The phenomenally talented author John Green has said 90% of the words in his first draft are NOT in his final draft.


Which is really a huge amount of words to delete right? I mean, that’s a daunting freaking number. That’s the kind of number that makes you want to curl up, suck your thumb and not write again. Because WHAT WAS THE POINT then of the first draft????

The point? Well, it’s just the process.

Now, I’m not going to claim to be an expert. But this is John Green we’re talking about. And he’s pretty much the top of the game when it comes to writing most excellent novels for teens. And all I can say as someone who has just gone through revisions is this — HE IS RIGHT.

I didn’t technically track the words added and words deleted in “The Mockingbirds.” But it’s already gone through several revisions and will still go through line edits and copy edits and probably a few more tiny story tweaks. But here’s why I agree with John.

1. Sept. – Nov 2008: I wrote first draft of The Mockingbirds back when it was called The Poster Child and didn’t even include a secret-society at a prestigious boarding school that operates as the judge, jury and muscle for the entire student body. Yeah, that’s right — what MADE the story wasn’t even in it.

2. Nov. 2008-February 2009: Revised novel to add in the Mockingbirds.

3. February 2009: Revise novel for agent to submit to editor

4. April 2009: Revise ending

5. July 2009: Revise beginning (novel sold in August)

6. August 2009: Add in some new scenes based on conversation with editor

7. November 2009: Revise for editor

So that’s seven different drafts so far and I think it’s safe to say every single line and word has been tinkered with.

How many words from your first draft remained in your final draft?