Beginning Again: Starting the Next Draft

Always a pleasure to introduce a new author at JPC Allen Writes. Kim Garee is a member of my local chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers and a fellow Buckeye. Her debut novel, Pressed Together, is historical fiction, set in rural Ohio right after World War II. When Kim told me the agonies she was having with her next book, I knew exactly what she meant, and I’m glad to share her post “Beginning Again: Starting the Next Draft”

A story captures my imagination, and putting it down on paper is exhilarating! It moves from my head to the page in a mixture of magic and sweat. 

Not incidentally, my first novel launches next week! Its sequel, due to release in December, just became a complete first draft as of last week, and both of these milestones have me thinking about beginnings.

We always hear there are as many ways to begin a novel as there are writers. Lately, I’ve had the chance to consider, for the first time, whether the same might be true for the second draft (i.e., revisiting the gory scene of the first draft splatter).

One might suppose, with my first book on shelves in a week, that I’ve walked the Second Draft Path at least once. This is where I’m a little odd, though, and it’s okay to be appalled by this next confession. See, I wrote the first draft of Pressed Together roughly fifteen years ago, printed it to proofread, remembered I had zero connections in book publishing, and put the manuscript away. For years. 

When the story haunted me, I dragged it out again and reread that first draft and, predictably, said, “Oh, no. This won’t do. I can do much better now.” So, I opened a blank document and wrote the novel all over again, from scratch. That’s right. I did that. 

Then, I did it again a few years later, after it had once more gathered cyber dust. I actually opened a new doc and wrote it all over again. No edits to an existing doc like a sane person but, instead, re-birthing the entire plot. 

Long story (stories) short, it’s being published now. All’s well that ends well, right?

Wrong.

Now, I have a brand new first draft of the sequel, and it needs revision. This time, I do not have the luxury of years to indulge my creative eccentricity. This time, I have a very real deadline. I have to edit the thing. 

I suppose I never know what’s going to work for me until I jump in. I’ve heard some good advice from other veterans, like: 

• Save the first draft as its own copy so you don’t feel squeamish about deleting large passages you might regret losing later.
• Read for “big” things, not line edits, this time through. Are characters and settings consistent? Are the scenes doing what they’re supposed to?

I’d really love to hear from other writers about approaching that second draft. In the spirit of exchange, I’ll share this little strategy that I think is working surprisingly well for me the last couple of days. I’ve been taking long, boring walks in the woods with my Voice Memo app open on my phone. I’ve been thinking through the story, wondering how things are proceeding from the perspective of different characters. As I have a realization of something that needs to be eliminated or beefed up in this next draft, I simply mumble it into my phone. 

What I have now are dozens of fragmented, crazy voice memos that sound like, “Don’t forget, kids would be ice skating on the Little Lake in that second-to-last scene.” These breathless memos are accompanied by the sound of squeaky hiking boots and crunching leaves.

Now I’m typing these little epiphanies ahead of the chapters to which they relate, and then I’ll at least tackle the next draft with those big picture reminders in place. 

Anyway, here’s to resisting the urge to open another brand-new doc, and here’s to beginning again. What’s it look like for you?

*****

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Pressed Together (Book 1 of the Together Series) Blurb:

World War II is over at last, and the pier amusement park at Buckeye Lake, the “Playground of Ohio,” is lit up, loud, and ready to welcome a summer of better days. The energy of dance hall and roller coaster, though, is disorienting for Sgt. Drew Mathison, weary from battle and trying to track down the one man who can testify in his brother’s murder trial.

He’s not in the mood to celebrate when he simply cannot find that witness. Especially when he suspects Emily Graham, publisher of the Buckeye Lake Beacon, is hiding him. Doesn’t she understand the danger the fugitive has brought to Buckeye Lake?

Determined to save her childhood friend, the beautiful and quirky young woman manages to frustrate not just Drew but her family and community as she tries to fix a whole host of problems by herself.

As Drew and Emily square off amidst secrets and a dangerous game of hide-and-seek, falling in love might be the only way to save the summer … and another life.

*****