Fast Fiction

Book excerpt: Writers flock to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) each November because it provides a procrastination-busting deadline. But only a fraction of the participants meet their goal. Denise Jaden was part of that fraction, writing first drafts of two subsequently published novels in that tight time frame. In Fast Fiction, she shows other writers how to do what she did, step-by-step, writer to writer. To ensure success, her program begins a month before the month of drafting. During this prep period writers think through plot, theme, characters, setting, etc. Then Jaden provides day-by-day coaching for the thirty-day drafting period. After writers “race to the finish,” they are not left high and dry. Jaden's “After the Draft” revision tips allow writers to determine if a draft is not just workable but compelling, so that they don't waste months or years developing it. Her camaraderie and skill allow Jaden to both instruct and inspire.