#FirstDraft60 – Let’s Complete a First Draft Together in 60 Days
Starting Monday, August 31, I’m going to challenge myself—and y’all—to an audacious project: to plan, prep, and write a first draft in 60 days.
For those who have completed NaNoWriMo in the past, this is old hat for you. But there are so many of us who think about it, maybe try for a few days, and then give up. Usually because we haven’t adequately planned ahead of time, not just for the story, but for everything that life can throw at us in the course of a month of marathon writing.
So I’ve decided to take a systematic approach, inspired in part by the book Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt. To that end, I have planned out my blogging/writing calendar for the entire 60(+) days:
You may have already done some/most of the prep work we’ll be working on for the month of September—you may have even started writing your story already. And that’s okay. This will give you a chance to review all of it and make some tweaks and revisions to your characters, story idea, setting, etc., in order to get ready for our writing marathon in October. Or there may be that one story you’ve always wanted to try writing, but just have’t yet taken the time. Now would be a great opportunity. What’s sixty days in the grand scheme of things?
Yes, I know that NaNo is coming up in November. However, I personally have never found November a good month to try to get writing done in bulk. I find that October seems to work pretty well for it, though. If you plan to participate in NaNo, feel free do your prep work along with us but then wait until November to do your actual writing. It’s up to you.
I hope you’ll not only follow along, but jump in with your questions, ideas, suggestions, and tips in the comments every day. If you need help brainstorming an idea or figuring out a plot point, please post. Yes, the comments here are public, but I moderate them closely to keep this a safe and encouraging place for writers to communicate with each other.
So what do you say? Are you in?
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KayeDacus.com 
Love Book in a Month. I want to join you, but I’m not due to finish mine until 9/15. Great minds!
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The writing won’t actually start until October 1. You’re more than welcome to join us after September 15, even if it’s just to prep your next book!
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Kaye count me in. It would great with your encouragement and expertise to get my draft completed. Jodie B. had just told me about the 30 day plan you referenced.
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Hi, Daphne! I’m so happy you’re going to join in. This is a rather scary prospect for me. I haven’t written regularly since I completed An Honest Heart back in 2012, the process of which left me with a little PDSD (Post Deadline Stress Disorder), which made me not want to write at all. But recently I’ve been bombarded with new story ideas, so I figured a big, public challenge would be the best way to get back into writing.
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I’m in. Any chance you could give us a little cheat sheet calendar like you have (minus the blogging) that is printable? Looking forward to this. 🙂
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Hi, Lisa!
Yes, I’ll be providing printable calendars in the “introduction” post on Monday to help us all get ready to start prepping on Tuesday.
I’m happy you’re joining in!
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question where are you? august 31 is monday where i am……..
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Please re-read the post.
I hope you’ll join in!
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I have an idea wondering around my head and would enjoy the opportunity to get it out of my head and on paper. I think this will be a good opportunity to write in a different manner than I am accustomed to.
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Yay! Yes, this challenge is a great way to try out something different, or that one story idea that we just never seem to get around to writing.
Glad to have you join us!
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