Soundtracks

Don’t Fix a Rough Draft Before It’s Done

So last week I wrote about plot holes and transition issues within my first two chapters. 

However, during my time off this week, I came across something that said (and I’m paraphrasing because, of course, now I can’t find this post to save my life): Don’t Fix a Rough Draft Before It’s Done.

And after I read that, I just sat there thinking dammit that’s a good point. Rough drafts are supposed to be messy, they are supposed to have plot holes and continuity issues and all that jazz. The point of a rough draft is to get your story down, no matter what shape it’s currently in. So forget chapters 1 and 2. They’re already written down and it’s time to move on to chapter 3. Editing can come later. As it should. 

You might be wondering, “If you’re talking about rough drafts, why is this entitled Soundtracks?”

Well that’s just because I’ve been switching between the Wicked soundtrack and the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks all week. It’s the only music media my neurodivergent brain has been willing to accept this week - everything else gets violently rejected. I’m even listening to the soundtrack from the third Pirates movie as I type this.

Not that I’m complaining! My preference is usually to listen to one or two things on repeat, anywhere from hours to weeks to months, until my brain decides I’m done with it. 

But with these soundtracks, listening to them just makes me feel so good emotionally. I feel like I can do anything and they just make me happy. I have a feeling that this material will be the type to repeat for months. Who knows? Maybe listening to it while writing will be beneficial! Or it might just distract me too much, I guess we’ll have to see.