A few people have asked about my trash drafting process, so I figured I'd explain how I write a book. The alternate title of this thread is: Why I Will Probably Never Sell a (non-sequel) Book On Proposal.

I'm a planner by nature, but I also love when a book is given space to develop organically. So I start with an outline. Basically: here's my book idea, here are the characters, here's what I want to do with the story, here's the planned ending. Garden Book's outline was 50 pages.

Then I start the trash draft. The trash draft's entire purpose is, basically: does this plot, with these characters, actually work? And here's where I allow organic development. I refer to my outline, but I also let the characters breathe. I shift the plot as necessary.

Why is it called a trash draft? Because IT IS TRASH. It's me playing with the puzzle pieces and seeing if they fit together, or if some of them are from a different box. I introduce characters that I may decide don't work. I drop plot points that don't work. I just keep writing.

No one is going to read my trash draft but me. It is destined to be a reference point for a complete rewrite. It is bin material. It is shit. And that's ok, because to repeat: no one will see it! I get to be the master of that particular pile of shit. No one has to read it!

And the way my trash drafts inevitably develop is the reason I'll probably never sell a book on proposal: the result is me throwing out a lot of stuff. Today, I realised that one of Garden Book's main characters and main plot points isn't working. I'm binning both in the rewrite.

For me, that's the plus of a trash draft. No one has to know about this character and this plot point I introduced and dropped! No one has to be witness to my failure, except me (and maybe my cat, who has to listen to all my terrible ideas)! And the draft makes room for failure.

While writing this trash draft, I make a developing list of things I need to change on the rewrite. Frex:

1. Merge these two characters together, because one isn't working.

2. Remove ____ plot point, replace with ____

3. questions unanswered: A, B, C, D.

Using the list and the trash draft, I start a rewrite. Sometimes I keep lines or paragraphs, but most of the book gets completely rewritten from page 1. I seed in all the changes I noted from the list. This is a good draft! I nearly triple the word count from the trash draft.

The rewrite then gets a comprehensive edit. This is where I add more characterisation and worldbuilding details. I fine-tune the plot to make sure everything makes sense. I add sparkly, pretty lines. I make the paragraphs shine. I bring the characters to life.

My final edit is a read-through -- grammar, spelling, clarifying sentences, etc.

This is the draft that receives feedback. Here's where *someone else* (editor or agent) tells me if it all makes sense, or what I need to adjust.

This book looks nothing like the Trash Draft.