Wednesday, 21 April 2010

WIP Wednesday - Draft Dodger

Dear First Draft,

I appreciate that you don't 'do' perfection and that your purpose is to get the story down on paper regardless of pretty words or sensible sentences. But leading someone into a lair (I know it's an undertakers, but seriously!!!) and following it by having a character say our MC has a 'similar, vicious soul' to the big bad of the book when she quite clearly doesn't and never did have. I think I just vomited... Or rather, you did.

Your 'sixteenth chapter' sucks big time.

Cate xxxx

PS On second thoughts, the kisses are removed.


Dear Second Draft in Progress,

You know removing 'lair' and 'vicious soul' is okay, but you really haven't got to grips with what's happening in this scene. It's all blah-blah-BeingDeathisPoop-blah-ScaryManDoesn'tUnderstandMe-Blah-IDon'tUnderstandMe-SeveralMoreParagraphsofBlah.

Cate

PS You've yet to earn your kisses.

15 comments:

Andrea Allison said...

Awww don't be so hard on them. They're doing the best they can. I'm sure Third Draft will fly in and save the day.

Katey said...

Not gonna lie-- I like both the idea of a lair, and a "similar, vicious soul".

I suppose I would, though.

Cate Gardner said...

I'm aiming for Draft Nineteen perfection.

Katey - in your book they'd be beautiful things; in this, not so good. Though at least no one's sparkling despite an abundance of frost.

Anthony Rapino said...

I don't think I've *ever* achieved perfection. Even after a dozen rewrites and the passage of years, I'll go back and spot stuff I want to change.

Cate Gardner said...

Me neither, but we can pretend it's possible.

Fox Lee said...

That's right: you make those drafts woo you!

Simon said...

Keep on trucking, lady. You'll get there in the end... (hopefully)

Aaron Polson said...

Third draft waits expectantly in the wings...

Alan W. Davidson said...

Dear Cate, I hope you're first draft comes to its senses. I also hope your second draft gets a handle on its angst.

India Drummond said...

I laughed about the "kiss removal". That draft totally deserved it though.

Kara McElhinny said...

Cate, don't worry it will come. I know there have been days where I'm moping around trying to figure out WTF is wrong with the chapter/scene/paragraph... I know it's not right, it's not coming together but eventually it does.

Good luck with your chapter. I know it'll be great. :D

Jamie Eyberg said...

It isn't as bad as it seems. It rarely is. :)

Corinne said...

I sympathise so hard. I'm terrified to get back to my own first draft. *shudder*

Best of luck! I have complete faith you can do this <3

Cate Gardner said...

Natalie, they should I think.

Simon, you'd think so.

Aaron, it's itching to kick this draft's butt.

Alan, it's looking like a no.

It did, India.

Hinny, my chapter disagrees.

Jamie, I'll admit by the morning light it was slightly prettier - lair aside.

Cory, first drafts start off so well and then they just fade into nonsense (for me).

Danielle Birch said...

I'm into my second draft at the moment and some of it doesn't sound fit to be part of the first draft.