Hello, you dear writer,

Remember when I was struggling to write last month? Well, I’m not anymore — I’ve done almost a full first draft this month, and I’ve got to tell you what I did differently.

I’m calling this new* method The Chatter Draft.

You don’t write the book.

You simply tell yourself the story.

Imagine two ten-year-olds coming out of the latest blockbuster — you know how they retell the story to each other? Remember when the bomb exploded? And when he jumped off the tower? Oh, man, that part where they almost drowned? Woooo! And when they farted? My dad farts like that!

That’s about the level of writing we’re going for in a chatter draft, fart references and all.

In Action

Have a scene idea?

Jot down what happens in the scene, grab some of the dialogue you hear floating past. Do you think the character will feel something here? Scratch it down. You can’t get it wrong (unless you slow down and start to take time crafting quality sentences. That, yes, we’re trying to avoid).

Go FAST. Skimp on every single detail.

Feel bored, trying to connect the bits together?

Skip all the boring bits. You’ll figure them out later.

Grab the scenes that sparkle, that excite you, that scare you.

How I’m Tracking My Writing

I’m using my Reactive Writing Magic Spreadsheet (click to grab your own copy).

I go to the Outline page and I start brainstorming the first (or next) scene. As soon as I get an idea or two, I flip to my book’s document and start typing. When I get stuck, I flip back to the spreadsheet.

The magic of that spreadsheet is in the reacting. You’re constantly reacting to the decisions you’re making, which is what allows you to keep moving ahead. We make decisions quickly, without trying to get them right. (There’s no right, anyway.)

This is decidedly NOT outlining. Outlining can block writers who need their arms deep inside the work to have the ideas flow. So I’m still flying by the seat of my pants in this very abbreviated version of a first draft, and it’s still writing. Just not very good writing. 😂

The Best Part:

I love that I keep getting annoyed that I can’t expand into a scene, because I have no time (I’m trying to finish this draft by the end of November).

I love it because it means that I can’t WAIT to start the revision. In this case, revision means simply expanding those scenes. *rubs hands together giddily*

Bonus: I’ve always been an overwriter, which in the past has meant I get to maybe half the word count of the book in a first draft and realize I don’t even know what the book is about yet. This method is limiting my wandering plot (thank god).

* Did I Steal This?

I thought I stole this idea from two of my students who came up with it at the same time, in two different 90-Day classes recently (thanks, P and A!). I thought, WHAT A GREAT IDEA, I GOTTA DO THAT.

Then, just last week, I found this photo from eleven years ago.

I read this, and it meant absolutely ZERO to me. Nothing. Nada.

Then, slowly, something clicked.

Fern, named at top, was the character in an old book of mine. This is chapter 26 of The Ones Who Matter Most, published in 2016 by Dutton. This is a full chapter presented in chatter draft. Twelve lines! That’s all I needed to hold the scene in my head.

So, yes. This has worked for me before, beautifully. And it’s working that way again. (Will I forget again? Probably!)

I plopped the above pic and the expanded final chapter here, if you’d like to peek at it.

Try It

Curious if it’ll work for you? Heck, try it out today! It literally can’t hurt you. And you certainly don’t have to write a book this way.

But perhaps try writing a single scene in chatter draft form? Find out what it feels like to move quickly, to have ideas, to pivot, to chase the shiny.

Then (o frabjous day), expand it. Breathe life into it. Let it open and flower.

Oh, it’s such fun.

Speaking of fun:

Writing in the Junkyard Online Retreat

January 3 - 4

We’re Writing in the Junkyard again!

Kick off the new year by giving yourself the gift of real, focused time for your writing.

In this Online Retreat, for two joyful days, January 3rd and 4th, we’ll write together.

It was incredible last year, and this time, it’s a bit longer because the number one suggestion I got was, “I wanted even more time!”

Grab a hotel room or just throw the bolt on the bedroom door, and join us. You deserve the time (and the support) to write.

All the details are HERE.

Important: All members of Ink Village at the Garden level and up get this retreat for free! Mark your calendars, Villagers! ❤️

Onward!

Rachael

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Podcast | Patreon

PS - If this is helpful, will you consider forwarding this to a writer friend? They can join this writer’s list HERE!