54. Why Your Flawed First Draft is a Gift

Today, I want to talk about one of the hardest parts of writing: embracing the imperfection of that first draft. I know it can feel like you’re slogging through a swamp of clunky dialogue, meandering plots, and sentences that don’t quite shine. You might even wonder if you’re wasting your time.

But here’s what I want you to know: Your so-called flawed first draft is actually a gift. It’s a sign that you’re showing up to the page with courage and letting the story unfold, no matter how messy.

In this episode, I’m diving into why those imperfect drafts are so valuable—and how to shift your mindset to embrace them. I think by the end of it, you’ll see what I mean.

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Transcript

STEPS TO STORY EP 54 - Why your flawed first draft is a gift

[00:00:00] Nicole Meier: So today we're going to talk about one of the hardest parts of writing, embracing the imperfection of that first draft. I know it can feel like you're slogging through a swamp of clunky dialogue, plot holes and sentences that don't quite shine. You might even wonder if you're wasting your time. But here's what I want to tell you friend.

[00:00:22] Nicole Meier: Your so-called flawed first draft is actually a gift. And by the end of this episode, I think you'll see what I mean.

[00:00:37] Nicole Meier: Welcome to Steps to Story. This season I'm focusing on helping you grow as a writer and as an author. I am Nicole Meier, multi published author and certified book coach here to guide you on strengthening your story and getting it out into the world. This season we'll explore ways to overcome the challenges that hold writers back from breaking through creative blocks to fine tuning your story structure and navigating the publishing world with confidence.

[00:01:06] Nicole Meier: Wherever you are in your journey, consider this your supportive space to find clarity, direction, and encouragement. Let's take the next step in your story together.

[00:01:21] Nicole Meier: Hey there, writer. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm so glad you're here with me today. If you're tuning in, I have a feeling you might need a little encouragement to keep going or maybe to get started at all on that first draft of yours. And trust me, I get it. Writing a novel is brave work. It's vulnerable and messy and full of moments that make you question everything, including yourself.

[00:01:48] Nicole Meier: And I can state all of this with confidence because in addition to my four published novels, I have several drafts hiding in drawers. So today we're going to talk about one of the hardest parts of writing, embracing the imperfection of that first draft. I know it can feel like you're slogging through a swamp of clunky dialogue, plot holes and sentences that don't quite shine.

[00:02:14] Nicole Meier: You might even wonder if you're wasting your time. But here's what I want to tell you friend. Your so-called flawed first draft is actually a gift. Seriously, and by the end of this episode, I think you'll see what I mean. So grab your coffee or tea, maybe light a candle, and if you're feeling cozy, settle in and let's dig into why your messy draft is worth celebrating.

[00:02:39] Nicole Meier: Okay. First things first, let's talk about why as creatives we're so terrified of imperfection. If you're like most writers I work with, you might have a little voice inside your head, whispering things like. Real authors don't struggle this much, or if it's this hard to write, maybe it's just not meant to be.

[00:03:00] Nicole Meier: But here's a secret I want you to hold onto. Every author struggles with their first drafts. Notice how I made drafts, plural. Every author struggles with their first drafts, even the ones you admire, whose books seem effortless and brilliant. They all write bad first drafts like gloriously bad ones. Anne Lamont, one of my favorite authors, literally wrote the book on embracing imperfection with Bird by bird.

[00:03:28] Nicole Meier: She calls them shitty first drafts for a reason. That's the beautiful thing about first drafts. They're not supposed to be polished or perfect. Their job isn't to be beautiful. It's to exist. Let me repeat that. Their job isn't to be beautiful. It's to exist. Let's liken it to something created in an art class.

[00:03:51] Nicole Meier: A first draft is like a sketch on a canvas. You're laying out shapes and shadows, discovering the stories as you go. There will be smudges and uneven lines, and that's not just okay. It's essential as the old cliche goes. You can't revise a blank page after all. Okay, now let's talk about perfectionism for a minute, because honestly, perfectionism is the creativity killer.

[00:04:17] Nicole Meier: It convinces you that your worth is tied into how well you can execute your vision on the very first try, which is not only unfair, but also impossible. Perfectionism shows up in sneaky ways too. Maybe you spent an hour rewriting the same paragraph over and over, or you keep researching instead of writing, or you open your document.

