The First Draft Club: Build Your Writing Habit
Stop waiting for inspiration. Our 4-week program gives you the structure, daily accountability, and expert masterclasses you need to finally finish your first draft.
We know life happens and writing takes a backseat. Our program is designed to give you the structure, accountability, and supportive community you need to prioritize your words and make consistent progress.
This is how we get you writing. Our four-week program combines weekly expert sessions for inspiration, daily writing sprints for momentum, accountability partners to keep you on track, and a word count tracker for that extra motivational push.
We bring the literary world to you. This is a glimpse into our expert sessions, featuring insights from celebrated authors and poets like Ranjit Hoskote, Jerry Pinto, Arundhathi Subramaniam, and Kritika Pandey, who share their wisdom on the writing craft.
Our community gets results. We're incredibly proud of alumni like Ektaa Rupani, who attended our Creative Writing Workshop in 2021 and went on to publish her book, 'Solo: The Journey Within'. Your story could be next.
This is what accountability in action looks like. A collage of our 2024 Writers Residency cohort, all focused and immersed in their work, supported by the structure and quiet inspiration of the retreat.
The core of our program is simple: one dedicated hour of writing each day. No excuses, just putting words on the page. You will be amazed at how much you can accomplish with this focused, daily practice.
When you invest in your writing with us, you also invest in a child's future. A portion of your fee goes directly to the NGO-run Chirag School in the Himalayas, meaning your words help change two lives at once.
Get a taste of our expert sessions with this clip from author Manu Joseph. He discusses the reality of a writer's life, emphasizing that failure is a more common and relatable experience than success, and professionalism is about knowing you can deliver.
About Featured
Our program isn't about perfect prose; it’s about persistence. Every weekday at 9 AM IST, we log into Zoom for a one-hour writing sprint. You sit, you type, and you log your word count on a shared tracker alongside 100 other writers. It’s not a critique workshop where your work gets dissected; it’s a dedicated space to ensure the words actually hit the page.
How We Get You Writing
Most writers don't fail because they lack talent; they fail because they lack momentum. The First Draft Club is built on a simple premise: a messy first draft is infinitely better than no draft at all.
- Daily Writing Sprints: We host live, hour-long Zoom sessions every weekday morning. No lectures, no critique. Just focused 'butt-in-chair' time where you write alongside peers.
- Accountability Trackers: You join a shared dashboard to log your daily word count. It’s a bit of friendly competition that keeps you honest and consistent.
- Expert Masterclasses: Sundays aren't for writing; they are for learning. We bring in industry pros—published authors, editors, and literary agents—for live Q&A sessions. You get to hear the unvarnished truth about the business of publishing and the realities of the craft from people who have actually walked the path.
More Than Just a Workshop
When you join us, you’re becoming part of a community. You'll get access to a private group of over 100 writers, ranging from hobbyists to published authors. It’s a space to vent about creative blocks, find accountability partners, and share resources.
A Contribution with Purpose
We run this program on a donation-based model. Your fees go directly to the Chirag School, an NGO-run institution in the Himalayas. You aren't just investing in your story; you are investing in a child's education.
Whether you are struggling with a novel, a screenplay, or just finding the time to put pen to paper, this is the environment you need to show up.
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