#37: 5 Questions to Ask Before Writing a First Draft
whatshot 42 snips
Jan 26, 2021
Discover key questions to ask before starting your first draft, such as defining your protagonist and genre, determining the story's point, setting, and plot. Learn how to craft a stronger, more efficient first draft by doing the heavy lifting upfront.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Write To Discover, Not To Perfect
The purpose of a first draft is to tell yourself the story, not to be perfect.
Do upfront work so the draft reads more like a second or third draft.
insights INSIGHT
Stories Work Through Dual Change
Stories succeed when protagonists face change on both external and internal levels.
That dual change makes stories both entertaining and emotionally impactful.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Find The True Protagonist
Identify who the story is about by asking who has the most to lose or the most opportunity for change.
Then define their specific want and the motivation behind that want.
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In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through five questions to ask before you start writing a first draft. Here's a preview of what's included:
[01:25] The purpose of a first draft is to tell yourself the story. The purpose of a first draft is NOT to be perfect or to have everything 100% figured out. [01:50] By doing some of the important work or heavy lifting upfront, you CAN write a stronger, more efficient first draft that feels more like a second or third draft. But to do that, you need to know the answer to five really important questions. [03:15] Question #1: Who is this story about? Who is your protagonist? [04:40] Question #2: What's the main genre of this story? [06:10] Question #3: What point are you trying to make with this story? [07:20] Question #4: Where and when does this story take place? [08:40] Question #5: What happens in the story's plot? [10:30] Key points and episode recap.
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