The Stages of Writing: Stage 4: Drafting

Drafting...no, I'm not talking about the United States Army or Airforce. This reference is what I call the fourth stage of writing. Some writers aren't familiar with this term, but it's just another word for writing itself, as writing often consists of creating multiple drafts of a piece of writing before its final work is ready to be published as a novel or book and available for readers. This stage is when writers finally bring their stories to life using all of the brainstorming, research, and story information they have gathered together for their stories or books. Now, let's check out where writers can write, different ways to write, and common writing mistakes and advice for writers below. 🔍

---

WATCH THE EPISODE

---

See episode 11 of season 2 of my Journey of a Christian Writer series, The Stages of Writing: Stage 4: Drafting or continue reading the blog post below.

---

WHERE TO WRITE

Drafting or writing can be done in various ways just like plotting and outlining. Some writers write in Google Docs or online writing platforms, others use Scrivener, and some use the good ole Microsoft Word, as I do myself. Whether they're at home in their bedroom, at a public library, or in a coffee shop, writers can write wherever they can carry their laptops, notebooks, or get access to a computer or pencil and paper. The choice is theirs!

---

DIFFERENT WAYS TO WRITE

So, what are the different ways that writers can write?

There are about four specific ways in the following below:

HANDWRITING

This first one is pretty self-explanatory and when writers write by hand rather than using any electronic devices, such as computers or laptops. For this way, writers can write with pencils or pens in composition books, journals, notepads, or notebook paper in binders. Although it takes the longest if writing a complete book this way, it can also be one of the best ways for clarity and for writers to get their thoughts onto paper without any distractions, and especially during the prewriting stage.

TYPEWRITERS

The second way is by using typewriters, a mechanical or electromechanical machine which was created for typing alphabetical characters, numerals, and other special symbols. These characters are printed onto paper that's inserted around a roller. The first kind of typewriters were merely mechanical, but around as early as the 1900s, typewriters became electric, years later evolving into a design connected to a cord with a plug that writers put into a wall socket. My mom had given me a gray, electronic typewriter years ago that I used during some of my earlier years of writing as a young girl. It was useful at the time; but also rather noisy, so I prefer the vintage typewriters better, if not writing by hand or a computer or laptop.

COMPUTERS or LAPTOPS

The third way is probably the most common in our modern world of today. Most writers I know of have at least one desktop computer or laptop that they write on, whether it's new or used. It's important that writers keep these electronic machines up-to-date and take good care of them. If you're a writer who doesn't have a computer or laptop but would like one, consider getting one that's within your budget and that has enough space on it for your projects, photos, and documents. Some of the most popular brands are HP and Dell, but there are others, such as Acer or Lenovo as is my latest laptop which I got during one of my past college semesters. Whichever one you choose, keep in mind it doesn't have to be the most expensive one. As long as it does the job of what you need as a writer is what matters.

DICTATION

And finally, there's dictation. This last way it probably the least one used by writers, but one of the quickest and can especially be helpful for those who are disabled and unable to use their hands. For this way, writers speak words into electronic devices combined with software apps rather than typing or writing them by hand, which record their words in a document or audio file. Dictation can range from someone using an electronic cassette hand recorder to more advanced equipment, such as microphones with recording apps on a computer or dictation transcription equipment like dictaphones. This way of writing can be a budget-friendly method for writers to create their own audiobooks. I never used this method of writing, as I prefer to do things manually.

But who knows? Maybe someday I'll try this.

---

WRITING MISTAKES AND ADVICE

Drafting or writing isn't rocket science, but it can still be challenging at times. Some mistakes that many beginner writers make is comparing themselves to other writers. But I don't advise writers to do this. Don't compare yourself to other writers. Instead, focus on your project and move at your own pace. As one of my writing quotes states, "Writing isn't about competition. If that's why you started, you should re-evaluate why you began." Another mistake or habit many writers do is editing as they write, but it's good to try to avoid editing while writing. This can actually slow down the writing process. You can edit after you complete your first draft.

As author Jodi Picoult said:

"You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page."

Another mistake that some writers make is not saving their work. Please, make sure you save your work frequently as you write, and especially if you write on a computer or laptop. I cannot count the number of times I've accidentally lost work in the past that I had written on my computer. Sometimes it can be risky writing on a computer or laptop if one isn't careful. For this reason, you might want to consider saving your work on a flash drive for more protection that you insert into a USB port on your computer as I now do myself, or by using a portable external hard drive if you have an older desktop computer.

And finally, my last bit of advice is to read online writing-related articles, books within your genre, and writing craft books to enhance your writing skills. If you want to become a better writer, it's important that you take some time out to actually read too.

American author Stephen King put it this way:

"If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that. Reading is the creative center of a writer's life."

---

CLOSING REMARKS

Drafting is one of the longest processes when creating novels or books and can take from a couple of weeks or months to even a few years to complete. Nonetheless, it's this stage where writers' cast of characters and their creative story worlds come alive, allowing readers to visualize them through their imaginations. This stage is probably my second favorite of the stages of writing, as it was where my interest and love of writing began in the first place. There's something pleasant and magical about handwriting or typing and putting words onto a blank page of notebook paper or in a word document; and having many inspiring stories to share, it's something I hope and intend to do for many, more years to come. For more writing videos or tutorials, subscribe to my writing channel Journey of a Christian Writer series. All right, that's all for this post. If you found it helpful, please, give it a (heart❤️), take part in the poll 🤔, and share your thoughts or comments 💬 below.)  

🤔Hey, writers, aside from computers or laptops, which of the three ways below have you used to write an entire book?

• ✍️Handwriting
• ⌨️Typewriters
• 🎙️Dictation