Do you miss NaNoWriMo? Do you need the power of a community challenge to get you to finally finish your book, script, or other writing project this fall?
#FirstDraftFall is here to help! Created to fill the empty space left by NaNoWriMo’s collapse, #FirstDraftFall is a community challenge to finish a first draft in the fall—with a full ten weeks of programming to carry you from the planning process to a complete story. The best part? You don’t have to hit 50,000 words or write a full novel: you can set a goal to finish a novella, script, or even a short story—whatever goal best fits your capacity.
We offer two levels of programming for writers during First Draft Fall, letting you choose how to participate based on the level of support you need.
Basic (Free) Support
You can participate in free activities by following Weeknight Writers on Bluesky and using the #FirstDraftFall hashtag. We’ll have different activities happening each month:
September: Nothing
There will be no free programming during September. You may purchase a ticket to our pre-launch event, Staying Power: Finishing Books With ADHD for $29 (or sign up for our premium membership to gain automated entry + additional support for just $21 per month).
October: Planning
- Good morning questions on our Bluesky account designed to help you explore four aspects of story planning: building an idea, developing characters, setting your story, and plotting.
- Weekly writing check-ins on Bluesky where you can share your story planning goals for the week on Mondays & your progress for the week on Fridays.
- Themed #WeeknightWriters chats on Bluesky on Thursdays at 7-9PM EST discussing the four aspects of story planning outlined above.
November: Drafting
- Good morning mini pep talks and tips for getting un-stuck if you’re struggling with your draft.
- Weekly writing check-ins on Bluesky where you can share your writing goals for the week on Mondays & your progress for the week on Fridays.
- Themed writing chats on Bluesky from 7-9PM on Thursdays with a mix of drafting-related topics and writing check-ins.
December: Wrapping Up
- Good morning mini pep talks and tips for getting un-stuck if you’re struggling with your draft.
- Weekly writing check-ins on Bluesky where you can share your writing goals for the week on Mondays & your progress for the week on Fridays.
- Themed writing chats on Bluesky – one writing check-in chat & one chat where we’ll be chatting about how to celebrate your finished draft & what to do next.
Advanced (Paid) Support
You can access more in-depth support by joining our paid community for just $21 per month. Premium Weeknight Writers get all of our free support, plus extensive members-only content:
September: Pre-Launch Learning
Paid members get automatic entry to our pre-launch event, Staying Power: Finishing Books With ADHD. This deep-dive panel will feature Premee Mohamed, Savannah Stephens, E.M. Anderson and E.A. Noble.
October: Planning
- Extended free trial for StoryFyre Pro, story planning and writing software.
- Nightly accountability check-ins to keep you on track.
- Planning worksheets to help you with character development, worldbuilding, and plot.
- Body doubling sessions/virtual write-ins every Saturday from 4-6PM EST.
- Social events on October 3rd and October 31st from 7-9PM EST.
November: Drafting
- Nightly accountability check-ins to keep you on track.
- Reflections & tracking worksheet package + Writer’s Block Buster worksheet for getting past tricky scenes and storylines.
- Nightly writing sprints from 7PM – 8PM EST on most weekdays.
- Body doubling sessions/virtual write-ins from 4-6PM EST every Saturday.
- Open mic events on November 14th and 28th from 7-9PM EST.
December: Wrapping Up
- Wrap-up Reflections worksheet to help you process your First Draft Fall experience and plan the next steps for your WIP.
- Nightly accountability check-ins to keep you on track with your writing.
- Nightly writing sprints from 7PM – 8PM EST on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- Body doubling session/virtual write-in from 4-6PM EST on December 5th.
- Wrap party and open mic on December 12th from 4-6PM EST.