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The First Five Drafts: Prevent Over-Editing and Get Your Novel Done Faster with the Five Draft Method

The five draft method is designed to help you reduce your chances of over-editing, which can stall your writing process and cause you to either never deem your novel finished or ruin it in any number of ways, including inputting too many slow sections, taking out all the interesting details and doing too much ‘showing’ versus ‘telling’.

In this writer's self-help book, you will learn how to write your first draft and revise your manuscript to the point where it's ready for self-publication or submission to agents and/or publishers.

The Five Draft Method

Draft 1: The Junk Draft
Draft 2: The Structuring Draft
Draft 3: The Rough Draft
Draft 4: The Analytical Draft
Draft 5: Final Draft

Plus! Proofreading for Publication

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Read or Listen to a Sample

Five Drafts AUdio Sample

Chapter 1: Starting Your Fiction Book

I’ll start off by saying that I have a minimalist style when it comes to starting and writing novels. This means I do not write outlines or detailed notes prior to beginning any novel. I may do those things later in the process, but I don’t do it when I’m staring at a blank page that says: Chapter 1. It also goes without saying that the fastest way to start a book is to start writing it.

I also think the fastest way to never start or finish your novel is to bog yourself down with detailed character

biographies, notes and plot outlines.

After all, you’re going to think you did an amazing amount of work if you wrote 50 pages of character biographies that included primary and secondary emotions, height, weight, tattoos and disabilities along with their back-stories, primary driving forces and personality traits. The truth is that you didn’t write a word of your novel, and I believe that in most instances, those descriptors and features will come out in the text as you write.

So Let’s Get Started!

When you get started, there are two to three things you need prior to writing the first word of your actual story. Yes, I know I just said ‘skip the preplanning’. You still need to know two things: your characters and your plot or goal, and in some instances, you may need a little extra information.

Who are your main characters?

The first thing you need to do is name your main characters and give them a job title. You can do this at the top of your word processor on page 1. In books that have a large cast of characters, this will help you remember who they are, especially if you have to take an extended break for some reason. In Anything for an A, I wrote down:

I wrote nothing else down. Are they short, fat, tattoo’d, mentally unstable, fucked in the head for X reason? I didn’t know, and at this stage, I don’t care. The only question I wanted to answer was – Who are my main characters and what are their names? As more characters make their appearance, you can always add to this list.

What is your story’s theme or one-sentence plot?

Next, write down something about the theme or plot of the book. This can be a single sentence or a paragraph or both. There are two reasons why you need to do this.

You need to know something about what is going to happen in your book that you can reference later to make sure you are staying on track. For Anything for an A, I wrote:
You’ll need these later to advertise your book. When you write down your single sentence overview and your paragraph plot overview at this stage, you are not bogged down by the details and subplots and all the chaos that happens to your characters throughout the book. You can reword it later for your book blurb and advertisements and marketing, but the truth is that this is going to be the simplest overview of your new novel that you will ever write. You can also use versions of this in query letters and submission packages if you plan to look for an agent or publisher.

Is there anything else that is critical that must be written down right now?

For some books, you may have another piece of critical information that you must write down right now. This information will differ, depending on your book’s genre, theme and setting. For Anything for an A, the other important information was Kelsey and Carl’s class schedules. This book is set in a high school, so it was critically important that I list their class schedules right away so I did not forget which classes they had during each school day. If you’re writing a Mystery or crime book or HowDunIt, this information may be the weapon and the murder and some keynotes on how it happened and the primary clues. If you’re writing a fantasy book and creating your own world, it may be information on your world, the climate and the cities and towns within. Just remember to keep it as brief as possible. You don’t want to spend a whole lot of time here, and you can always add to this later.

Chapter 1 - Page 1

With all the critical information written at the top of your word processor, it’s time to start writing your story. If you’re going to get cold feet anywhere in the process, it’s right here, because you’ve not written anything of the actual story text.

Writing Down the Opening Paragraph

There are a few ways to start your novel, including waking your characters up, starting with the first action sequence that’s loudest in your head, using another novel’s opening paragraph and using a prompt card.

