Write the first full draft of a book
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
A finished draft, however rough, is something very few people who talk about writing a book ever hold in their hands. The daily habit of adding pages teaches you more about your subject and yourself than any amount of planning.
DemandingFreeA year or moreIndoorsOn your own
How to start
- Work through the free Open University course Start writing fiction.
- Write one page describing the book, then set a weekly word target.
- Book a writing course or retreat to get feedback on your opening chapters.
Where to go
- OpenLearn (Open University): Start writing fiction, free course
- Arvon: creative writing courses and retreats UK
We opened these links on 6 October 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Projects run over months and stall without a rhythm, so the plan sets milestones you can see.
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