Come the new year I'll have a first draft and naturally will want to show that first draft to selected people. I'm really trying not to read back on anything as I go. I keep thinking though there will be plenty of inconsistancies, parts when I've not articulated myself sufficently, etc.

Do you always show people a first draft or do you go through and tidying it up first?

To the published novelists at WW, how far from your first draft is the final publication?

Tim, congratulations on completing your first draft!
As to your question: I think this is a very subjective thing. Depends really what you feel you need. Personally I am going to leave my draft for a few weeks, then read it through in one go as a reader would, making any notes to myself on the way. I think lots of obvious things will jump out at me when I do this. Then I'll go through the whole thing (maybe on a paper print out, maybe on computer)sorting everything out, and also challenging myself on every word so that it's as concise and clean as possible. If I hit anything that is a problem I'm not sure how to solve, I will post it here or share it with my novelists group for feedback. Only when it's as good as I can possibly make it will I start sending it to agents. I may also send the first three chapters and synopsis to Hilary Johnson or the Literary Consultancy. I probably won't share it with friends before I'm happy with it.
BTW, I've just ordered 'Self Editing for Fiction WritersSecond Edition)- How To Edit Yourself Into Print' by Rennie Browne.
Susiex


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This smiley thing's getting to me now - where did that blue moon come from?!?

As Susie says, it's a very personal thing, but there's NO WAY I would show a first draft to anyone in the world ever, not even my dog.

With my first book it was about the third or fourth draft before I showed anyone - therefore reasonably presentable but not too far set in stone.

With this one, I'm also going to be much more careful about who I choose to show it to - last time a lot of the feedback, whether positive or negative, was pretty vague and useless.

But that's just me - do what feels right for your book. I can also recommend the Self-Editing book Susie mentions.

Caro

Congratulations on it's completion.
In answer to your question, no I wouldn't show a first draft to anyone. I might show a polished chapter of an unfinished novel I intend to write, just to guage reaction to whether it was worth continuing, but I need several runs through of drafts before I'd be confident enough to show it to anyone.
If you put up a first draft for review make sure you mention that, so people don't spend ages correcting typos and other niggly bits (unless, of course, you want them to ).

Thanks all. Where did I get it into my head that it's the norm to show people a first draft?

By the way, the first draft isn't completed yet - it should be by the end of the year. Sorry if that wasn't clear. But, it will be the end of the year before we know it.

When it is ready to show people, and I'm talking pre-agent, how many do you show it to and what cross-section of people do you choose?

Where did I get it into my head that it's the norm to show people a first draft?

It is a fairly common occurance on WW.

When it is ready to show people, and I'm talking pre-agent, how many do you show it to and what cross-section of people do you choose?

It is my experience that beggers can't be choosers.
If you've got friends and family that'll read it, that's fine, but also post some chapters up on WW for a bit more experienced feedback from fellow writers.