How to Write Your FIRST First Draft!

How do you write your very FIRST first draft? How do you know what's going to work for you--and what won't--when you've never written a book before? Last week, a few of you left comments asking about how you know what to include (and what not to include) in a first draft. I hope this answers your question! 

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Plus I've got lots of other freebies for you to download and use on your writing journey, including:

From Premise to Plot: A Guide to Plotting
My FIRST First Draft Checklist
My Revision Game Plan
The Query Formula

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[indigooowl]

I know this video is 4 years old, but god it has helped me massively! Dialogue and voice are definitely my strongest areas, world building and descriptions my weakest. When I just let all of that go, my first draft flew onto the page (although it was mostly conversations between characters) - but I found it so much easier to go back and build the world around these conversations. Thanks so much!

[HannahTheHorrible]

“You can edit for anything...but lack of passion”. Bam. Wow. I needed that.

[juliawitmerauthor]

"You can edit for anything but lack of passion." 100% agree with you, and a really important thing for me to keep in mind while writing - whether it's a first, third, or 20th book written. Thanks for the video!

[piersyfy]

I've looked up videos like this a billion times, and I think I've finally heard here what will help me push through... Damn, you're the best!

[opheliawild]

I finally was able to break through writer's block and imposter syndrome and get into flow when I just let myself move without judgment (instead of wrestling) between planning and pantsing. For my current priority WIP that has been this cool mixture of outlining just enough to get the writing wheels in motion, then the writing is just flowing and out pop all these cool ideas and options. Pretty fun when that happens!

Also, I think the type of writing project matters on this. I need the structure with the fantasy novel because it requires knowing something about the magic system, types of characters, world, etc. If I were writing a shorter work of literary fiction examining an emotion or something, I probably would do very little plotting first, just a synopsis and start writing and see where it takes me.

[christopherdinunnojr]

I found this video so helpful. Honestly, how simple you described and broke down each key element made my life ten if not a hundred times easier. Writing them down put me in a different world of perspective. What is more important and what isn't. What my focal point is and what is holding me back. Thanks for the help!

[edweirdworld]

I call my first draft a zero draft, and just letting it pour out of my brain is exactly how I would describe it. I don't actually do this, but Alexa Donne once suggested to write your first draft in comic sans--or any font so ugly you couldn't go back and read while you were still working--and I try to at least keep that in mind. I think a common thread amongst a lot of writers I've met, myself included, is that in a lot of ways we are seeking permission to write when really we don't need it. We just need to write.

[portiawrites]

Wow I needed this today! I have been stalled in a story and feeling overwhelmed by balancing plot threads and character arc and voice and world and and and… I feel like you just gave me a big permission slip to go roll around in voice and world and character — and just see where it goes! Thank you!

[sherrylalonde]

Thank you for this Michelle. I feel like I've lucked out and am getting a personal writing workshop thanks to your videos! I've subscribed for the freebies on your website and I they've already helped me out. I think character arcs intimidate me the most as I'm finding my characters(both good and bad) flat, one-dimensional and lacking agency. I'd love to see future videos on this topic if anyone else is struggling with the same issues.

[a-z-fell]

Thank you so much for this, Michelle! I almost abandoned my first proper project this week so I've been looking for advice on first drafts and your video is the first one I have felt really inspired by! I realised that I am most looking forward to the themes and tropes that I want to write and least excited about voice as I am not sure what that means for me yet, thank you so much for putting it into words!

[ShubhaJaggi]

Amid the noise of writing advice surfing the web, yours is a relatable voice of reason!

[SherbertLomon]

I love, love, love this. Best advice I’ve heard. You made me excited to write again. Thank youuu 💜

[ZMicMac]

This was super encouraging! When I finished the video I felt excited to continue writing!

[rosamariagarciaguardiola]

This has helped me so much right now. Thank you for the freebies. :)

[fridgeghost]

Perfect timing and amazing advice. I'm 6k in and the pdf was incredibly helpful!

[PickaGodandPray]

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for your fun freebies! They are easy to ready and I love how colorful they are with nice open space. Really draws the eyes in and helps retain information without too much clutter!


I loved the strengths exercise. I hadn't realized until this that I don't like writing clothing description and prefer to write dialogue instead! I really liked "all writers have to revise all books" yes, practice works with all activities. Like using a muscle! Thank you for your videos, they're up beat and motivational while also being informative!!!!


I have a question!! I know when the best time for an editor is, but what about a beta reader?? At what point should they look over a novel? I hate the idea of asking someone to read an incomplete mess but also don’t see a point in having something fully edited if it’s just going to be changed later? I do realize there is developmental editing, but that can be expensive if a novel needs more.


Oh and cute caffeine necklace! Really goest with your coffee drinking!!!!

[neuroticnovelist]

I’m new to your channel and this is the video that made me hit subscribe!! I’m many books ahead of my first but I still needed to hear all of this. Sometimes going back to basics and whipping the slate clean of everything you’ve learned about structures and prose is what needs to be done in order to focus on the passion of the project instead.

[brittanyg]

I've been discovering the fact that the writing process is different for every book. It's so hard to figure out the process though for each story/book. XD And also push through physical/mental health difficulties

[starklingspars]

This is amazingl i almost ignored you when you said get a pen and paper, but I did it . Wow lol. Plot is at the bottom of the list as my weakest point but then I felt so much releif when you said it's ok to fix it lated! Thank you! ( I will still Outline a bit but I'll now look positively at how the things I'm excited about/ or have figured out/ feel stronger at:, Theme and Worldbulding and Voice, , will fuel my first draft

[allisonblackwood]

Michelle (coincidentally, that's my sister's name), I am so confused right now. I've been working on a novel for a couple years and I've basically totally changed the main plot into something that I think I could more 'easily' write (because of your question about what intimidates me the most). But after the last part of your video about ranking theme, plot, etc and just writing where I think my strength is, I feel like I want to go back to the original idea because that's the one that really lights the fire. I'm just scared that if I run with the original, then when it comes to writing my weakness parts, it just really won't be good enough. Like I said, I'm so confused.