So first drafts are the most gruesome part of the writing process (for me). I’m having fun with a novel about Alaska and the first draft went something like this. It’s terrible, I know.

Mundane details, no rhythm, superfluous descriptions, cliche descriptions (up to date) and motivations (why else does one watch the news?). Poor Jacqui has a vegetable consciousness in this draft. Jesus, can you imagine reading 200 pages of that?

Here’s the edit from today, the de facto second draft

Specific, direct, implications enfolded within. It’s almost comical how your focus improves by the second draft (it’d be fully comical if it wasn’t so painful/irksome to the see obvious difference between what you know now and knew then).

So that was gruel.

Draft on.