The KnightWriting Drafting Process

For lots of writers, “writing a book” simply means getting to the end of a draft. Finishing a first draft is a huge accomplishment, but it is not the final destination–it’s one step in a longer process. Lots of writers put way too much pressure on their first drafts, which typically leads to underdeveloped manuscripts and abandoned projects. I’ve talked a lot about why it’s important for fiction writers to embrace the drafting process, but what does that even look like?

Today, I’m here to give you an in-depth look at my own personal drafting process. I’ll be showing you the step-by-step process I follow, from the moment an idea first crops up in my mind to the work I complete between drafts. So, without further ado, let’s talk through the KnightWriting process for drafting a fully developed manuscript, from start to finish.

A Quick Note Before We Begin

This blog details my personal drafting process, but it’s likely that what works for me won’t work for everybody. If you’ve ever listened to the popular Writer’s Routine Podcast, you’ll know that writers approach their craft from a variety of perspectives. Some writers sit down every day and write for a pre-determined period of time, whereas others write in stolen moments scattered throughout their busy schedules. 

Similarly, you’ll find that one writer might approach drafting from a wildly different perspective than another. While I’m a staunch believer that writers should have some sort of drafting process, the particulars of that process will change from writer to writer. I’m sharing the process that works best for my brain and lifestyle, and I hope that you can take what you need from it and leave the rest on the page.

Now, let’s get into what you came here for. I’ve broken my drafting process down into steps, which I’ve illustrated using the metaphor of cooking a meal. Many of the steps in my process include more than just the act of writing–I also like to complete projects between drafts to help me flesh out my story and support my work on the next draft. When developing this process, I took tons of inspiration from two other writers’ advice, detailed in The 10 Revision Stages of a Novel and The Drafts Your Novel Needs. Be sure to check them out if you want more ideas for developing your own drafting process. 

Pre-Writing Work: Building Your Grocery List

In the writing world, people often break themselves into two categories: plotters and pantsers. Plotters complete detailed outlines, meticulously mapping each of the events in their story before ever putting pen to paper. Pantsers fly by the seat of their pants–they sit down to write with a vague idea and a dream, trusting that everything will flesh out on the page.

I’ve found myself to be some hellish combination of these two pre-determined categories–and I’d venture to say that many other authors fall into the same camp. I need some planning, and I usually know my basic story beats before beginning to draft, but there are some things I just. don’t. know. until I go through the messy work of drafting. 

That said, I can’t go to the store without a grocery list, so I like to do a little bit of story development before I begin to draft. During this step, we’re simply planning out what we’re gonna cook–and developing a plan to help us get started. Here are the steps I like to complete before I start actually writing anything:

• Gathering materials: I’m old fashioned, and I find it helpful to actually put pen to paper in these early stages. Before getting started on a new project, I’ll usually make sure I have two journals: one to write notes and ideas in (though, truthfully, many of my ideas end up getting dumped into the notes app on my phone) and one for draft zero. Since these journals will be my near-constant companions over the next few months, I like to make sure they’re portable, aesthetically pleasing, and comfortable to write in.

• 30 minute brainstorming session: Once I have a general idea, I like to flesh it out in a brief but focused brainstorming session. I set a 30 minute timer and just start writing without thinking or worrying too much about coherence. I usually end up writing a simple bullet-pointed outline, but this could also look like a mind map or even a long, stream-of-consciousness paragraph. Whatever medium you choose, just make sure it feels natural to you.

• The one-page synopsis: Next, I take all of that brainstorming and try to condense it into a cohesive, concise one-page synopsis. Fitting the story idea into one page is usually pretty challenging, but I find that the constraint forces me to get to the heart of the story and lay out the bare essential plot points. I also write a synopsis between each of my drafts so I can see how the story changes and develops.

For me, a draft zero feels like grocery shopping on a Sunday night. It’s crowded, disorienting, and I’m not sure what’ll end up in my cart by the end–but I know it’ll be enough to make a meal.

