Last time, we talked about utilizing self-awareness as a writer when crafting an outline for your story. Today, we’ll discuss the best way to use self-awareness during the drafting process.
Let’s get started.
Drafting, Drafting, Drafting
Many writers are intimidated by the drafting phase of the writing process. Taking an idea that has been fleshed out into bullet points in an outline is one thing, but to actually WRITE chapters and a coherent narrative that’s tens of thousands of words? Madness!
No matter your feelings on the subject, writing that first draft is an essential step in getting to the final draft, but this is another case where you want to put your self-awareness tool to the side and let the creativity flow with as much passion and uncensored glory as you wish.
Hey, it’s a rough/first draft. It’s for your eyes only. No one will see this version, so why not take the brakes off and let your imagination run wild. Stick with the outline you’ve crafted, but if a character or story point takes you somewhere new and more compelling, go there.
Give yourself the freedom to play, to explore, to run free. This is the time to do it.
I’ve been working through an outline before and realized that I hadn’t given my subplots much consideration, so I’ve taken some time to explore their characters and situations. It helped strengthen the overall story and enhanced the main character’s arc. If I hadn’t deviated from what I had outlined, I never would have discovered these new aspects.
Once you’ve played around and written THE END on your rough/first draft, it’s time for the kid to take a nap and the self-aware writer to take over.
Revising with Self-Awareness
Now is the time to take a step back and look at your draft as both author and reader. This is when any sense of “I’m an artist, and everything I write is gold” must be locked away so common sense can take the helm.
After all, you want to make sure as you make revisions that the story makes sense; the characters grow and change; that dialogue is realistic for the story you’re telling; that descriptions paint and clear picture for the reader; and that your main story and subplots have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
This can be a lengthy process that shouldn’t be taken lightly. This is where the story really begins to take shape. It’s where themes are solidified. It’s where you can fix the story’s pacing, cut aspects that don’t work, and add things that will improve the reader’s experience.
Part of being a self-aware writer is knowing when to cut things – even if you love them – to improve the story. Realizing that maybe a plot point that worked in the outline causes the story’s momentum to fizzle once it’s fleshed out in chapter form. Your self-awareness enables you to detect these issues and fix them.
Again, this is a process that is rewarding once you have crafted a story and characters that are exactly what you intended when you set out to write this book.
Next Time…
You’ve done it. You’ve revised, cut, added, moved around, and re-chaptered your story. You’re on your ninth or tenth draft and feel pretty good. It’s time to edit; self-awareness can help you with that, too!
When it comes to story development and outlining your story, I feel it’s best to put self-awareness on the back burner for the time being. I know it’s crazy that I’m saying this since this is a series about using self-awareness as a writer. However, it’s just as important to know when not to use it as when it is.
Let’s talk about it!
Story Development – Creativity Unleashed
Once you have an idea that you feel is strong enough to develop into a longer story, it’s time to put everything on the table. Every idea, story beat, inciting incident, and plot twist should be up for grabs to get your idea out on the page so you can breathe life into it.
This means your characters should have free reign to do what they want, when they want, and how they want in pursuit of strong character arcs, relationships, and growth throughout the story. Don’t hold back, and don’t be afraid to have your antagonist do things that are off-the-rails crazy. Your goal is to create a compelling and interesting story at this stage. This version is for your eyes only, so have fun, and don’t let the inner critic throw up roadblocks that show down your creativity.
At this point, you’ll want to start crafting an outline that allows you to place your story and characters in some sort of coherent order. You want to work through the story from start to finish, giving yourself a rough roadmap of how your story will unfold and the characters will develop and change.
Implementing Self-Awareness
Now that you have a story outline, it’s time to review it and utilize self-awareness to strengthen your writing. This is a good point. Take a step back as the writer and look at your story outline as a reader.
What aspects of your story sound too familiar and could be altered to be different than what has been done before? What are the strong points of your story? Are there weak story points or characters that deserve another look? Are there parts of the story that could be cut that don’t impact the narrative? Do all the subplots tie into the main story somehow? Is your main character interesting? Are they actively involved in the story?
I like to complete an outline draft and then walk away, allowing my brain to reflect and subconsciously pick out parts that might need a second look. I jot down notes on my phone or paper as possible changes to strengthen the story outline.
It can be tempting to barrel through with a subpar outline, but that can lead to issues later in the drafting phase that can grind your progress to a halt. And while changes are inevitable, having a strong outline going into the rough draft phase can save you a lot of time and a lot of headaches down the road.
Up Next…
Once you’re ready to write, what aspects of being a self-aware writer are best to use during the rough draft phase and beyond? We’ll talk about it.
