What to Do With Draft Zero

Before the first draft, there is a messy, mostly formed chunk of story that we call Draft Zero. Most of the pieces are there, but it’s not up to first draft standards. Think end of NaNoWriMo. 

​In this video, we discuss what to do with Draft Zero. Conventional wisdom is that you keep your nose to the grindstone until you have a solid first draft, at which point you request feedback. We recommend taking a step back and working with an editor or critique partner at the Draft Zero stage. Watch to find out why!