Doing Candace Haven’s Fast Draft

I’d stated on twitter (@briaquinlan) at the end of August that I’d be doing a Fast Draft at the end of September, which means ….. *glances at calendar*…. uh-oh! Next week!

Fast Draft? What’s that? you say.

When I first started writing I wrote a big fantasy book (still love this story *stares longingly at Markbearer*) and broke the book into three sections – little books. I wrote every day like a crazy woman, 16-31 pages a day until that section was done. I’d take a few days off and start working on it from the beginning. When I was done with that book-within-a-book I’d move onto the next one.

Eventually someone let me know I was Fast Drafting. So, off I went to join Candace Haven’s yahoo group. It’s a great group. Beyond the FDing, she does classes and interviews – a definite must follow.

Anyway, the basis that FD was basically what I was doing with a few more boundaries put around my writing yard has created a get-it-down pattern for me. And now it’s time to do the next book.

Since there was such an interest in it on twitter, I’m bringing it to the blog.

To play along you have to do two things:

1. Join Candace’s yahoo group HERE: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Write_Workshop/ (ETA: Yes, lots of questions asking: If it’s not something I like, can I unsign up? –> yes, and you won’t get on a list or get bothered)
2. Follow Candace on twitter HERE: @Candacehavens
3. Also, it would be a great thank you if you’d go buy one of her books – and you won’t regret it

Once you’ve joined the group, check out these posts to see how it works:

FD intro: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Write_Workshop/message/107

Getting ready: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Write_Workshop/message/108

How it works: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Write_Workshop/message/109 (cut and paste then find/delete the error messages for easy reading)

The rules and getting started: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Write_Workshop/message/110

Okay, welcome back.

I can already hear several of you challenging me: But Bria, you aren’t working right now. Of course you can get 20 pages a day done.

Let me tell you a couple things:

1. Candy manages to do this while running the world. Seriously, I have no idea where the woman found an extra 16 hours a day, but she’s amazing
2. The first 3 times I FDed I had 2 jobs, was volunteering and traveled for work – I just looked at my page count for the 2nd round (deleted the others) and saw that I only missed 20 pages 2 times – and one of those times I woke up on the couch at 4:30am with the laptop still in  my lap … don’t judge
3. Writing doesn’t have to happen in huge chunks – I wrote at STOPLIGHTS! Seriously, it will be the one time in your life when you’re disappointed to hit that puppy green
4. Not everyone does 20. I HIGHLY recommend trying to tho. I found that personally that Fast Draft Magic she talks about is very real, but that your brain needs to consciously max out to hit it. A friend of mine complains she never has the FD Magic so she doesn’t think it’s real, but she only does 5 pages a day. I think that 5 pages a day is great b/c you’re getting it done, but there is the flip side to missing some of the magic.
5. My CP is a Plotter (note the capital P) – She does a plotting FD, then later does a writing FD, and then does Revision Hell. Feel free to join us in a Plotting FD

Basically, what I’m saying is that Fast Draft is for anyone who wants to get it done.  Do you want to get it done?

Once you’ve checked it out and started prepping come back here and comment so you can play along!

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