When is a draft “done”?

• At the deadline. External, personal, content.

• When you let go. Being honest with yourself about whether you’ve taken the piece as far as it can go on your own

Tools for Keeping Up Your Practice

• Deadlines. Internal or external. Not just for major goals but minor milestones too.

• Sprints. Work really hard for a finite period of time.

• Buddy system. Meet with a friend to work or check in on goals remotely.

• Punch list. Know exactly what you need to do during your next writing session.

• Self-created retreat. With friends, solo, or structured at-home.

The Ever-Changing Practice

Instead of the idealized notion of a daily writing routine, forever and ever… how to continually reshape your practice:

• Play to your strengths

• Account for your challenges

• Set a specific goal for this phase

• Devise a process (and accountability tools) to help you hit that goal

Studio Time Prompt

Get weird! In your completed draft, look for the under-explored idea, the fleeting moment that might deserve its own scene, the character who freaked out off the page. Is there an element that you want to bring into this draft during one of your revisions—or perhaps something that might inspire your next piece of writing?

Studio Soundtrack

Sun Ra, The Nubians of Plutonia, 53 min. [bandcamp / spotify]

End Notes

• Please take our feedback survey! We pay very close attention to all of your comments.

• Use this spreadsheet to stay connected with other writers in the workshop.

• Join us for 5-to-9 this fall!