It’s that time once again. The moment where quivering writers crawl back behind their screens loaded up on caffeine and chocolate and seek out reassurances, commiseration or just a place to vent their fears. Join them–or maybe it’s us–in a virtual group therapy by clicking the link above. What else do you have to do? 😉
Thanks to the co-hosts for the month: Eva Solar Melanie Schulz, Lisa-Buie Collard, and Stephen Tremp!
My issue to share is that of drafting. I’m currently in first-draft status of my second book, and I am progressing slowly but surely. But I have to wonder if the slowly part is the norm or the exception. Some people participate in NaNoWriMo and other equivalents at various times of year. I could not even come close to a complete first draft in a month. How do they do that?
So, what I’d like to know is: How long does a first draft take all of you?
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Time for the news. This week the news is variable. Let’s start with the truly bizarre,well…because I wanna. 😉
This is a competition that I’d pay to see. Knights. Sword battles. I’m in.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/04/us-poland-medievalcombat-idUSKBN0NP0W720150504
And in science news, comet showers. Don’t expect a refreshing bath of water.
http://www.livescience.com/50746-eta-aquarid-meteor-shower-peak-webcast.html
That’ll do it for me tonight. If you haven’t checked out the news that makes you think, laugh or just plain gawk, then step to it. I’ll see you again in seven.
kimlajevardi 
Well, I’m taking IWSG slowly this month! My first drafts have varied – some are thrown down on the page, others take more time as I go backwards and forwards adding extra bits/ideas in as I think of them. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way with a first draft, just enjoy telling your story!
Thanks for the advice. I’ll try to enjoy it. 🙂
My fastest draft was written in two weeks, but I was off from work. A draft usually takes me 2-3 months, but my most recent one took 6 weeks because I was real passionate about it. It does help that I type fast.
Two weeks is lightning fast. I’m a fast typer as well, but I’m also a pantser. I have to find the story during first draft stage.
Writing drafts takes a long time, but lately I’ve been aiming to write quicker and quicker. For me, the trick is to do extensive outlines for the plot, down to chp summaries, so when I go to write, I know where I’m going and i just focus on getting into the character’s head. I managed to write 50K at the last Nano, which wasn’t easy, but I did it. Took me several years to get to that stage too..hehe. I’m editing that book right now…:)
I’m more of a pantser, so the outlining doesn’t work as well for me. I do some outlining, but it’s generic. I have to find the story.
I’m happy that works so well for you, and yay! for a new story. I can’t wait to read it.
I’m a slow writer – and a lazy one as well – and it takes NaNo type challenges to prompt me to finish a draft quickly. I can usually complete 75,000 words in six to eight weeks. The first draft is my least favorite part and I just want to get it over as quickly as possible.
Still faster than me. I take multiple months to complete a first draft of that length. I would agree that the first draft stage is not as much fun as the rounds of editing that make it shine, but I do still enjoy finding the story within that stage. I’m a semi-pantser.
I think NaNo-ers can write so much because most of them are writing in first person, so it’s almost as if they’re writing a diary and yammer on forever. Also, many of them go down very meandering paths that bear little resemblance to a plot, but many of them are pantsers anyway. I can’t see how NaNo produces anything except very sub-par work. But a bazillion people do it…
Skeletons in the bay. Some people have too much time on their hands. There are a bunch of “re-enactment” groups around the US. There might be an SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) in your area. I participated in Medieval fairs and camp-outs for years. Comets are cool! Especially if they bring man-eating alien life forms with them! lol
I’m a bit of a pantser myself, not a wandering one – mind you – but a pantser nonetheless.
I agree with the amount of time some people have. I wish I could have a little of that extra time to devote to writing more. Maybe then I’d get more words in per day and up my drafting speed. Recreations sound interesting, but I can’t say that I’ve ever been to one. And I most definitely agree about the cool status of comets. Man-eating life forms not so much, but to each their own. 😉