Waking Your Characters Up

If you get stuck here, the fastest way to start a novel is to wake the characters up. You can look at this like they’ve been sleeping in your head, and now it’s time to wake them up and bring them to life. This might look something like:

Once you wake your character up, you now have something to write about. You can write down her thoughts while she’s in the shower. You can describe breakfast, and you can start the interactions with other characters. During later drafts, you’ll delete this paragraph because you never want to start a book by waking a character up, but it is a great way to get your novel started.

The First Action Sequence

If you’re writing an action book, adventure book, crime book or anything that’s going to contain a lot of physical action, you can start with the first action scene that is loudest in your head. If you’re starting a drama book or romance book, anything to do with family, friendships or relationships, you can start with an argument. The good news about starting with an action sequence or argument is that you can keep it, and you’re virtually guaranteed to grab readers’ attention.

Using Another Novel’s First Paragraph

If you read a lot or own a lot of fiction, you can start with someone else’s first paragraph, especially if it fits your theme, location or writing style. For this version of an opening, you’ll just copy the other author’s first paragraph and move on from there. This is a technique that is used in a lot of creative writing classes to get new and aspiring authors past their blank page syndrome or ‘writer’s block’. However, it is very important that you notate that this is not your paragraph and that it came from X book by X author. As you draft, this paragraph should disappear. However, if you don’t write it out of existence with your drafting process, you will have to delete it before publication because it is plagiarism if you keep it.

Using a Prompt Card

There are dozens of books of writing prompts and writing ideas out there, and a lot of them are fairly cheap, under six dollars. If you happen to have a book of prompts or some idea cards, locate one that works with your book idea and type it right under your chapter heading. Use that to write the opening paragraph of your book and move forward. Like using the opening paragraph of an existing novel, you also need to delete that prompt during your later drafts.

Once you have your opening paragraph written or first few pages, you’re writing your novel and working on your first draft. Congratulations!

Other Books You Might Like

Anything for an A

With time running out, 18-year-old senior Kelsey must get straight A’s to qualify for a scholarship to college. After living several years on the street with her poverty-riddled parents, she’s been taken in by a man she calls Uncle Greg — but only until she graduates from high school. With four weeks left, Kelsey has to prove that she has a 4.0 GPA to earn an exclusive scholarship, or risk ending up back on the streets.

At Grand Central High — a school infamous for scandals and investigations — Kelsey’s task won’t be easy. Disadvantaged by years of missed schooling, she doesn’t know enough of the material to excel in every subject. But she does know how to leverage her friendships, and she isn’t above using charm and persuasion to get what she wants. Can Kelsey really turn things around in time to win the A-Plus Scholarship, or will she lose her last chance at a future?

Mr. Fuzz Approves This Book

📖 Buy on Amazon ✅ Available on Kindle Unlimited

📖 Sample Chapter: Monday Afternoon – Kelsey Arriving Home from School

Kelsey Smith stepped out of Carl’s car in front of 201 Church Street. As usual, Greg forgot to pick her up from school, and it was almost four in the afternoon. If Carl hadn’t stayed late to talk to the English teacher, Mr. Ingles, Kelsey would have been forced to walk home. While it was only about a mile, it was a mile farther than she wanted to walk after running up and down stairs all day.

Kelsey walked up the sidewalk and opened the faded black screen door. The brown-painted security door's handle didn't budge when she attempted to turn it. After pulling out her key, she unlocked the handle and the deadbolt before testing it again. The lock had a habit of retracting the bolt ninety-nine percent of the way, leaving just enough lip to jam. Today, it was working correctly.

Once the door was open, she waved to Carl to let him know she was fine and going inside. However, she paused with the screen door closed and watched until Carl's car disappeared from view. He had asked if she wanted company until Greg arrived home. She had not, but Carl insisted on staying since this was a less-than-stellar neighborhood. Kelsey politely refused his offer, reminding him that she grew up homeless on the street and needed no additional protection. Now, she wanted to make sure he had taken her refusal seriously. It looked like he had.

Kelsey closed and dead-bolted the door before turning and looking over at the couch. Greg wasn't on the couch, and after listening for a moment, she realized the house was silent. Greg was not home, and Kelsey made a mental note to kick his ass.

