Writing advice and 80's Metal: Harder Faster

“Ooh Harder, faster! 
Yeah, that’s what I need ‘cause
Now that’s what I’m after” - Blackie Lawless

The first draft is where your creative mind is allowed to go bonkers. Even if you’re working from an outline, you’ll come up with characters and situations you didn’t plan for. Some of these will feel completely organic and enhance the story beyond what you planned. 

(Note: Others will eventually get cut because they make no goddamned sense, but that’s another post entirely).

In my case, the potential pitfall isn’t coming up with these unexpected elements. It’s slowing down to accommodate them.

For me, the first draft of anything is a mad dash to the end. Revision has always been a harder, more time consuming job. That seems to be the case no matter how much time I spend on draft one. The best use of my time is to make sure that first draft takes as little of it as possible. 

So, yeah. I may love that new character’s attitude, outlook, and backstory. And when I have the time, I’ll write a whole bunch of new scenes and dialogue to make it look like he was always there from the jump. 

But for now?

For now I’m just going to attach that sonofabitch to the story with the narrative equivalent of baling wire, duct tape, and angry curse words. If he’s still hanging on when I get to the finish line, I’ll figure out how to make him a permanent fixture in draft two. If he’s not, then he probably wasn’t worth holding on to anyway.

​I’ll leave Mr. Blackie Lawless and W.A.S.P. to have the final word:
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