Home

Defeat the Blank Page!

We’ve got all kinds of work to do to get this site cleaned up and better functioning. Thanks for your patience while we get it together. If you’re looking for information and just can’t heckin find it, drop us an email at firstdraftdetroit@gmail.com

Welcome to First Draft Detroit!

First Draft Detroit is a 501(c)3 non-profit that supports Detroit area creatives in overcoming the hurdle of the blank page. Through local and online venues, we host events where participants prioritize creativity by working alongside like-minded people. Our events create positive pressure and community support to help take projects from dreams to drafts.

The writer has their outline. The painter, a doodle. A musician may hum a little tune and the knitter browses for patterns. No matter the artist, no matter the art, everything starts with the hardest part: the first draft. All are welcome at a First Draft Detroit event – all versions of drafts and all kinds of art. What started as a group of writers has evolved to include artists and painters, crafters who crochet or knit or sew, and writers of all genres. Whatever human-made art you use to express yourself is a project you can bring to a First Draft Detroit event.

Our in-person events are called Scribbles. These are informal drop-in events that happen in cafes and bookstores around metro Detroit. For more information, see the year-round Scribbles page. Our main season is a marathon of creation in November known as a Frenzy. This is a month-long intensive with Scribbles happening online or in-person every day of the month and regular big events on weekends to celebrate milestones and keep up motivation. The traditional writer’s goal for a Frenzy is 50k words of a first draft, but every participant can set a challenging goal for themselves. Using our online spaces, the community engages in friendly themed competition (known as the Team Challenge) for the length of the Frenzy. Other events FDD hosts include a Summer Mini Frenzy (2-weeks), workshops, and a TTRPG Gaming Day.

We have a flourishing online community hosted on the Discord platform which can provide immediate encouragement, a forum for feedback, or an avenue to find an accountability partner. This support can be accessed from anywhere at any time. If you’re on vacation or move to another state, you can still participate in online events.

Come for the scribble, stay for the stickers. We offer a variety of swag to celebrate your milestones. Collect themed stickers, buttons, and more! More than productivity, our events create community through fun activities, potlucks, swag, and general shenanigans.