QUOTES ABOUT FIRST DRAFTS

WEEK OF APRIL 29, 2012: QUOTES AND TOOLS FOR NAPIBOWRIWEE 2012

Wednesday, May 2—Quotes About First Drafts

Completing seven manuscripts, seven stories, or seven picture books in seven days seems overwhelming. But wait a minute . . . what we’re really completing is seven first drafts. First draft sounds much less intimidating than manuscript, or story, or picture book. You don’t have to get it perfect during NaPiBoWriWee, you just have to get it down on paper! To help with the process, today’s post features some inspiring quotes about first drafts.

Writing the last page of the first draft is the most enjoyable moment in writing. It’s one of the most enjoyable moments in life, period.

—Nicholas Sparks

I would advise any beginning writer to write the first drafts as if no one else will ever read them—without a thought about publication—and only in the last draft to consider how the work will look from the outside.

—Anne Tyler

I generally write a first draft that’s pretty lean. Just get the story down.

—Nora Roberts

I don’t fiddle or edit or change while I’m going through the first draft.

—Nora Roberts

I have never written anything in one draft, not even a grocery list, although I have heard from friends that this is actually possible.

—Connie Willis

I’m constantly revising. Once the book is written and typed, I go through the entire draft again.

—Chaim Potok

On a less inspirational note, comes this quote from Ernest Hemingway: “The first draft of anything is sh@#.” I don’t necessarily agree, but it does make me laugh!