How I Write Novels, Part 2: Writing the First Draft
Last week I shared how I prep to write a first draft. Today I’m sharing how I actually get the draft written.
(You might want to grab a mug of something cozy, as this one’s a bit of a longer read. I’m partial to tea myself!)
Once I’ve gone through my pre-writing process—figured out the genre, mapped out major beats, gotten to know my protagonist, and jotted down some potential scenes—I’m ready to begin the first draft.
I don’t plan out everything (as I talked about in last week’s newsletter), because I like to leave room to discover parts of the story as I go. But when I sit down to write each day, I want to generally know what scene I’m working on. That structure helps me move forward without getting stuck.
Building a Sustainable Routine
Before I ever type “Chapter One,” I schedule my writing time. I look at my calendar and figure out a small, consistent goal. For example, if I’m starting a draft on June 1st, I’ll map out the next three months and say: Okay, I’ll aim to write for 20 minutes a day, every weekday, for the next three months.
I look ahead for vacations or busy periods, make notes, and build a routine that feels doable. I’ve found that 20 minutes a day is a sweet spot for me as a working mom with a baby and a day job. For others, it might be 10 or even 5 minutes. What matters is not how long, but that it’s consistent and realistic. It’s a small goal, not a minimum requirement—a goal that helps me build momentum.
I also weave in longer writing sessions with friends, specifically Zoom sessions on Friday afternoons, or in-person writing dates on Mondays. I love writing in community, and these longer stretches balance out the shorter weekday sessions.
Still, the foundation of my drafting process is this small, sustainable daily writing habit.
My Rules for the First Draft
Once I start writing, my main rule is: write fast and don’t look back. I don’t let myself edit or reread anything I’ve written. I try hard not to judge what’s coming out. That judgment voice still shows up sometimes, but I have a few tricks to quiet it.
One thing that helps: I celebrate milestones.
5,000 words. 10,000 words. 15,000. I love numbers divisible by five.
Cheering myself on at each milestone helps keep me moving forward, even when it’s hard.
I also count everything. Brainstorming, character notes, outlining on the page—all of it goes into the same document, and all of it counts toward my word count. A typical writing session might look like this:
“Okay, she’s going to talk to the ex-wife here. Why might the ex-wife be the killer? Hmm… maybe they had a financial dispute? Or maybe she found out something the victim was hiding…”
That thinking-on-the-page helps me stay in motion. It’s messy, but it keeps the story alive in my head. When I go back for revisions, I shape those brainstorms into actual scenes.
Letting It Be Messy
My first drafts are always underwritten—dialogue is flat, description is minimal. I’m still getting to know the characters, and I let that be okay. If I realize mid-draft that I need a new side character, I don’t go back to add them in, I just note it and write forward as if they’ve always been there.
The same goes for subplots or new ideas. I keep everything in one place (usually a single Scrivener project) so it’s easy to track. It’s essentially a giant brain dump, part story and part thought process. That helps me get the full shape of the novel down without getting derailed by perfectionism.
Because I write mysteries, I have a general sense of the beats I need to hit: interviews with suspects, a second dead body, a moment where the protagonist is threatened, and eventually, a showdown with the killer. Knowing my genre helps me figure out when I’ve reached The End because I know what plot points I need to hit before I get to that point.
(For an overview of typical beats in a novel, plus specifics for different genres, I recommend reading Save the Cat Writes a Novel. It’s a great resource for figuring out the key beats to aim for in your story.)
The Ending, And What Comes Next
Eventually, I reach a point where my protagonist solves the mystery—either through a moment of clarity or through a piece of evidence falling into place. Interestingly, I don’t always know the killer’s identity from the start. Sometimes I figure it out halfway through. Other times, I know the ending but not how she gets there.
Either way, I know it’s time to wrap things up when most of the story’s big questions have been answered (or I have brainstorming notes about how I should think about answering the big questions).
When I finish a first draft, I celebrate. Not in a big, splashy way—more like I take a deep breath, maybe treat myself to a good book, and feel proud that I made it to the end. (I could probably do a better job of celebrating in a big, splashy way!)
Then I take a break. A real one. Not months away from the book, that’s too much time for me, but a solid week or two to let the story settle. That break gives me space and distance so I can come back to the draft with fresh eyes. I know some writers recommend taking months off between drafts, but I like to keep my process moving. A couple of weeks is the sweet spot for me.
Next week, I’ll share how I edit a messy first draft into something I’d actually let another human read.
Until then: Have you tried fast drafting? Or are you more of an edit-as-you-go writer? I’d love to hear how you approach your first drafts. Let me know in the comments!
I am not a mother but someone who writes for pleasure with no aim of being published. Thanks very much for elucidating your process. Most inspiring. This has given me a lot of encouragement.