The Evolution of my First Draft:

When I was a noob writer, I pantsed. I write everything down & hopefully it’ll be an interesting story by the end.

I didn’t plan out character arcs, didn’t care about pacing, conflict, tension.

This was a pure exercise of word vomit. 1/5

Getting critique partners helped me realize that those elements I never thoughts about mattered and to take feedback is important. I started plotting (this means a starting point and end point).

My drafts still needed massive revisions and rewrites. 2/5

The biggest jump in quality was when I got my agent, Jenny. She is super editorial & converted me to plotting. I break everything down with scene lists, use character arcs, & pay closer attention to how the elements work together.

The pre-planning ahead of time helped me. 3/5

Now:

I use a bullet journal when planning/plotting with sections on characters, plot, etc. I also take notes- summing up & breaking down each chap.

If I know something isn't working scene-wise, character-wise, I stop & solve. I reread/edit the 1st half before continuing. 4/5

It's interesting how much my process has changed from the MSes before my debut, and from my debut to now drafting my 3rd book.

Every writer's process is different. However, if I said anything helpful or useful, then this thread is a success. 5/5