Write Things: On first draft repetitions

Hello writers!

This week, I'm offering a new perspective on your first draft writing. 

Some of you will cringe and tell yourself that this is impossible. 

Others may experience a new found freedom. 

Either way, it should make for an interesting read. 

Idea: On Process & Revision

In speech, we often use filler words—"um," "ah," "so," "like"—to fill the spaces between thoughts. These words don't add meaning but seem to keep the conversation flowing as our brain catches up.

In writing, something similar happens, especially as we grow from amateurs into seasoned writers. We may not write "um" or "ah," but we often repeat ourselves in other ways.

When we're deep in the creative flow, ideas, images, and expressions rush through us faster than our pens or keyboards can handle. In our urgency to capture everything, we rely on extra words that won't make it to the final draft.

We repeat adjectives, overuse verbs, and both 'show' our audience something and then immediately tell them what we've just shown. (I know I’m guilty of abusing intensifiers like “so” and “very”!). We might start, end, or structure our sentences the same way. 

But all of this is part of the process.

When we’re writing, we prioritize getting the story out, capturing every detail, over worrying about perfect language use. And that’s how it should be!

The part of us that creates isn’t the same part that edits. One is playful, curious, and open to exploration. The other is critical, analytical, and ready to judge what's 'right' or 'wrong.' These two can't coexist at the same time, so it's crucial to stay focused on creating first.

Think of the repetitive words and filler phrases as scaffolding for your story. You can remove them when the structure is built.

And if you don’t enjoy that part of writing—well, that’s what editors are for.

Inspiration: “An unexpected choice”

Set a timer for four minutes and write on the prompt above. It could be personal or fictional—follow whichever direction your creativity takes you. Let the words flow without worrying about how polished they are; just capture the moment.

As always, I’d love to hear what you wrote! Reply to this email or send it to [email protected]. I personally reply to each one received before next Thursday.

Invitation: To get messy

This week, focus on getting the story out, messiness and all. Don’t worry about polishing or perfecting—just let the words flow. Set a timer for 10 minutes and write as fast as you can, without pausing to revise or second-guess. After you’re done, take a look at what you’ve written, but don’t edit yet. Instead, reflect on how freeing it felt to simply create without judgement. How much more of the story did you capture this way?

If you're up for a challenge, pick a scene from your work in progress and give it the same treatment. Write quickly, repeat yourself if you must, and remember: revisions can always come later.

That's all till next week.

Trevor Martens