Beth and Lisa are joined by editor and author Joel Brigham to discuss the messy, magical process of drafting. Joel shares practical advice to help writers overcome perfectionism and keep their momentum through the challenging early stages of a manuscript.
Guest Bio:
Joel Brigham is a seasoned developmental editor and founder of Brigham Editorial. With over 21 years of experience as an English teacher, Joel also mentors authors through RevPit, an online writing community focused on providing free editorial feedback. He is a former Pitch Wars mentor and the author of multiple novels, with a passion for coaching writers through their creative blocks.
Key Discussion Points:
- The core purpose of a first draft: “Words on the page—period.”
- Avoiding perfectionism and maintaining momentum in early writing stages.
- The power of psychology in writing: Zeigarnik effect, goal gradient effect, and the commitment and consistency principle.
- Common drafting mistakes: cliché openings, info dumping, lack of conflict, and undefined characters.
- How to start a novel and what elements (plot, character, theme, world) might help, especially across genres.
- Discovery writing vs. plotting: how to use strategic check-ins every 15-20k words to stay on course.
- The importance of not editing too early and letting bad writing exist temporarily.
- Encouragement for writers to embrace their individual process while building systems to reduce overwhelm.
Conclusion:
Joel Brigham offers not just craft knowledge, but a motivational boost for every writer wrestling with doubt or perfectionism. Whether you're a plotter or discovery writer, Joel’s advice focuses on giving yourself grace, building momentum, and ultimately, finishing that draft.
Mentioned Links:
- Sign up for the Writers With Wrinkles newsletter for episode cheat sheets: https://writerswithwrinkles.net
Listeners are encouraged to visit the site for more on Joel and to submit questions for future episodes.
Visit the Website
Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.