Every first draft has common errors, like telling instead of showing, too many adverbs and adjectives, pacing issues, etc.
While we as writers know we must avoid these, I find that during NaNo, they are my constant companions 😛 Much of what I’ve written falls under the massive error of telling instead of showing–and I know it even as I’m writing it–but in order for me to get the story out, I don’t bother myself with sitting there and trying to word it correctly.
A mark of an amateur?Maybe, maybe not. At this point I don’t really care. I know I’m going to have to edit it, and I recognize where there are places of clarification/research/overall crafting that needs done. But I’ve shut the inner editor off, for the time being, and told myself NOT to concern myself with such issues. Sure, it’s taken until week three of NaNo to have finally silenced temporarily the inner editor, but it normally takes this long for me 😛
I’m hoping come December my inner editor doesn’t decide to pout and stay silent…
When you’re writing your first draft, are there any writing rules that you ignore–at least temporarily?
Tales from the Writing Front 
Comments on: "Common Errors in the 1st Draft" (7)
Ha! I ignore all the writing rules in NaNo! I wouldn’t think this is the mark of an amateur so much as the mark of one who’s finally figuring out how to write first/edit later? The two functions use different parts of the brain; it’s extremely difficult to edit and create at the same time. The amateurs, IMO, are the ones who mix the two functions.
I’ll admit in everything else I’ve written before NaNo, I edit and write at the same time.
I’m adding you to my blogroll…
My inner editor is a witch! She won’t leave me alone. Considering I’m in the midst of revisions, I don’t mind her so much right now. In fact, she’s become my best friend. 🙂
I try to watch for adverbs and the dialogue tags, but not at the expense of getting the words on paper.
Um, yeah, we’re currently revising our manuscript right now and we’re focusing solely on telling vs. showing. It’s so easy to fall into this trap, right? I keep wondering when we’ll be able to do this right the first time, but I’m starting to think this might just be part of our process.
I wish I could get my IE to shut up…she’s constantly nagging me. Usually I can tune her out, but it has to be a particularly good story/scene, and there has to be some pretty motivational music playing.
Oooh, good question. It depends. I do try to ignore them, but after a while they do become second nature and so it’s not so hard to show rather than tell, or to not use any adverbs. My biggest problems are overusing words like just, then and was.
I gave you an award! 🙂