First draft – happy
Reread – too long
Second draft – cut the piece in half,
Reword clumsy passages
Walk away and leave it be, I'm just going to ruin it if I don't leave it be
Come back to it a couple days later – hate it
Third Draft – essentially rewrite the whole thing from the beginning
Keeping only the best phrases
Realize that I left out important transitional words in phrases like “or” and “and”
Words that I would just assume were actually written on the page as a I read it
But aren't physically on the page, because that's how my perception works
Fix the text, reread slowly and carefully to assure that every word I'm reading is physically on the page
Walk away and leave it be, I'm just going to ruin it if I don't leave it be
Come back to it the afternoon before Open Mic
Reread – feel confident enough to share this with people
Edit clumsy wording, rephrase lines for better verbal flow
Check again for missing transitional words
As well as words written out of order
Final Draft – good enough
Walk away and leave it be, I'm just going to ruin it if I don't leave it be
Go to Open Mic
Review piece at given intervals between performers
Convince yourself that what you have is better than you think it is
Mentally rehearse your performance,
Remind yourself that what you have in hand is brilliant, even if you don't believe it, yet
The only difference between you and JK Rowling is a name
The only difference between you and Stephen King is a name
The only difference between you and every other writer that has what you want is a name
And this, this is how you're going to make that name
Writing this, performing this, because this is what sets you apart
This is what makes you different
This is what makes you better than every other writer that has ever been
Because they can't do what you can do
They can't be you
Perform the piece
Gauge audience response
Socialize and Network with other artists
Absorb anything that helps you improve
Go home
Repeat the process, beginning with the First Draft
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