To make sure he truly wasn't home, Kelsey turned on the lights and walked through the downstairs before checking upstairs. She saw no indication that he was home or had been home since he dropped her off at school. This was weird. He was usually home by three. Greg just never bothered to stop by Grand Central High on his way home to pick her up. It irked Kelsey. She’d lived with him for the last five years.

📚 Ready for more adventures?

The Whore Who Would Be Captain

Estimated Release Date – Feb 7–8, 2022

Opal Goldheart is a working girl in the age of ships and sails. After running into the first mate of the Old Barnacle, she discovers they’re looking for a working girl to keep the men happy and relaxed. Opal decides to take the job. After all, a lot of money can be made from twenty men stuck on a ship at sea. Of course, she learns all the ship’s secrets while she’s keeping the men satisfied, and it leads her to believe she could captain the ship better than the captain! If she gets her way, there will be mutiny!

Mr. Fuzz Approves This Book

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✅ Available on Kindle Unlimited

📚 Ready for more adventures?

The Sex Doll II

Kelly Dongle has a new friend, Daniel Blackwell. He’s all hard muscle with a big cock, but he didn’t just walk into her life one day. He appeared out of a doll. Now, she has to help him find a new life after a more than 50 year gap. She can do it! If she can stay focused and out of his lap.

sex

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✅ Available on Kindle Unlimited

🎵 Opening Credits

🎵 Sample

Chapter 2

Breakfast

(Chapter 1 is not suitable for a general audience)

Kelly filled the coffee maker with grounds and water before turning it on. Daniel was still in the shower. That was fine. He could take his time. Kelly figured she needed to make a huge breakfast. Daniel hadn't eaten in fifty-two years, and he now had two or three times the muscle to feed.

Kelly started by putting a pound of bacon in a large skillet and covering it with a lid. Then, she cracked a dozen eggs into the blender to make scrambled eggs. She pulled out a bag of country potatoes with onions and peppers and put them in another large non-stick skillet and stuck a lid on that skillet. By the time she finished putting everything but the scrambled eggs into a skillet, the coffee was finished.

Kelly grabbed two large coffee mugs and made both coffees with cream, sugar and vanilla extract. She turned around just in time to see Daniel walk into the kitchen semi-dry with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"You know... I wasn't really thinking when I took a shower. I don't have any clothes," Daniel said.

"It's not a problem." Kelly walked him to the guest bedroom and opened a closet. "My ex left all his clothes here, and I haven't gotten around to throwing them out. I don't know if they'll fit, but try on whatever you like."

"How long ago did he leave?" Daniel asked as he turned on the closet light and stepped inside to view the items.

"Two or three months ago," Kelly said.

"That explains a lot. Well, it does if you aren't keen on one-night stands,” Daniel said as he pulled down an extra-large t-shirt. "Was he a big dude?"

"He liked his clothes big," Kelly said. "And no, I don't typically go for one-night stands. Although, I've made a few exceptions recently. A girl can only wait so long."

Daniel laughed as he put on the t-shirt. He walked out of the closet. "No pants in there." He walked over to the dresser.

"That looks amazing on you," Kelly said. The t-shirt was long enough but it stretched around his upper arms.

"It almost fits. I'd prefer it a little looser in the arms," Daniel said as he pulled out a pair of boxers.

"Wait till you look in a mirror," Kelly said. "But shit. I better keep my eyes on breakfast. Take your time." She walked out of the guest bedroom and back into the kitchen where she flipped the bacon and stirred the country potatoes.

"What do you think?" Daniel asked as he walked into the room. "I don't think you were kidding about liking well-built men. Most of that stuff is my new size."

Kelly turned around. "Holy shit. I can't decide if you look better dressed or naked." She looked at his black t-shirt, dark blue jeans, black belt and dress shoes before bringing her eyes up to his face.

Daniel laughed. "I think I know what women feel like now."

"I wasn't looking at your chest," Kelly said. She laughed.

"You were looking significantly lower," Daniel said as he took a seat at the kitchen table. "Do these clothes give you flashbacks?"

