How to Draft a Novel in a Month (86,000 Words in 26 Days) (Ep. 6)

Between Drafts

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Nat and Nathan dive deep into the intense process of writing a novel draft in just one month. Drawing from Nat's recent experience writing his novel "Husk" at a pace of 5,000 words per day, they explore the practical challenges, strategies, and trade-offs of rapid drafting. The conversation covers everything from daily routines and word count tracking to the importance of detailed outlining before starting a sprint.

They also discuss recent developments in their publishing journeys, including Nathan's promising connections with industry professionals and Nat's progress with cover design and editing deadlines. They tackle the controversy surrounding NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and debate the sustainability of different writing paces, from traditional approaches to the aggressive schedules of indie authors publishing monthly.

TIMESTAMPS

[00:26] NaNoWriMo controversy around AI writing tools
[01:51] Nathan's updates on connecting with agents
[04:18] Nat's progress on his book cover
[06:07] Feedback from Readwise editor Eleanor on manuscript
[09:10] How to draft a book in a month
[19:45] Creating a detailed outline before speed writing
[30:17] Managing editing vs. writing new material during sprints
[31:16] How to write 5,000 words per day
[33:32] Balancing the sprint strategy with a 9-5 job
[35:05] Publishing multiple books per year
[41:28] Benefits of separating the outlining and writing processes
[45:31] The problem with common writing advice like "show don't tell"

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