First Draft Stitching

So I'm first-draftin'.

It's fun.

Because I turn off spell check and grammar check. I sort of have issues ignoring those green and red wavy lines so I had to turn it off. I use fun, furry fonts in first drafts. My first draft is single-spaced, so when I go through it for the second or third time, I will double-space Times New Roman it. (Times New Roman just got verbed) This also helps in keeping track on what stage I am in. Because sometimes I might forget!

I have a sidebar with character names and words I overuse. Right now, I'm filling in holes, making things match, developing some characters, stitching up the ends. You see, it's a puzzle. I start with the end pieces (also know as key scenes that pop into my head) and work toward the middle (fill in the details, work on characters, add necessary scenes...).

Stitching is a slow process. Basically because I've got to think now. I know. The horror. Imagine it. THINKING! Now as I go through, I've got to wonder WHY I threw in the pink unicorn running down the football field. WHY, Lisa, WHY? Because it was cute and fun at the time, of course. But, hence, sadly, during my stitching phase, the unicorn must go bye-bye. Unicorns just don't belong in YA contemporary. I know, it's so unfair! Perhaps I'll add in a dream sequence...unicorns are perfectly acceptable in a dream sequence...=)

Happy Wednesday!