The First Draft Pro Blog

We freaking love stories

You do too? Well, well, well. That smells like BFF potential.

The image shows a close up of two hands, one holding a pen, poised over a blank page in a note book ready to write. Over the image is an illustration of a phone call screen with the call name: Inspiration. Will you answer it?
Writing Tips
4 min read

The 100+ Most Famous Writing Quotes of All Time

Let the world's most famous writers guide your way with more than 100 inspiring motivational quotes about writing, being a writer, and finishing your first draft.
This image contains the covers of several of the greatest books on writing of all time. Authors includes are Stephen King, William Zinsser, Ray Bradbury, Ross Hartmann, Stephen Pinker, George Saunders, Anne Lamott, Shawn Coyne, Lisa Cron, Margaret Atwood, Strunk and White, And Sol Stein

A comprehensive guide to books on writing

Whether you're just starting or looking to polish your skills, something here will help you write better, inspire you, and even make you laugh.
An illustration of a scene from a novel on a laptop screen.
Writing Tips
3 min read

What is exposition and how to do it well

Effectively conveying background information without overwhelming the reader.
An illustration of an open book with a story spooling out of it.
Writing Tips
3 min read

The ultimate guide to your first draft

Comprehensive strategies and considerations for crafting your initial manuscript.
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Writing Tips
3 min read

How to use the Kubler-Ross stages for managing change/grief in your story

Implementing the stages of grief to depict character development and conflict.
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Writing Tips
3 min read

6 approaches to finishing your first draft

Strategies for completing the initial version of your manuscript.
An illustration of two women laughing.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How to write humour (a brief overview)

Techniques for incorporating humor into your narrative effectively.
An illustration of two characters in a romance novel.
Writing Tips
3 min read

How to write healthy relationships

Crafting authentic and positive interpersonal dynamics.
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Writing Tips
3 min read

Chekhov's gun

Understanding and implementing the principle of relevant narrative elements.
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Writing Tips
3 min read

The 2 ways you can introduce your inciting incident

Strategies for presenting the initiating event of your narrative.
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Writing Tips
3 min read

A foolproof formula for writing a inciting incidents

Crafting compelling events that set the narrative in motion.
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Writing Tips
3 min read

How to know what you can leave out/not dramatize

Identifying non-essential elements that can be omitted from the narrative.