The First Draft: Let It Flow - podcast

Writing the first draft of a book is an exciting process, but it can also be quite terrifying. Pen Densham, Hollywood producer, writer, and director, tells the secret to overcoming the fear inherent in the writing process so you can finish your first draft. He says to think of the process more like an adventure than an adversarial process. When you're creating, you'd don't need to worry about being accurate—let it flow out of you. There is no wrong way to explore something you’ve never encountered before. Ignore anyone who tells you that you must do this and that by a certain page. Just go out there and see what kind of fun you can have. Once you finish writing the first draft of your book, the important thing is to celebrate. Relax, and then look at your work as something you’ve explored and discovered, and see what it tells you. The next draft is when you can begin to carve a more defined structure into your story.
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  • Great information!

  • I love how you wrote these tips in a "visual" effect. It seems like your talent of writing is not limited to books, but even flows through into simple explanations. I have struggled with instruction and comprehending what I have read my whole life, and my son as well. We are visuals. This is the first time I comprehended written instruction without having to read aloud or a second time around. Thank you
  • Wow, I have been bricking it! no more. Thanks Helen Sinclair
  • Very encouraging to a first time writer. I have written by assignment, but looking at a blank page is just like exploring new territory when you start a first book!
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    We're so glad you liked this. Pen is a fountain of valuable information and we were honored that he'd share his expertise with the Author Learning Center. If you search on his name you'll find other great contributions from him here on ALC.