Drafting Your Way to Great Writing: The Importance of Writing Multiple Drafts
Drafting Your Way to Great Writing: The Importance of Writing Multiple Drafts
So write another draft.
From Creative Writing Workshops to Medium: Why Writing Drafts Is Essential for Producing High-Quality Content
You are a young aspiring writer who has just received a mysterious message from a renowned author inviting you to a secret writing workshop. When you arrive, you find yourself in a dimly lit room with other writers. The author introduces themselves and explains that they have a unique writing exercise to help you understand the importance of writing drafts.
They hand each of you a small notebook and a pen and instruct you to write a short story, no longer than 500 words, in just 30 minutes. Naturally, you panic, knowing that your writing process usually involves multiple drafts, but you do your best to develop something quickly.
Once the time is up, the author asks everyone to read their stories out loud. You listen intently as each writer shares their work, and you’re impressed by the creativity and depth of their stories. But then, when it’s your turn, you stumble over your words and feel embarrassed by the roughness of your first draft.
The author nods knowingly and then asks everyone to take out a fresh sheet of paper. “Now, I want you to take ten minutes and revise your story,” they say. “Think about the characters, the plot, the setting. What can you add? What can you take away? Make it better.”
You take a deep breath and start to work on your revisions. As the minutes tick by, you get lost in the story, adding new details and refining your ideas. Then, when the ten minutes are up, you feel proud of your changes.
The author then instructs everyone to swap papers with someone else in the room. “Now, take another ten minutes and revise someone else’s story,” they say. “See if you can make it better.”
You read the story before you and start making suggestions, seeing things the writer didn’t. Then, finally, you add some dialogue here, delete some sentences, and hand the paper back to its owner when the time is up.
The author then has everyone read their revised stories aloud, and you’re amazed at each piece’s transformation. Even your own story has improved significantly with just a few simple revisions.
The author smiles at the group. “This is why writing drafts are so important,” they say. “Your first draft is just the beginning. It’s a starting point that lets you write your ideas down on paper. But it’s your revisions that make your story come to life. So don’t be afraid to write multiple drafts. It’s the only way to perfect your work truly.”
The author then hands each of you a fresh sheet of paper and tells you you have one more task for the workshop. “Now, take what you’ve learned and write a final story draft,” they say. “You have one hour. Make it the best it can be.”
You start writing, feeling inspired by the feedback you received and the knowledge that multiple drafts are essential to good writing. You carefully consider each word and sentence, refining your ideas and tightening your prose.
As you write, the room falls silent, the only sound the scratching of pens on paper. The tension builds as the minutes tick by, and you realize you’re in a state of flow, completely lost in your writing.
When the hour is up, the author collects everyone’s final drafts and announces that they will read one aloud to the group. They select your story, and you feel excitement and nerves as they begin to read.
As they read, they realize this final draft is the best thing you’ve ever written. It’s tight and polished, with vivid characters and a compelling plot. When they finish, the room erupts into applause.
The author smiles at you. “See what you can accomplish when you take the time to revise and refine your work?” they say. “Writing drafts is the key to great writing. Don’t ever forget that.”
As the workshop ends, the other writers come up to you to congratulate you on your final draft. You realize you’ve learned a valuable lesson today that will stay with you for the rest of your writing career.
You leave the workshop feeling inspired and energized, ready to tackle your next writing project with renewed vigor. You know that you’ll write multiple drafts and that each one will bring you closer to the polished, finished product you’re striving for.
Writing drafts is essential to the writing process, no matter where you share your work. Whether writing for a creative writing workshop or publishing your work on Medium.com, writing multiple drafts can help you hone your craft and produce the best possible outcome.
On Medium, writing drafts is significant for several reasons. First, Medium is a platform that values quality content. Readers come to Medium to find engaging, well-written articles and stories that offer unique perspectives on various topics. By writing multiple drafts, you can ensure that your work meets the high standards that Medium readers expect.
