Introducing First Draft Club ✍️ 📖
I will probably regret this, but...
Who wants to finish their book draft by the end of the year?
Me too.
I’m embarking on the first draft of my next novel and I want to finish before Christmas. I’m giving myself six months to knock out a shitty first draft. To make sure I do it, I’m practicing what I preach, committing to this publicly, and inviting you to join me. Because, if I make myself accountable to you, I know I’ll actually do it! 🙀
How it works
First Draft Club is for anyone who wants to finish a draft of something before the end of 2026. It doesn't matter if you're writing a first draft, a second draft or thirty-seventh, the point is we have six months to finish.
We’ll meet once a month for an hour on Zoom. Each month we’ll check in on progress and set intentions for the month ahead. The vibe is relaxed and supportive. This isn’t a challenge – it’s a space to hold each other accountable and cheer each other on.
It’s perfect if:
You’re working on a long form writing project of any kind
You want tangible deadlines and accountability
You are already working on something, or have a good idea what you want to write
You don’t want to do this alone
It’s completely free to join. You just need to subscribe to The Inkwell and make sure you’re signed up for First Draft Club emails. Shitty first drafts, here we come!
More FAQ - scroll down 👇
‘You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.’
Jodi Picoult
How to join
New subscribers will automatically be subscribed to receive First Draft Club emails. To change what you do and don’t receive go to your Substack Profile > Settings > Subscriptions > select The Inkwell > scroll to Notifications and slide the toggles.
Existing subscribers have not been automatically subscribed to First Draft Club emails, as the last thing you need is more email you don’t want. If you would like to join, go to your Substack Profile > Settings > Subscriptions > select The Inkwell > scroll to Notifications and slide the toggle for First Draft Club on. See video below for demo. If you have not yet set up a Substack profile, you may need to do this first.
(Video kindly provided by subscriber, Elaine R. Frieman)
On The Inkwell homepage you’ll also find a link to all posts in the menu.
First Draft Club Dates:
My aim is to finish my draft before the Christmas break on 23rd December 2026. So, we’ll start on 23rd June and meet on 23rd of each month (or on a weekday as close as possible to that date):
Tuesday 23rd June, 3pm – 4pm UK time
Thursday 23rd July, 3pm – 4pm UK time
Monday 24th August, 3pm – 4pm UK time
Wednesday 23rd September, 3pm – 4pm UK time
Friday 23rd October, 3pm – 4pm UK time
Monday 23rd November, 3pm – 4pm UK time
Wednesday 23rd December, 3pm – 4pm UK time
How this fits with The Inkwell membership
First Draft Club is in addition to our weekly Coffee & Co-writing sessions and quarterly reset group coaching sessions. Coffee & Co-writing is for paid members and is a brilliant way to connect and write together every week. These weekly community meets will support your progress and I strongly recommend joining us inside the membership as you work on your draft!
We start 23 June 2026
We’ll meet on Zoom at 3pm-4pm UK time.
Check the time in your time zone here
We’ll define our projects and set some gentle goals to get us started. If you’d like to join on the day, make sure you’re signed up for First Draft Club emails and you’ll get the link direct to your inbox on the morning of 23rd June. These sessions will not be recorded.
What do you think? Am I mad? Are you in? Let me know in comments!
FAQ
Can I join after 23rd June? Yes, you can join any time.
Do I need to be writing a book? No – any long form project is fine. For example, it might be academic writing or a series of Substack posts.
What happens if I can’t make the live meet-ups? No problem. You’re still welcome to join. I’m trying to make this as minimally time intensive as possible (for you and for me), so there’s no replays or group chats etc. Instead, I will share a simple goal-setting process in a post that you can return to any time you need it. You have the option of joining the Inkwell membership and using Coffee & Co-writing to check in, too.
Will there be replays of the live sessions? No. I want this to be as simple as possible – the point is to write – so no distractions or need to catch up. Instead, I will share a simple goal-setting process in a post that you can return to any time you need it.
What happens in the lives? I’m purposefully keeping this flexible so we can develop as we go, but we’ll check in on progress and do some simple goal setting for the coming month. There will be time to chat too.
How do I get the joining link and First Draft Club emails? go to your Substack Profile > Settings > Subscriptions > select The Inkwell > scroll to Notifications and and slide the toggle for First Draft Club on. If you have not yet set up a Substack profile, you may need to do this first.
I have more questions! Great! Pop them in comments 🙂
Oh Katherine! This was exactly what I needed! And last night words came to me, unbidden, flowing out of me like mercury!
This is exactly what I need! Looking forward to the first session