We’ve been on quite a journey the past several weeks. From exploring the Beginning of a story through the tumultuous Middle, and to its climactic End, we have seen how these elements combine into a narrative structure that is commonplace in most commercial stories today.
As you develop your story, think about how you can take these different areas and make them your own, creating a powerful, compelling, and intriguing narrative that will grab readers from the start and have them furiously reading until the very last page.
With that in mind, let’s look at a few things to consider as you craft a story.
Plot-Driven of Character-Driven?
What is affecting the main character that is driving them to action? Is it an external or internal force? If it’s an external force, you are dealing with a more plot-driven story. If it’s an internal force, you’re looking at a character-driven one.
Most action movies are plot-driven. There’s an external incident that pushes the main character into action. Steve Rogers doesn’t become Captain America if there’s not a war effort going on. Batman doesn’t jump into action if the Joker doesn’t inflict his criminal insanity on Gotham City. While we do see these characters change due to their external circumstances, they are not driven forward by those internal forces in terms of the story being told.
Dramas and some comedies are more character-driven. An event may spur the main character into action, but they are in control of their circumstances. There may be external forces at work against them, but the hero’s internal drive and internal obstacles are what the audience is banking on. When you watch or read these stories, we watch to see how the hero is impacted internally by what’s happening. American Beauty and Nomadland are two great examples of character-driven drama. We are watching the main character’s internal evolution and how that impacts their external circumstances.
When you sit down to flesh out your story, ask yourself what’s driving your main character forward? Is it an internal motivation or an external force?
Take the Time to Outline
There’s are two terms that writers often use to describe the two types of writers: Plotters and Pantsers. Basically, a Plotter outlines their story; a Pantser throws caution to the wind and “flies by the seat of their pants.” Now, while both are fine, I recommend that before you put pen to paper or start typing your story, you at the very least jot down a basic guide of where the story is going.
Like many writers, I have had an idea for a story and started writing only to lose steam a few pages in? Why? I didn’t take the time to work on a basic guide to see where the story would go and how it might end.
When you plan a road trip, you usually look at a map and decide where you’ll stop for food, gas, a hotel, etc. on your journey. Winging it may result in you getting lost, running out of gas with no station for miles, or turning down a road that leads to nowhere. Not planning ahead in a story can have similar consequences.
I’m not saying you have to detail every single minute detail that happens in each chapter. But you should afford yourself the courtesy of knowing the significant events that will take the story and your characters in a new direction. Are they set in stone? No. But at least you have a story event that you are working toward. If it changes, it changes. But you have a goal to write toward in the meantime.
Ask yourself the basics:
What’s my character doing at the start of the story?
What inciting incident moves them onto a new track and changes their goal?
Who is their antagonist?
What is the antagonist doing to prevent the hero from reaching their goal?
What big turning point occurs that sends them in a new direction in pursuit of that goal?
What event takes place that makes them realize there’s no turning back?
What major event makes them almost give up and lose hope, but they get back up and fight anyway?
How do they confront the antagonist? How do they move forward after achieving their goal?
Now you have a map with major landmarks to write toward.
Don’t Be Afraid to Make Changes
A work of fiction is a living document. Things can be added, cut, changed, removed, or altered in any way they need to serve the story. And that’s the key: everything exists to serve your story.
Your rough draft is “rough” for a reason. You now have a manuscript that you can edit and change to make the story and characters stronger. The drafting process takes time, and as you write more, you’ll find a process that works best for you.
Since it’s your story, instinctually, you will know when something isn’t working, if a character seems out of place and should be removed, or if the dialogue isn’t realistic. Take your time and be brave enough to make the changes that will make your story stronger.
Enjoy the Process
You have to love your story and your characters. That love will shine through on the page. Unless you are writing for an assignment, you have free reign to write whatever you want, however you want, and that means you have the power to control character, story, dialogue, and all the other elements that go into your story.
Writing a novel, a play, a screenplay, even a short story or poem can be a lengthy, time-consuming, and often lonely task. If you loathe what you’re working on, then you won’t get very far. Love your story. Love your protagonist and antagonist. Love your setting and dialogue.
Finding that passion and enjoyment in what you’re writing will go a long way to making sure you not only complete the project but you’re proud of what you wrote and want to dive back in to make it even better the next time around.
If you are having problems with what you’re writing, take a step back and ask why. Why am I now enjoying this? What can I do to make this story more enjoyable and make it less of a task and more of an engaging creative escape?
I encourage all of you the next time you sit down to write – whether it’s a new story or one you’ve been working on – to ask yourself what you love about it and what motivates you to finish it. Then let your creativity and energy go to work.
This series has been a lot of fun, and I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts about story structure with you over the past few months. In two weeks, I’ll be starting a new series, so make sure to stop by and have a look.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you next time!
Check out the entire Story Structure series below:
