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Bit of a random question!
Other than English Lit at A level and being an avid reader, I haven’t had much to do with the creative writing/literature area for a long time. I do some copywriting and editing of advertising copy as part of my job so my basic grammar and communication skills are OK. I’ve completed a couple of beginner’s creative writing courses, read lots of books on creative writing (and applied the learnings through exercises) and I’m applying for some more intermediate ones starting in September.
I have a few months between then and now free and have a fair idea for a novel I want to write (most characters fleshed out etc). The intermediate courses are very comprehensive, and they might give me a better grounding if I hold off writing the novel until I develop more next year but I think I have a decent understanding of what's required.
My question is, should I just continue to practice writing short stories and ‘develop the craft’ during these summer months or should I just have a go between June and Sept at getting as much of the novel down on paper in a first draft? If most of the first draft needs completely rewriting anyway, is there much point writing it now?? On the other hand, I am excited to just get on and write the story. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Comments
If you carry on writing stories you will indeed develop the craft - the craft of short story writing. If you begin a novel you'll start learning about novel writing.
You can always put the first draft aside and return to it later, as I have done, but getting that first draft down is important.
Just do it.