Every great book begins with a first draft.

And sometimes, it can feel like that first draft goes on forever. Have you ever spent months writing the first draft of a book? Years?

If so, you’re not alone. It’s easy to get stuck in the middle of a draft. Or spend years trying to write the perfect first draft . . . and never finish. Or stop writing before you even start!

But you can’t edit—or publish—a book you haven’t written.

Which means your first task is to finish your first draft.

How do you do it? How do you finally finish your first draft in a matter of weeks?

In this episode, I’ll give you ten strategies to speed up your writing process so you can make it to “The End.”

Six of these ideas will boost your productivity. Four more will help you surround yourself with a team to hold you accountable and help you finish.

You don’t have to apply all of them at once. Choose two or three to use in your writing every day, then try one or two more when you get stuck.

And to make it easier, download and print this quick-reference guide to all ten ideas, plus eleven more ideas coming in the next episode.

Liked what you heard?

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review. Also, be sure to follow the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes.

And if you’d like personalized feedback on your book, reach out to me at alicesudlow.com. I’d love to support you in your editing process!

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Want my support in your revision?

In Story Clarity, we’ll work one-on-one to sharpen your story’s structure and craft a revision plan that works. If you’re ready for thoughtful, personalized feedback from an editor who gets what you’re trying to do, I’d love to hear what you’re working on.

Get started by telling me about your story here.

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