The Truth Nobody Wants to Shout About

How to Write a First Draft You’re Proud Of — Eventually

If you’ve been waiting for a sign from the universe to just get the words down, messy and imperfect and all over the place, this is it. As an established thriller author, I can tell you the truth no one wants to shout about online: not every draft is clean, clever or even readable. And that’s completely fine.

For some authors, the story flows from start to finish. Other others, it’s like stitching together a patchwork quilt with bits of scene, dialogue, or tension you know will belong somewhere… eventually. That quilt of mismatched moments might not make sense at first glance, but trust me, it will keep you warm later.

Writing Advice From Authors

There’s a reason you should listen to writing advice from authors, especially pre-AI ones. We’ve done the hard slog. We’ve produced written work and learned so much along the way. I’ve published 23 books over the last ten years. Some books come easy, and I write chapter after chapter, the words flowing from my fingers as I type. Others feel like wading through treacle with cement wellington boots. But they all get written. As Nelson Mandela said, “it always seems impossible until it’s done.” The point is to get it down. All of it. Even the cringe bits…