3 Lessons for Writing a First Draft

Recently I shared an interview with a client (we’ll call her Karla), who recently finished the first draft of her novel. (Woo hoo! 🎉) If you missed that conversation, you can read it here.

If you’re hoping to be in a similar position in 2026, here are 3 key takeaways from Karla’s interview that you should pay attention to.

1. It takes time

Karla has learned that it takes a lot of time to write a manuscript, even longer than she originally thought it would. What is your expected timeline to finish your draft? Do you think it’s realistic? 

Let’s do some math. If an average novel is about 80,000 words (length is dependent on genre, but this is a nice round number to work with), and there are around 250 words on a double spaced manuscript page, you’ll be writing about 320 pages to complete your draft. 

Now, how many pages can you realistically write in a week or month? Not during November, when some people are burning the candle at both ends trying to write 50,000 words. 

In a typical month, where you’re dealing with life and work, how many pages can you complete? 

There’s no right answer here, and certainly no judgement! Some people write fast and some write slow (that’s me!). The aim is to have realistic expectations. 

Let’s say you can write 20 pages a month. That means you should plan to spend 16 months writing your draft. How does that number feel to you? Is it shorter or longer than you had imagined? If you want to finish your draft in less time, you might need to allocate more of your time each week to writing.

2. Make it a routine

Karla noticed that while it was hard to sit down and write at the beginning of the drafting process, it got easier with time. If you stay away from your draft for weeks at a time and then expect to be able to sit down and knock out a few thousand words, you might find your results are less than ideal.

While it’s true that everyone has their own process, and I’m not here to dictate what yours should be, the sheer size of your goal means that tackling it in small, regular doses will increase your odds of success.

Keeping a routine is especially important if you feel resistance every time you sit down to write. That resistance is your brain panicking at the enormous feat you’re attempting. 

It’s saying, “Hold up, there are a lot of unknowns here. It’s looking a little dangerous, so let’s slowly back away from the computer and binge watch a nice, familiar Netflix drama.” 

But with regular writing sessions, you’ll train your brain not to go into protector mode and you’ll see your word count grow.

3. First draft ≠ Final draft

Karla knows that when she types The End on her manuscript, she is far from done. This is an important lesson, because many writers think it’s an easy downhill coast after writing that first draft. 

In reality, the revision process often represents more work than drafting, not less.

If you find that thought discouraging, try looking at it this way:  You have every reason to loosen up and play while you’re drafting! 

Knowing that most of what you write in your first draft will end up getting refreshed as you revise can help you release the death grip you have on your story, and maybe even keep that inner critic at bay.

These three takeaways can help you achieve your goal of writing a first draft, no matter your experience level, the genre you’re writing in, or how much time you can devote to writing. 

Writing the first draft of a novel is a big undertaking. Having realistic expectations can help you get to The End, and have more fun along the way!