Draft Zero: Grocery Shopping

Next, it’s time to grab our ingredients. There are probably people who go to the store with their detailed grocery list, only grabbing the items on that list–I’m looking at you, plotters. I am not one of them. I like to have a plan, but I often end up grabbing extra stuff as inspiration strikes.

This is kind of how my draft zero tends to go. I have an idea of where I want to go, but I often end up with way more in my cart than I’d originally planned. I think my meals taste better for it, but that’s just me. 

During this draft, I try not to worry about anything other than putting words on the page. They don’t have to sound good, or even make sense to anybody but me, because I’m the only one who will ever read it. Often, key plot points, character descriptions, and even character names change as this draft develops. Check out Anne Lamott’s Shitty First Drafts for further reading on this topic. 

This is probably my most transformative draft, and the key is to resist the impulse to go back and change the beginning as things develop in the middle. It might sound counter-intuitive, but focus on nothing but getting to the end. You can fix everything in your next draft. If you need to, jot down revision ideas in a journal.

Truth Time

For the longest time, I was never able to get through this draft. I’d get caught in the perfectionist hamster wheel, constantly revising the beginning as things changed in the middle. I’d end up with the first quarter of a beautifully written story, but I could never move forward. 

Then, I had a life-changing idea. I decided to try hand-writing my draft zero, thereby forcing myself to write without revising. I didn’t go back and edit because I couldn’t. For the first time ever, I finished a full draft of a novel. You don’t have to hand-write draft zero, but I suggest trying it out if you struggle with perfectionism.

During draft one, all I have to do is focus on transcribing draft zero. As I go, I typically make additions, move things around, and clean up prose.

Draft One: Mise En Place

In the culinary world, this concept comes from the French term meaning “everything in its place.” Put simply, it means to prep and organize all of your ingredients before you begin to cook. You’ll notice that we’re not cooking quite yet, but we’re getting closer! 

During this draft, I simply transcribe my hand-written draft zero, making changes as I go. Similar to the previous draft, you should try to keep moving forward in the story without getting too bogged down in the details, but you’ll likely start cleaning up prose and smoothing out plot discrepancies as you write. 

To keep things moving forward, I like to jot down ideas and inspiration as they come up, either in a separate document or notebook. Some things I like to keep in mind include:

• Sub-plot ideas

• Through lines 

• Things to go back and include later

Draft One Homework

Before draft two, I like to complete some post-drafting homework. This helps me to process through draft one and to prepare for draft two. You’ll see this step crop up at the end of (nearly) every draft in the rest of my process. Here are the steps I like to complete for draft one:

• Annotate draft one: I like to print out draft one and read the entire thing from start to finish, annotating by hand as I go.

• Write a new one-page synopsis: Next, I’ll write a new one-page synopsis of the story. Pay attention to which essential plot points end up in the synopsis–and what you cut out for space. This might point toward things that can be trimmed in the next draft.

• Create a timeline: Now that the story is starting to take shape, I like to create a detailed timeline. Often, this covers every major event from the beginning of my protagonist’s life to the end of the story–even those events that don’t end up in the text itself. Usually, my timeline will span farther, encompassing events that happened before my protagonist was born.

• Create a plot outline: Lastly, I find it helpful to take a look at my story from a plot arc perspective. I use the three-act structure to outline my story chapter-by-chapter. This helps me to see which plot points I’m hitting and where.

During draft two, things should start to come together–but they won’t be filling yet.

Draft Two: Building a Flavor Base

Now, it’s time to start cooking. Add some oil to your pot and start sautéing your aromatics–think onions, garlic, shallots, etc. Things should start smelling good, but we wouldn’t call this a meal. 

Referencing your supporting materials from draft one, re-write the story from start to finish. Edit as you go, keeping in mind:

• Scene structure and balance

• Vocabulary and style choices

• Pacing and tension

Try to keep moving forward, but it’s okay to do a little bit of jumping around to perfect your prose and smooth out plot issues. As always, add ideas and inspiration as they come up.

