The real reason I started First Draft Club 🙈

We start tomorrow! Are you in? 📖

Why I started First Draft Club

First Draft Club was born out of my own personal need for a kick up the bum.

This year has been a difficult one for me so far, and my fiction writing keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list. It’s easy to let this happen if I haven’t got a project on the go, and with one novel out on submission, and another in the planning stages, it’s felt easier and kinder to stay in that in-between place. You know how it is – life gets stressful, time seems to shrink, and the thing that should be an escape feels like a chore. As I wrote about here, I’ve been in a writing drought – a season of reserving energies, focusing on others and letting my own writing brew in the background.

But, as I know very well, if I’m not writing, I’m frustrated by that fact. Writing makes me a happier person. While I love writing for you at The Inkwell, it doesn’t quite scratch the same itch as fiction. Back in January, I said I wanted to write a first draft of a new book this year. I had twelve months. Now I have six. Gulp.

So, I decided to practice what I preach. I had to take action. I know that consistent action, small step by small step, fixes most things. I also know that if I make the commitment publicly, and share my progress with other writers, I will do what I set out to do. So, here we are. 😁

I’m doing this for me – to pull me out of my writing drought and get me back into action. But I’m also doing it for you, because I know that all writers benefit from community and respond to accountability. If you need a bit of that right now, you are not the only one!

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.

We start tomorrow! 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.

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. If you have not yet set up a Substack profile, you may need to do this first.

On The Inkwell homepage you’ll also find a link to all posts in the menu.

If you can’t make the first live

Sign up for emails, where I’ll soon be sharing a simple goal setting process you can do alone, and return to whenever you need. You also have the option of joining the Inkwell membership and coming to weekly Coffee & Co-writing sessions.

You’ll find more details and FAQ here. Joining details will be with you tomorrow. I can’t wait to see you there!

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