every chapter. There’s a civil war within me between the part of me that loves to write and the part that loves to question my abilities. The latter part sounds a bit like my mother…

Or at least I used to be like this. I’m still a perfectionist, don’t get me wrong, but where writing is concerned, I’ve realised that the first draft is never about perfection. The way I’ve overcome this is by writing six books and just constantly blasting through the barricades of ‘It’s not good enough’ with the mentality of ‘it doesn’t have to be good enough just yet.’ It just has to be.

Your first draft doesn’t have to amount to anything more than the courage to put your ideas on the page. Once you’ve got that down, the magic of editing and revising will shape your hard work into something you’re truly proud of.

But how do we go about getting that first draft out?

Setting yourself a due date is a great way to make sure you see your project through.

As writers, we are self-critical by nature. We could write and write the same project over and over again and never really be satisfied with it. It took me five years to write my first book and I’m still not happy with it. But giving yourself a time limit of three months to get out your first draft ensures that you don’t get bogged down in the details. Writing it in a short period of time ensures that:

·      You stay passionate about what you’re writing;

·      You remain in the world of your novel;

·      You continue thinking about your story all the time (eating dinner, in the shower, falling asleep); and

·      The deeper and faster you delve into the project and the world you’ve created, the higher the chances are of you being able to write at a fever pitch. You’ll stay invested in your process, the inspiration will stay hot, and your idea won’t fall stale.

If you’re writing slower, the project drags out for months or years (been there, done that) and you’ll likely lose momentum.

            Spending too much time on your first draft is usually because you’re spending too much time back tracking to edit mid writing, adding unnecessary descriptions, and finite details. These are all great and important steps of writing, but they should come in later drafts during your editing phase. Writing like this will make it feel almost impossible to get through the first few chapters. It would be like writing James Joyce’s Ulysses in one sitting. Impossible.

            Writing a book is hard enough as it is, so avoid making it harder for yourself. Word vomit, get your thoughts out, even if it’s a mess. Your first draft will likely be riddled with plot holes and one-dimensional descriptions. It will, to be blunt, probably suck, But that’s okay! That’s exactly what the first draft is for.

            For now, lay down your excessive expectations and lay down the bare bones of your story. Try to remind yourself that your inner perfectionist is not the enemy, and will be a great tool when it comes time to edit. But, for now, maybe let that part of yourself go, and see what happens. For more on how to do that, check out our article on how to avoid perfectionism.

            If you want help writing your first novel in three months, check out our writing coach program and how we can help you write your first draft!