Write messy. 

I started the first draft of a brand new WIP a couple of weeks ago. And those first few days were so hard. My inner editor was critiquing everything. Now, having a strong inner editor is a good thing during the editing phase. During drafting, it’s all about simply getting words on the page. 

Just keep writing. Don’t stop to fix every problem. Just leave a note for later about adding more setting details, nailing down that worldbuilding element, checking out the potential plot hole. Build the forward momentum of getting words down on the page.

Early drafts are meant to be messy, with changing character appearances, typos, and plot inconsistencies. Editing is when it’s time to switch creative gears and focus on the problems. When you’re drafting, simply focus on getting the story out of your imagination, even when the words aren’t quite right.

Now, I will say that some writers are able to bounce back and forth between drafting and editing and find that that process works best for them. But if you’re like me, you just need to get the story down first. You figure out the story through the process of writing it, even if you have an outline.

So give yourself the freedom to write a messy draft. Finish the story.