"Not at all. I'm not sure I remember those exact clothes, but he never looked like you do in them," Kelly said. She turned to flip the bacon and stir the potatoes again. Then, she grabbed a large skillet for the eggs and tossed in half a stick of butter. "Oh. I made you a coffee." She picked it up and walked it over to him.

"Thanks. Been a long time since anyone made me coffee," Daniel said.

"Fifty-three years," Kelly said.

"I left so early the day I was imprisoned in that doll that my wife didn't even make me a coffee that morning. I stopped at a gas station."

"What the hell happened?" Kelly asked as she turned off the burners. She grabbed some plates out of the cabinets as he talked.

Daniel shook his head. He took a drink of his coffee. "That piece of shit used to have a Coke machine. I took orders and filled them. Drove a truck. It was a whole route. I did that guy's shop last. I'd like to say I had some sort of premonition, but no. That's just where it fell on the list. I could do it first or last. I did it last. I loaded the machine and took a new order. I finished early that day so just started browsing the antiques. Caught sight of this old porcelain doll. Thought my wife would like it. I walked up to the counter, and he told me it wasn't for sale. He then walked me back to the aisle and recommended another doll. I said I wasn't interested. He was insistent, but the doll was ratty. It was antique but would have cost more to restore it than it was worth. Anyway, he keeps giving me this spiel about how I really need that damned doll. I was furious by that point and turned to leave. All of a sudden he tells me he has a twin to the doll I initially wanted, and he made a mistake when he put that doll on the shelf."

"And it was in the backroom," Kelly said as she finished plating their food. She walked the plates and silverware over to the table.

"I should have ran right then and refused to fill that place ever again," Daniel said as he picked up his fork. "Anyway, I thought it'd be a nice surprise. I worked long hours. Got up too damned early. Worked too damned late. She deserved a present and the prices were pretty good. I shrugged and followed him to the back room. Well, this is nothing new for me. I'm in the backrooms of stores all the time, looking for their old Coke stock so I can out it put before it expires.

Kelly sat down at the table. "Shit..."

"Exactly," Daniel said. "I get back there, and I swear the walls are covered in pentagrams drawn in blood. More candles than I can count, and I swear to God, Kelly, they were not lit when I walked into that room. He picked up the doll he wanted me to buy, and they all lit. He never touched them, and I didn't see anyone else in that room." He took a bite of his food. "It was the doll you bought."

Kelly stopped chewing. She swallowed her food. "So, not the doll's twin..."

"Not even close. It had a wooden head. At least, it looked wooden," Daniel said. "Looked like it was termite riddled too." He took a bite of his food and chewed before taking another drink of his coffee. "I think I cursed at that point because the guy was really wasting my time. I said I just needed to get home."

"The guy tells me that this doll is the one for me. I turned and told him that doll deserved the junkyard, then I walked for the backroom door. I heard some shit... Words I didn't recognize. All of a sudden, I felt sick. I had a pounding headache. My stomach was cramping. I thought my ass was going to explode all over the floor. The next thing I knew I was being carried across the room, which should have been impossible. The guy looked like he couldn't lift more than ten pounds, and I was just under two-hundred. I turned my head and happened to see myself in a mirror... As that ratty ass fucking doll."

"Holy shit." Kelly took a drink of her coffee. "How did you figure out how to escape?"

"Oh, that son of a bitch explained it to me as he walked," Daniel said. "Then, he sat me on that damned shelf. I sat there for years before an old woman bought me. Then, I sat on a shelf in her home for decades. She died. I was passed around the family as an heirloom for a while, and somehow I ended up back at that ratty store."

"How many years was that?" Kelly asked. She finished her food.

"Forty, at least," Daniel said. "I was purchased a couple times by people looking for retro toys. These people were a little looser than the old woman, but the minute I started growing, they sent me straight back to the shop."

"Well, you're free now," Kelly said.

"I'm glad to be free, but everyone I know is long gone," Daniel said.

"Did you have any kids?" Kelly asked.

Daniel shook his head. “Nah. Not with my hours. We might have fucked once every couple months.” He finished his food and drained his large cup of coffee.