When I published Writing Secret 9: Keep Your Writing Clean As You Write, the feedback surprised me. Many of my fellow nonfiction writers write a lot before they get internal feedback.
That might be right for them. It's not right for me.
I finally understood why I write differently. I think of each iteration as a prototype, not a draft. That means I need to assess the prototype as I proceed, until I'm ready to put the prototype out for larger review or publication.
That's why I cycle so frequently, to clarify my meaning (and maybe some words). But I don't edit until the end.
Prototypes are not the same as drafts.
Prototypes vs. Drafts
A prototype allows the reader to understand what the heck I wrote. I am my first reader, which is why I cycle to clarify or continue.
Many writers want to get “all” their thoughts down on paper before they clarify.
If that works for them, terrific. Every writer is different and writes the way they like.
But because I think of my writing as a prototype, I need to clarify as I go, so I can have a coherent piece at the end. (That's me. It might not be you.)
Here are my problems with writing “everything” down first:
- I have way too many ideas. Too many ideas is not the problem—sticking them all in one piece is the problem. Most likely, I have enough ideas for several pieces or several chapters.
- I didn't allow for thinking and learning as I write. I wish I knew everything when I start to write. Never. (See
Writing Secret 4: Effective Nonfiction Writers Cycle Between Writing, Thinking, & Learning.) Even when I've offered workshops about the topic at hand, I always learn when I write. - If I think I know everything, then I get bored writing. You, my dear readers, can tell that.
That's why I don't write drafts, per se. I write prototypes. (And I had no idea I did that until I read your comments!)
How Prototype Thinking Helps Me Finish
Because I think in prototypes, I get to decide how much “polishing” to do before someone reads the piece. Because I cycle about every 300-600 words, and I know this is a prototype, I can clarify or reorganize in small chunks. I don't have a huge manuscript to review. The work is small.
Because the work is small, I can continue forward to finish the piece.
And because I consider the progress so far as a prototype, I don't have to keep it. If I started “wrong,” I can restart it. Or reorganize it. As long as the piece has enough coherence, I can continue. Prototype thinking helps me create coherence, as I clarify.
That small thinking (right-sizing the work I do as a writer) helps me continue. Continuing helps me finish.
Writers Decide What Works for Them
My writing way is not your writing way. Each of us gets to decide. And we might experiment as we decide.
Prototype or draft thinking might not make a difference for you. Prototype means something different to me. It's all in how the outcomes drive your behavior.
If you want to experiment with me, please see Writing Workshop 1: Free Your Inner Writer & Sell Your Nonfiction Ideas. You still have time to register for the next workshop, which starts May 19. I hope you decide to join us.
(If you are thinking about any kind of freelancing/consulting, you will need to write to differentiate yourself through your writing. Check out the workshop.)
See all the posts in this intermittent series of “writing secrets.”