Monday, February 28, 2011

Letter to your First Draft

This is a version of Writings on the wall. When I am frustrated with a scene, a chapter, a character, a part of the writing process I tend to write letters in my journal to get it out. I naturally do the same with celebrities, it's something I love to do! So today I decided to share one I wrote to my first draft.

First draft,

Take it easy, I'm not used to being in the driver seat (people say it's unsafe). So hear I sit with a good idea (trust me I can see those from a mile away). The problem is that I've written ten thousand words and my main character decides she doesn't want to fall in love with Paul (this will not end well).

Who said she got to decide? I'm the writer, I should get the final say. After all, she wants bad boy Blake and he's not right for her. She insists he's going to change (but we all know he won't). She has the audacity to stomp her feet and tells me to make him perfect in the end complete with his bad boy image (which we know is impossible)!

Her parents would never approve nor would I. Disaster has officially struck and it'd be nice if you'd quit dragging your feet and talk some since into Hannah. Since she doesn't like listening to the writer I'm leaving it to you to tell her to end up with Paul.

Don't talk to me until it's finished, Jen

52 comments:

Karen Baldwin said...

Ha! Ha! Love those voices in our heads.

Anne Gallagher said...

Sounds like the problems I had with Genna and Tony last year. But good guy Pete won in the end because I SAID SO.

Anonymous said...

LOVE THIS!

Melissa said...

Omg Jen. This is hilarious. But then, you know how much I love your letters. :P

Laura Pauling said...

Always the question - go in a new direction or realize your original idea was right and take control!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Did it help?

Kristi said...

LOL!!! I'm with Alex, did it work??? Maybe I need to try this method!

Unknown said...

It worked!!! As soon as I wrote the letter it's like everyone finally listened to me and decided it was a good idea to press on. Who knew stepping out of the equation would pay off.

I vote that everyone give this a try!

Unknown said...

Ha! This cracked me up. :)

Jess said...

This is hilarious and touching and so true--sometimes it feels like the characters are taking over :) I love the ending--"don't talk to me until it's finished." Another great post!

Christine Fonseca said...

I just love this post!

Erica Mitchell said...

Too funny! You're letter's are adorable and so much fun. I'll have to give it a try even though my current method seems to work. I just kill my characters off and then bring them back to life when they don't behave. They learn pretty quick ;) It's a tad dramatic, I admit. Characters having their own voice can get crazy in your mind and any good release is worth a try to clear the clutter and get it all back in line.
Only writers really understand that the characters DO feel seperate and/or are real people ;)

Ellie Garratt said...

LOL. So funny and so true. I do this type of thing all the time, just in my head!

Ellie Garratt

Elena Solodow said...

Wait, wait, wait - you can actually GET your novel to do work for you? This is new to me : )

Luna said...

I should totally try this!

Unknown said...

Hi Jen,
I have added you to my bloglist. I hope that you will do the same!
always enjoy your musings! you keep me on target!
thanks

Janet Johnson said...

Haha! Great letter. Those silly first drafts. They think they're so smart! :)

Stina said...

Too funny. Usually it's my characters tell me how things are going to go, not the other way round. I usually listen to them because they seem to know what they're talking about. :)

Michelle Merrill said...

Jen, you write the best letters...Jules would be proud, I'm sure :) I really think I might take up this practice. I give into my character's too easy. They should have to fight for the path they want!

Christine Danek said...

You tell that first draft whose boss. Cute.

Joann Swanson said...

Haha! Don't you love it when characters go their own way, with or without you?

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Ooh, characters with their own agendas. What is up with that? That second draft will show her. LOL

Great letter!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

LOL. You are so dang cute!! :-)

Nicole Zoltack said...

lol Our characters love to make life difficult for us, don't they?

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Do characters actually listen to anyone? That's hard to believe.
Thanks for the laugh and good luck.addedfur

Tracey Neithercott said...

This is a great idea! I'm with the others: did it work?

I think my letter to my first draft would be so mean the computer would cry. I'd write a love note after revisions. :)

Robert Guthrie said...

How fantastic that you treat a draft, a novel, like the being that it is!

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

LOL! I love this. I usually have these conversations in my head, but maybe I should start writing them down. :)

Jai Joshi said...

Haha, sounds like you need to scrap Hannah and find a more sensible MC, or at least someone who becomes more sensible and ends up with Paul.

Jai

nutschell said...

This is fun! I should try doing this as I'm about to embark on another first draft.

Also, thanks for visiting my blog last week.:P It truly brightened up my day! I hope your week is fun and productive!

Talli Roland said...

Haha! And did your first draft listen?

Jen said...

LOL! This is too funny! I'm going to have to try this...all of my characters are unruly lately!!

Diana said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting. I a new follower.

This is why I can't plot. My characters always seem to know different and steer me off course.

Lindsay said...

Ha ha. My characters tend to think they run the show at times too ;)

Jennifer Hillier said...

Those disobedient characters! Put her in her place, Jen!

(or, perhaps give her what she wants... for a little while... then throw a wrench into it.)

Colene Murphy said...

HA! I LOVE your letters!!

Jillian said...

oh Jen ... these are the very reasons I do so enjoy stopping by your blog.

Thank you for yet another fabulous little peek inside the mind of a crazy ... I mean brilliant... writer!!

<3

Golden Eagle said...

I love that! :D

Theresa Milstein said...

Ha! The contentious relationshop between writers and their first drafts.

Abby Minard said...

Haha, love it! Love your letters!

Samantha Sotto said...

LOL! :D

Meredith said...

Too cute! Those silly characters with minds and hearts of their own! :)

Wild Child said...

Ha, ha, I think I'm going to write a letter to my book. I'm very frustrated with it for taking this looooonnngg!

@NakedOpinions

Lacey Devlin said...

LOL!

Kari Marie said...

Fantastic!

Romantic Dinner said...

OH Wow Great your idea and nice article used in your letter. thanks for best sharing !!haha

Michelle in a shell said...

Great idea! I should consider doing this for my frustrations (there are plenty of them!)

Barbara said...

Hi, popped over from "Tossing it Out", I thought I say hello, great to meet you! Looking forward to taking part in the challenge next month.

alexia said...

Ha! Love this. A common quandary. That's why your MC has a fling with the bad boy, but ends up with the right one. Have your cake and eat it, too :)

Hannah said...

I never thought about doing this! I'm going to try it tonight!! Thanks for the tip!

Unknown said...

What great story i love this post and i will say to thank you for the attractive posting.

Restaurants Brugge

Unknown said...

Thanks for the posting you are great job for the visitors.

Travel Links