You might be reading this title and wondering what in the world? You also may be reading this and wondering if this was an accidental post. Did I post this too early or was this a mistake.
Nope! This is no mistake. You see, it’s another late night for me. I just can’t “shut down.” I literally wish I could unplug myself so I can fall asleep, but since I do not have the luxury of being mechanical, my creative wheels are rolling right on schedule at approximately 12:59 am.
I am a writer and God gifted me with the ability to express myself through words. I write all the time. It wasn’t until one day when I was in a hard season (writing) and I clicked “save as draft” on a blog post I was writing, a thought popped into my head and I asked myself, “What if we would do this in real life?” What if we hit the “save as draft” on our lives? GASP!
(Pause here for dramatic affect).
Save to draft. I do this all the time! I have TONS of posts that I have written over the last three years that are just drafts. Sometimes I go back to them and write therapeutically and sometimes they are just titles waiting for the perfect moment for me to unleash my thoughts/feelings and let loose with my words.
By definition, “draft” has a ton of meanings (and for all of you football guys and gals, I’m not talking about the NFL draft)! Those who know me best know that I do NOT #football! A draft can also be referred to as a beer or other drink that is kept in and served from a barrel or tank rather than from a bottle or can. Yes, I stole that definition from Webster himself but I’m surely not talking about a cold one! Although I will say, “CHEERS, Y’ALL!”
Anyways, back on track. I read a quote earlier that stated something that has resonated with me all day. It stated, “It’s just the draft. Your first draft is not suppose to be perfect, you just have to finish it.”
Some of you may be in draft mode right now. You may be dealt a situation in which you are forced to be in “draft mode.” You may be stuck or have writer’s block. You may be stuck in your life and longing to propel forward. My advice? Save to draft. Pause and give yourself the time you need to “just finish the story.”
You see, we put so much pressure on ourselves to have that final draft in production that we miss out on the most important step, the draft, which just so happens to be my favorite part of the writing process!
When we are in draft, we are given the opportunity to edit and make changes. We have the opportunity to go back, see our errors and right our wrongs. We are hit with brand new ideas and thoughts that set us on fire! I know as I am writing and a fresh thought pops in my head, I feel this fire inside me and run so far with it that I feel like Forrest Gump!
So why do we rush this process? Why do we rush the most critical part of our story?
Your draft mode may take longer than you anticipated and that is perfectly okay. I am here as a testament to tell you that you will know when that draft is ready to publish. You will feel a sense of pride and excitement. You will feel ready for people to read your story, engage and be a part of it.
But whatever you do, don’t rush the draft.