[00:04:43] Nicole Meier: Stare at that blinking cursor and suddenly decide your desk really needs to be reorganized right now. Sound familiar? Here's the truth though. Perfectionism is your brain's way of protecting you from vulnerability, from the risk of not being good enough. But writing requires us to risk that imperfection.

[00:05:05] Nicole Meier: It asks us to show up messy to put words down, even if they aren't the right ones yet. Notice how I said yet. That's one of the reasons others express admiration when you share the news that you are a writer. Being any kind of artist is a brave act. Being vulnerable is actually an enviable quality. So what if instead of seeing imperfection as something to avoid, you saw it as a sign that you're actually doing the work, that the messiness means you're moving forward, even if it's slower than you'd like.

[00:05:39] Nicole Meier: Here's what I really want you to hear today. Your first draft is a gift because it shows what your story wants to be. The plot holes, the awkward dialogue, the scenes that don't quite work, they're like breadcrumbs, leading you deeper into the heart of your story. Think of it like a map. The messy parts of your draft are markers showing where the truth is actually buried.

[00:06:04] Nicole Meier: Maybe that clunky scene reveals something about your character's backstory you hadn't quite realized yet. Or maybe that wandering subplot actually uncovers a theme you didn't know you wanted to explore. When you start to see your draft this way as a discovery rather than an impossible test, you can lean into the imperfection instead of fighting it.

[00:06:26] Nicole Meier: And that shift in mindset changes everything. Let's do a little reframing exercise here. Instead of calling it a quote, terrible first draft, what if you called it a discovery draft? Like someone exploring new territory. Your job in this draft is just to uncover things. No judgment, no pressure to get it right, just curiosity.

[00:06:50] Nicole Meier: Or maybe it's a slab of clay draft. For those of you who listen to my podcast regularly, you'll know I like to take a class on the potter's wheel from time to time. Of course, the first mound I throw down on the wheel doesn't ever amount to anything other than a way for me to play with shapes, structure, and yes story.

[00:07:10] Nicole Meier: I put zero pressure on myself during these classes. It's simply a way for me to explore my creativity and focus with joy. So here is a little challenge for you this week. This pick a new name for your first draft, something that makes it feel less intimidating and more like a place to explore. And then lean into that mindset the next time you sit down to write.

[00:07:33] Nicole Meier: Since we're all about action steps here, let me give you a little exercise to try. Next time you sit down to write, set a timer for 20 minutes and aim to write the worst sentences you can like go out of your way to make them clunky, cliche, cringey, make it almost ridiculous. Your shoulders probably just lowered in relief.

[00:07:55] Nicole Meier: Am I right? Why? Because when you lower the stakes like that, you trick your brain out of that stress inducing perfectionism mode. You'll start writing more freely, and then you'll be surprised by how much good stuff sneaks in once you stop trying so hard to be brilliant. If you try this, I'd love to hear how it goes.

[00:08:16] Nicole Meier: You can always reach out to me on my website. I love hearing from you. So friend, if your draft feels like a hot mess right now, that's not a sign you're failing. It's a sign you're doing it right? Keep going. Keep writing the imperfect words. Keep showing up. The gift of the first draft isn't in getting it right, it's in getting it down.

[00:08:41] Nicole Meier: Your words matter. Even the messy ones, especially the messy ones, because they're the ones that get the good stuff going. I'm so proud of you for having the courage to write, even when it feels hard. If this episode gave you a little more confidence to keep going, I'd love for you to share it with a writer friend who might need to hear this today.

[00:09:04] Nicole Meier: Okay, everyone, thanks so much for hanging out with me. I hope you feel a little lighter and a little more inspired to keep riding. No matter how imperfect your draft might feel, keep going. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. It really helps other writers find us. I will see you next time.

[00:09:23] Nicole Meier: Thanks and happy writing.

[00:09:29] Nicole Meier: If you want to check out my coaching programs for fiction writers, visit nicolemeier.com. That's M-E-I-E-R. And if you like this episode, I'd love you to take a minute to leave a rating and review for this podcast. This will help more writers like you to discover the show. And to get going on their writing journey.

[00:09:50] Nicole Meier: Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, happy writing everyone.