Tangled up in Definition
December 7, 2000
7:28 a.m.
Just what the heck is a first draft? "Searching for Ghandi" is now finished in first draft. Or, rather, it's done in fourth draft, but the first in this form. Or, maybe it would be better to say that it's not really finished, but merely in fleshed-out form, the "real" draft to come later. Such complexities do we ponder... Maybe the best thing to do is just say that the pan is finally filled, but the loaf has yet to rise. Or perhaps I could stop this foolishness and say that if I were a painter, the test cells are done. Or maybe it would be better to say ... ...arg. :) Why do we care about these types of things? Why do we care about milestones and deadlines? Why do we package things up into deliverables? The only thing that counts is that we get to the end, of course. But people are strange. Human beings, at some base level, want to feel like they are in control of things. Even wild-brained maniacs are really looking for some control point, some frame of reference. And for us more cerebral writer types, thes control points--these markers of process--are called drafts. So we work on them. We worry about them. Do we do too many? Do we not do enough? How would we know? Is there a standard? The facts of the matter are these. I've put "The End" on the version I think I'm going with--I've leraned not to be definite with this story, but I'll admit I'm feeling good about it as I speak. Right now. 7:22:53 a.m. Thursday, December 7. It needs fleshing out through the last half, but the story is there. And for now, that in itself is good enough.   "Searching for Ghandi" as revised is down to its last scene--I think. It sits at 7,000 words at present. We'll see where it ends. Have a great day.  This entry, as are most all, is first draft Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins |
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