Most of what I draft is a conceptual placeholder–in one of my books, I cut out 67% of the drafted material, going from 435k words to 143k words. In the first draft, there’s some gems here and there, but it’s mostly just dirt that keeps the gems in place, and highlights their shine so I can build substance around them.
I liken it to a stew that I slowly thicken, ingredient by ingredient. At first it’s some chunks of this or that. Then I add a spice here, some starch there, exhaustively rearranging and messing with the rhythm. As it continues building and thickening, I keep adding things in bit by bit (and cutting a disproportionately greater amount of material away), until I’ve done the best I can, and I risk spending eternity obsessing over differences between things like “then” and “and then.” At that point, it’s ready to be served and it’s no longer mine. It’s the reader’s to do with as they wish.
I hope in some cases, my story might inspire a reader to write their own, just as I was inspired by things I read when I was younger.
Dirty Sci-Fi Buddha 
Reminds me of this quote: “I have made this longer than usual because I have not had time to make it shorter.” – Blaise Pascal (1657)
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Very iinspiring, sounds a lot like my own process!
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There’s some truth.
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It’s always interesting to hear about other writer’s methods. I don’t think there are any two who are the same.
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That’s probably true. Stephen King does one draft, waits six weeks, revises, waits six weeks, revises, then he publishes. That’s incredibly fast, from my perspective
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That is fast. But then, not everyone is Stephen King. I take a lot longer, and like to run it past my critique group, which adds a lot of time.
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sounds like some kitchen witchery to me :}
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I don’t fully understand why – but my kids would read this post and yell 6-7!!
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I love this! I’m useless in a kitchen, but I think I might just be good at making chunky stew.
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Watching it chunk together is one of life’s greatest joys!
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Your own experiences open a pathway for another writer to embrace. The light always shines brighter when one shares with another. You are right about a writer’s journey being more than just writing.
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My process is much the same. But I swear, once I finish this current draft, I’m making some formal study of plotting. I’m flailing needlessly.
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