Second, writing drafts allows you to refine your ideas and structure your work in a way that resonates with your audience. Medium is a platform that rewards writers who can tell a compelling story or make a persuasive argument concisely and engagingly. By writing multiple drafts, you can experiment with different approaches, refine your message, and find the most effective way to communicate with your readers.
Finally, writing drafts on Medium can help you build your audience and establish yourself as a credible and authoritative voice in your field. When you take the time to craft thoughtful, well-written articles, readers are more likely to trust you and share your work with others. This can lead to increased exposure and a growing following, both essential for writers looking to build a career on Medium.
In short, whether you’re writing for a creative writing workshop or publishing on Medium, writing drafts is an essential part of the writing process. By writing multiple drafts, you can refine your ideas, structure your work, and produce high-quality content that engages your audience and builds your reputation as a writer.
Other Medium Publications on Drafts
The article “16 Tricks to Turn Your Medium Drafts into Beautiful-Looking Stories” by Alessandro Butler provides tips and tricks to improve the visual appeal of stories published on Medium. The author suggests using a clean and straightforward layout, adding images, using subheadings, using bold and italic fonts to break up the text, using quotes and lists to make the content more engaging, and varying sentence lengths to improve readability. They also suggest using the Medium editor’s formatting tools, such as changing font size and color, adding captions, and using the pull-quote feature. Additionally, the author suggests using custom CSS to enhance the visual appeal of the story further. The article emphasizes that while the quality of the content is important, paying attention to the visual presentation can make a big difference in attracting and retaining readers.
16 tricks to turn your Medium drafts into beautiful looking stories
The article “Hopeless Reasons Why I Haven’t Published My 28 Medium Drafts Yet” by Miun Gleeson reflects the author’s struggle to publish their drafts on Medium. The author discusses several reasons for their reluctance, including fear of rejection, self-doubt, and anxiety. They also mention feeling overwhelmed by the number of drafts they have accumulated and trying to decide which ones to prioritize. The author reflects on the impact of their perfectionism and shares tips for overcoming these barriers, such as breaking the writing process into smaller steps, seeking feedback from others, and reminding themselves of their goals and motivations for writing. The article offers a candid and relatable perspective on the challenges of publishing on Medium and provides helpful advice to writers facing similar struggles.
Hopeless Reasons Why I Haven’t Published My 28 Medium Drafts Yet
The article “Should I Submit Drafts or a Published Article to a Publication?” by Robert Ralph explores the pros and cons of submitting drafts or published articles to publications on Medium. The author suggests that submitting drafts can offer the benefit of receiving feedback from editors and improving the quality of the final product. On the other hand, presenting a published article can demonstrate the writer’s ability to produce high-quality work and may increase the chances of acceptance. The report notes that some publications have specific submission guidelines, so reviewing these guidelines carefully before submitting is essential. Ultimately, the author suggests that writers should consider their goals and priorities when deciding whether to submit drafts or published articles and advises being open to feedback and willing to revise as needed. The report provides a helpful overview of the considerations in submitting work to Medium publications.
Should I Submit Drafts Or A Published Article To A Publication?
The article “You’re Going to Waste a Lot of Drafts as a Writer” by Tom Kuegler discusses the inevitability of discarding many drafts in the writing process. The author emphasizes that writing is a process of trial and error and that writers should expect to produce a significant amount of “wasted” drafts that will never be published or shared. The author explains why drafts may be discarded, such as lack of inspiration, flawed plot ideas, or weak character development. The article suggests that rather than being discouraged by this reality, writers should embrace the process and view discarded drafts as a necessary part of the creative process. The author also provides tips for managing the frustration that may arise from discarded drafts, such as taking breaks, seeking feedback from others, and focusing on the progress made rather than the number of drafts produced. Overall, the article offers a reassuring perspective on writing challenges and provides practical advice for navigating the process.
You’re Going To Waste A Lot Of Drafts As A Writer
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Drafting Your Way to Great Writing: The Importance of Writing Multiple Drafts was originally published in ILLUMINATION’S MIRROR on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.