For those writers struggling to get their thoughts down on paper, “Just start writing” is often the dispensed advice. The rationale behind it is that it becomes less intimidating to write once the writer sees that he has put down words. It becomes smoother in the process when words form sentences and sentences form paragraphs. The first draft of a novel is never expected to be perfect, but at least the writer has a working blueprint from which to shape his book. The words “first draft” mean that the writer will be developing his manuscript in different stages. The question is, how many times should you write a draft?

Many writers struggle for perfection so that writing a series of draft becomes a continual process. It reaches a point where they give up and never finish, but this does not have to be the case. Consider these reminders:

Your first draft serves as your blueprint or the mainframe of your novel. This is where you flesh out characters and establish a plot. Again, don’t expect the work to be perfect. I don’t know of any writer who has submitted a first draft manuscript. 

The second draft is where you make a more magnified view of your elements. You analyze and connect the dots and look for possible loopholes that need fixing. You check pacing, story arc, character relationships, and their backgrounds. You see if character motivation justifies action. You create a checklist mentally or even write them down.

The third draft is where you add and cut text, revise and leave out static scenes. You check for grammar and mechanics. 

Does it end on the third draft? There is no right or wrong answer. The fact is many writers, famous or not, create numerous drafts until they are satisfied with the outcome. As the writer, you must ask yourself if you are satisfied with your draft. Do not struggle for perfection. You can only shape and revise your draft in good faith. Do not let paranoia overtake you. If this happens, you become too self-critical, and you might even procrastinate out of fear that your work will never be perfect. 

Understand that your first draft will always be teeming with errors. It would be wise to deal with the larger mistakes before dealing with the tiny ones. As the author, the big missteps in your first draft will scream from the page, and they are easy to spot. Fixing them will allow you to work on your second draft on a flexible scale. Problems with plot and character are some of those large-scale loopholes that the writer can fix. 

The smaller elements that the writer can deal with later on include word choice, tone of voice, and style. Is your tone consistent with the story you are writing? If you are writing a horror novel, writing in a tone like Woody Allen might not work unless it’s a horror-comedy. Stephen King’s novels have a scary feel. Danielle Steel’s romances have that sense of intimacy.