The Vomit Draft Method

Discussing what exactly a "vomit draft" is in the context of writing is something I find myself doing many times a year. So I feel it's important enough to just write a new blog post about it at least once a year instead of looking back and referencing a post I wrote many years ago. This is a concept that isn't fairly known or used in the fiction writing community. But if you were to discuss a vomit draft with a screenwriter, they would know exactly what you were talking about. It was my wife, a screenwriter, who first introduced me to the concept when we met and realized we had a shared love of writing, but expressed our creativity using two different mediums. She wants to film her work and I just want readers to read mine.

Ever since she told me about her vomit drafts I took the term and began using it myself. And to start with, let's just look at a clear and concise definition:

WHAT IS A VOMIT DRAFT?

Writing that is spewed out onto the page without stopping to edit until the project is completed.

The beauty of a vomit draft is how it reminds me that no one (and I do mean no one!) has a perfect first draft. I also like that it’s a step BEFORE what many writers would call their “rough draft” because I feel I need that. I used to approach my writing and tell people “oh, I’m working on my rough draft.” And many times I’d find myself feeling compelled to share that draft with others because, for some reason, the word 'rough' wasn’t synonymous with unreadable by human consumption for me. And that was bad. There are at least some rudimentary steps that should be taken by all writers before they share their work with anyone (this includes editors and beta readers!).

When you think of vomit...okay, eww gross, I know. But work with me here. When you think of vomit, it's not pretty to look at and definitely not something you ever want to smell. I can't think what's worse: when I vomit or witnessing someone else vomiting? I'll let you decide that one. What I'm trying to convey here, is that vomit is gross and disgusting and if you wouldn't want to invite your friends over to witness you doing it or admire the results when you're done, why on earth would you do that with your manuscript??

As I said before, no one has a perfect first draft. That includes those great authors you love or have heard about as being so rich and famous. Whoever that person is on your list of favorite authors, even they have shitty first drafts. That's why most writers will say they are working on their rough draft. But to really bring that home for those who you may say that to and just don't understand what that means (cause they ask to read it anyway), try saying to them, "I'm working on my vomit draft." I guarantee their nose might wrinkle and their face will cringe and they will most likely not ask to read it. Saves a lot of time having to explain to non-writers what a 'rough draft' truly means.

One last thing calling my rough draft a vomit draft does for me is it frees me to just write. Too many of us get bogged down by this idea that whatever we write for the first time must be amazing, and if it isn't then why bother? This kind of thinking can stifle one's creativity and prevent them from reaching their true potential. Half the battle of telling a great story is editing it so that eventually others can read it. Your vomit draft is meant to be gross and unreadable for others. But when you're done, you pinch your nose and get down to improving it. Pick out those gross bits till it's the kind of vomit your mother would be so proud of, she'd hang it on the refrigerator for all to see. Okay, that might not be the best analogy to end on, but you get what I mean...

So be free! Write whatever! Get messy! Make mistakes! And let that soon-to-be beautiful vomit fly!