Writers vs. First Drafts. It could be a horror movie.

Many writers, especially ones just starting out, often become discouraged the first time around a manuscript because their stories seem a) poor or mediocre in general, or b) a horrendous catastrophe so huge they need to call in governmental disaster relief. After letting the story sit for a while, going back to read what you wrote in the past can reveal an awful lot about skills you don’t have.

Like dialogue. Or keeping paragraphs engaging. Or plot in general.

Ew.

But no matter how revolting your first draft might seem, it really is a valuable and beautiful thing. Firstly, it if weren’t for your first draft, you wouldn’t have any story at all. You’d be where you started—staring at a blank screen or empty page, twiddling your thumbs and thinking “I should really write this down.” Productivity would die. (You should scream “NOOOO!”)

Secondly, the first draft is the launching pad for a new and much more exciting venture: the second draft. And if you’re a really dedicated writer, the second, third, eighth or nineteenth drafts. These are what will help you develop the core of your story into an intelligible project, and from there craft what will become your masterpiece.

It might seem like a harsh truth, but there you have it: the first draft is not the finished product. It never is. Unless you are a genius capable of marketing anything to anyone (or you just have insane connections in the publishing world), editing and revision must occur for a story to reach its full potential. Don’t shy away from the nitty-gritty of fixing up your story. It can be great fun and vital practice for sharpening your skills.

Also, remember to hold onto your first drafts even after the other drafts have been written. First drafts have that spark, that life which first inspired the entire tale. Tucking it away (or, heaven forbid, deleting it) could prevent you from accessing it later to see what you were thinking in the moment, or from retrieving a detail you missed in a rewrite.

Bottom line, first drafts are essential. They provide the crux of inspiration, the brilliance of an idea executed in a wild moment of frenzied typing. Hold it near and dear, but be ready to let go when the time comes. It is the most important step of many in attaining your best works.