Draft Two Homework

• Annotate draft two: Again, you’ll print out this draft, read, and annotate from start to finish. In particular, I like to make notes on aspects of world building and characterization that need to be developed and/or researched more.

• Major Character work: The next draft is going to be heavily character-focused, so I like to complete a few mini projects to start deepening my characters. For each major character, I like to complete the following: diary entries; character interviews; character arc analyses; character viewpoint synopses for non-POV characters; and personality tests (MBTI, DISC, Enneagram, etc.).

• World building: Next, I like to try to add some depth to my story by doing some in-depth research into the mechanics of my world. I like to use this resource to make sure I’m covering all of my bases.

• Timeline and plot outline: Lastly, I like to update–or even completely rewrite–the timeline and plot outline I completed after draft one.

Draft Three: Adding the Bulk

Next, it’s time to add the things that make our stories filling: complex characters and world building. For the purpose of our metaphor, this would be the stage where we add our proteins, hearty vegetables, and starches. 

Re-write draft two, referencing your supporting materials. Focus on deepening character arcs, smoothing out inconsistencies in characterization, and making sure everything makes sense in your world. Pay particular attention to realism in your seasons, settings, magic systems, political dynamics, cultural customs, etc.

The three-act structure is heavily utilized throughout my drafting process. I find that it really helps me to visualize the rise and fall of my story and to ensure that I’m hitting all of the major plot points in the right places.

Draft Three Homework

• Annotate draft three: Again, print out and annotate draft three by hand. Go through with a fine-toothed comb, keeping an eye on plot, themes, characterization, relationships, and clunky prose.

• Side Character Work: Some of the best stories have memorable and complex side characters. It’s one of the things that will keep your world and story feeling round and satisfying. For each of your relevant side characters, write a diary entry and character interview to add depth and complexity.

• Timeline and plot outline: Again, I like to go through and update my timeline and outline to account for any changes made during draft three.

Draft Four: Simmering the Stew

All of our ingredients are in the pot–now it’s time to bring them together. Give this draft time to simmer, deepening flavor and complexity. Sometimes, I even like to work through this draft backwards, which allows me to see the story from a different vantage point.

Whatever your approach, be sure to take your time with this one. I like to call this draft the Darling Killer–things are really taking shape, but it’s time to render out the fat. While referencing your annotated draft and supporting materials, re-write draft three. Go scene by scene, circling back as many times as you need to perfect everything. Focus on:

• Sub-plots, symbolism, and themes

• Layered characters, nuanced relationships, and deepening side characters

• Dynamic dialogue

• Perfecting plot arcs

• Improving prose by cutting out cliches, clunky descriptions, repetition, lazy adverbs, and sentences that are “telling” instead of “showing”

Draft Five: Season to Taste

Finally, it’s time to share your dish–with a few trusted diners. Take a one-month break from your work. Take a walk, touch some grass, and give yourself some space from the story. In the meantime, let a few trusted friends and family read your work and give you some feedback. When you’re ready, annotate your story once more in light of the thoughts of your readers. 

Re-write draft four once more, adjusting your seasonings based on the feedback of your readers. You’ll likely find that you can see things more clearly after taking some time to breathe.

If you feel like you’re editing in circles, it might be time to seek professional help.

But What if I’m Still Not Done?

What do you do if something doesn’t feel quite right, even after you’ve completed five drafts? Maybe you can’t put your finger on what’s off, but you know that your story still needs some work. Maybe you’ve tried to query agents, but you’re not getting any takers. 

 If this happens to you, don’t despair! This might just mean it’s time to call in the big guns. If you’re stuck on the never-ending revision hamster wheel, it could be helpful to seek out the help of a professional editor. While the advice of friends and family are immensely valuable, a professional developmental editor will be able to see your work from a new vantage point, helping you to untangle your plot and make things work a bit better. If you’re interested in developmental editing services, consider checking out KnightWriting, where you can learn about my education, services, and experience in the field of creative writing.