November already? My mind is still processing the start of the year, and here we are, sprinting into the final stretch of 2024. This week, I want to dive into a core part of story creation: drafting. I have a love-hate relationship with drafts. If someone asked me what draft I’m on for Project Shenanigans, I’d technically say my sixth. That includes half-finished versions, discarded “do-not-read” folders, as well the complete attempts. Drafting a novel is complicated.

The first draft had a vastly different story and timeline. Back then, Morgana was married to a character who doesn’t even exist in the current draft. I’d mapped out the plot with straightforward quests and a clear storyline. Midway through, though, I planned to reveal Morgana’s traumatic past and the events leading to her marriage. Writing those scenes took me to darker places than I had imagined. I spent a week processing what I’d created, questioning if it was something I wanted to share with readers. The answer was no. I didn’t want to traumatise readers just for shock value. I put that draft into a ‘never to use’ folder, and went back to exploring who Morgana is and what drove her to join the guild. I also looked at the other character who I knew was important, Welt, and looked at what his values were and why he helped found the guild.

Draft two felt closer to what I was aiming for. Morgana was single, more focused on the guild and helping others. The side characters were richer, more present now that her husband was gone. But something still felt off—a missing link in Morgana’s new back story. I introduced a character who’d sporadically leave Morgana and the guild but would reappear at key moments, almost as if guiding her. I finished that draft, but it was a mess: most characters didn’t have names and were simply “KNIGHT” or “WIZARD.” Locations and kingdoms were tagged as “EVIL QUEEN” or “CHILL KING.” And some chapters were little more than place holders: “INSERT FIGHT SCENE” or “INSERT ARGUMENT.” Still, I had 80,000 words and the foundation for fleshing out the story in future drafts.

Draft three was… complicated. The book was supposed to be a standalone, but halfway through, I was already at 140,000 words! Publishers typically want fantasy novels by indie authors to be between 90,000 and 100,000 words. I’d barely started editing, and I was over the limit. I tried splitting the idea into a duology, yet still continued to soar till the word count was too high for even a duology.

So, I stopped.

I bought a whiteboard, and with a collection of rainbow markers to keep my optimism afloat through the internal spiral, I mapped out the storyline again and again until I realised it worked best as a trilogy. Each book could have its own arc while supporting the overarching plot. I felt like a genius.

With a fresh perspective, I let go of the third draft and started over. Draft four took time, but it began to look like the story I’d envisioned. I mapped out the world, gave everyone names, and tracked moon cycles to keep seasonal changes accurate, as well the time frames for missions and story plots. This draft felt real—I could finally picture Morgana wielding her magic, and Welt advising the guild with his analytical flair. Each side character came alive with distinct voices and personalities.

Then came draft five, the one that made me nearly give up. I learned a crucial lesson, one I’ll share to save you from my mistake. Are you ready? Always back up your work. By draft five, I was still delusional and had no backups. I accidentally deleted a massive chunk of my newest draft. A whole 40,000 words worth of redrafted story. I felt defeated and frustrated. I stopped writing for just over a month. It seemed so obvious to have backups, but I’d been overconfident and thought my laptop would never fail me.

After a while I missed writing, I missed my characters, and the world I had been bringing to life. I copied what remained of draft five into a new document and started reworking it into draft six.

With backups in place, I’m a third of the way through draft six. With each chapter, the story feels more alive. I can hear the unique voices, see the different expressions and stances the characters have, and the action scenes are tighter and more visual. Looking back, it’s shocking to see how much I’ve done in two years, but it’s worth it if I can create a story readers will want to explore and get lost in.

When we see a finished book, we don’t see the drafts that were scrapped, the half-finished scenes, the accidental deletions. We see a polished story, not the struggle, doubt, or countless revisions. So please remember, if your story isn’t perfect yet, you are still on the journey, and make sure to have backups.