It is easy for new writers to assume that writing happens spontaneously. Inspiration can strike at any time and the all the writer must do is put pen to paper. But that is a naive assumption. Most writing involves a large number of drafts, depending on the project and the writer. But for the purposes of this article I will be discussing the stages of the drafting process.
There are three distinct types or stages of drafts: Creative drafts, Editing and Shaping drafts, and Polishing drafts. Creative drafts include blueprints, free writing, note taking, daydreaming, and outlining, and getting ALL the words on the page. The editing and shaping drafts include revisioning and refining ideas, moving paragraphs around, cutting out unnecessary elements and defining the why. The polishing drafts consist of smoothing out the wrinkles, creating clear sentences, effective transitions, and of course grammar and punctuation. Each stage can involve many, many drafts.
Writing can be compared to building a house. It begins with a blueprint, a basic design. Where will the kitchen be located, the bathrooms and bedrooms? While a blueprint is a detailed suggestion, it also offers a starting point for bringing an idea into its most basic manifestation. The blueprint for a piece of writing can vary widely from writer to writer. For some a blueprint may look like a detailed outline, for another a smattering of notes on a napkin and for others still, it is merely a shadowy idea that takes shape only in the mind. Once the writer has a blueprint the foundation can be laid.
The initial draft of writing is like preparing the ground, pouring the footings, smoothing out the concrete floor. This includes deciding what the writing will involve, what story will be told, who is in the story and where it takes place. This can be followed by a quick raising of the walls and rafters. It happens fast and so does a first draft. But as such, it is usually messy, unprocessed, and incomplete. Sawdust gets everywhere, nails and screws litter the worksite, the wood is raw, unfinished with nails exposed. The roof is quickly placed and covered with tarpaper to keep the house from falling apart in the wind and damaged by rain or snow. The full first draft has a beginning, a middle and an end. It has its walls raised up and a roof overhead. It is effectively weather-proofed for the slow, drafting of the next layers.
Imagine a beautiful house perfectly constructed and lovely to behold but the lights didn’t turn on, the toilets didn’t flush, the stove wouldn’t light and so on. It’s pretty to look at but is essentially nonfunctional. Writing needs to be functional. It needs to serve a purpose. This stage of drafting is for editing and shaping. It must answer some basic questions: What will the reader learn? How will the reader be changed or impacted? What is being communicated and why? The house needs the electrical wiring, piping for the plumbing and getting gas lines in place but they need to be installed properly to be useful. This part of the drafting process can feel the most laborious and be the most time intensive. The pipes and wires are hidden inside the walls. They are unseen but vital to the function of the house. This middle part of drafting is often the least gratifying because all the work remains largely invisible to the reader, but so too is vital for the writing to be functional.
When all of that is complete only then can the house enter the finishing stages. Sheetrock and paint, installing fixtures, doors, carpets, trim and casings are all components that create a finished, clean look. To enter the polishing stage of drafting, the writing is read aloud and more questions are answered. Does it flow? Does it have readability? Are the transitions smooth? By listening to the piece out loud it is easier avoid repetition, spot those clunky phrases, and check for sentence structure, punctuation and grammar.
Every draft in every stage is necessary. The finished product may look simple to the untrained eye, just as someone unfamiliar with construction will assume that building a house is simpler than it is in reality. Learning to draft is essential to bring your writing to the next level. Each person’s process is unique and discovering what your process is all about, will help you determine the best drafting method for your work. Some pieces can be created in just a few drafts others can take hundreds of drafts to get it right. It really all depends on whether you are building a shed or cathedral.
