Tips for Writing a Rough Draft
First Drafts are Important for the Creative Process
Nov 13, 2009 Bailey Shoemaker Richards
A rough draft can feel counter-intuitive to many writers; putting bad writing down on paper can be a frustrating part of the creative process. However, a first draft is an important aspect of any good work. Rough drafts allow writers space to outline and explore ideas without the pressure of writing a finished paper or book on their first try. First drafts also give writers a framework in which they can fix and edit their writing at a later date.
Creating an Outline
Outlines are a useful part of any rough draft. Using an outline to jot down the basic organization of a paper, novel or essay can help a writer maintain the structure of their work as they write the first draft. There are several formats for outlines, but the most common is one that breaks a work into its main subjects and allots spaces for subtopics under each heading.
Outlines are a great place for writers to jot down sources of information, story arcs, important facts and other pieces of basic portions of the work to which they can refer throughout the writing process. Making an outline should be the first step of a rough draft, as it is the easiest way to gather and organize information.
Writing a Rough Draft
One of the most challenging aspects of a rough draft is to resist the temptation to go back and edit during the writing process. Participants of National Novel Writing Month are often reminded that self-editing is the death of a work in creation, since it becomes easy for writers to get bogged down in polishing the first few pages or chapters without ever moving beyond that point.
For writers who are working on a rough draft, free writing is often a useful tool. Setting a time limit and writing nonstop for that period can give a writer the freedom they need to stop editing and move forward with their text. There are tools online for this purpose, including Write or Die, which is very useful for shorter pieces of writing.
Referring to research, outlines and character sketches during the initial writing stage can make the process of creating a first draft much smoother.
Using a First Draft
After a rough draft has been completed, it should not be tossed aside in favor of writing something more polished and elegant. Rough drafts are the rudimentary framework of any good piece of writing. Once the first draft is completed, it is important for writers to utilize their research, outlines and editing skills to turn the draft into a finished work.
Editing a rough draft is important for many writers, as it gives them an opportunity to compare their first attempt at writing a particular piece with their original goal and to check it against their outline. When editing a rough draft, writers can edit any parts of the paper or book that need significant revision and ensure that their final product is as polished and free of major errors.
Although writing a rough draft is a challenge for writers who feel the need to produce perfect writing on their first attempt, it is useful for any writer to create a rough framework for their writing. Using a first draft to create a second and better draft is one of the simplest ways to improve a text.
Using Rough Drafts is an Important Part of Writing
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