For those of you who are new to writing, or new to NaNo, or just want some advice on how to start a novel, I just want to say that your first draft will be a complete let-down. I don't want to take the wind out of your sails, but if you accept that your first draft won't live up to your expectations--it won't be that perfect story you have in your head--then you'll be better set to win this November.

Here's an excerpt from my first day's worth of writing:

His suit was of military design, considerably taller and better armored better armor coverage than the orange one. It was painted in a green and brown dark colored camouflage splatter paint job. He wore it with the helmet hanging at his side or on his back.

As you can see, I can English good.

This is what a first draft is: A place to make mistakes, to play with words until you find something that you like. It's where you just put ideas on the page and worry about dressing them up prettily later. That's a job for editing, and the bright side of all this mess is that the worse your first draft is, the easier it is to edit.

So don't expect perfection. Don't try to find the perfect word for the scene or even stumble trying to set the scene right. Just write, and the right will come.

Thanks, Sarah.

And the key message you gave a couple years ago in your excellent prep workshop is that no word written is wasted--the first draft is essential for getting the story out of our heads and onto paper. Even if we rewrite a lot of the first draft after November, just in knowing what works and what doesn't in developing the story is invaluable.