Willow Draft

First drafts are allowed to be bad

November 2026

The first version of anything exists to be replaced. Its only job is to give the second version something to push against.

I keep a rule now: the first draft is written in one sitting, without rereading, and is never shown to anyone. Knowing that makes it much easier to start.

What changed

Less time staring at an empty page, more time cutting. Cutting is the easier problem.