First Draft Detroit News – October 13, 2025

Hello Drafters!

The Game Day Fundraiser was a rousing success. We had an amazing time with you all (I even got to play Call of Cthulhu for the first time) and had a great turnout! Now: are you ready for November? Got your ideas all in a row? Got your supplies for crafty plans? It’s coming sooner than you think!

Game Day Fundraiser Results

Our second annual Game Day Fundraiser has many impressive numbers! This year we had approximately 25 participants! (I am heavily biased and thought the table with my two kids and two other kids was the cutest.)

Between the pre-registrations, the bake sale, the auction, and donations, we raised $1,378! This is our biggest fundraising event of the year, and this money goes a very long way toward being able to provide the events and supports you know and love. The Not Quite as Rad Yet Still Rad Nonetheless (It Has a Sheath!) Sword was a popular item. Will we be able to get our grubby little paws on another sword for next year? Only time will tell!

First Draft Frenzy!

This November is our second annual First Draft Frenzy!

But Erin, what’s that?

So glad you asked! The First Draft Frenzy is our annual create-a-thon, happening every November. The goal is to create something new, from start to finish (or whatever you get done, because progress is success here) from November 1 to November 30. If you recall, First Draft Detroit grew out of the former Detroit region of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), so this is naturally an extension of the events and support we provided under that name.

We want to encourage creativity, no matter what form that takes. Writing a novel? Great! Drafting a comic book or graphic novel? That’s awesome (please show us your art)! Painting a series of portraits? Please also show us your art. Crocheting a bunch of little bits and bobs? We want to see that too! All that matters is that you begin that project on November 1 and work on it until November 30 (or beyond). Have any more specific questions? Please do not hesitate to reach out! You can either reply to this email, or touch base on Bluesky, Instagram, or Discord (all linked at the bottom).

Are you having that Team Championship again?

We sure are! The theme is still a secret, but we’ve got awesome art that I can’t wait for you all to see!

The Team Championship is a friendly intra-group competition, meant to foster productivity through Seeing More Number Go Up. Obviously, you get to watch your own completion percentage climb, but through the magic of the Team Championship, you get to watch the completion percentage (on average) of your team go up, too! We All Love Seeing Number Go Up.

How do I join the Team Championship?

You simply fill out the Highly Scientific Sorting Questionnaire here, and The Algorithm will sort you onto one of three teams. We’ll have the first batch of names sorted for Kickoff (this Saturday! more details to come in this email) so if you’d like to see your name on the list that early, please do fill out the que4s

Upcoming Events

Get ready for a whole bunch of fun! The festivities kick off this Saturday, then continue all through November until we finally breathe a sigh of relief in early December and cry the collective cry of Thank Goodness It’s Over!

Kickoff/Ice Cream Social

Historically these have not fallen on the same day, but we figured, hey! Why not?

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: There is a nationwide protest that is concurrently happening in Ferndale (and, indeed, nationwide) from 12 PM to 2 PM. Parking will likely be scarce. There will be many, many people. Be safe. Dress for the weather.

Kickoff is first:
Ferndale Area District Library
222 E 9 Mile Rd
Ferndale, MI 48220
October 18, 2025
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
There is parking in a lot directly behind the library. It is paid. This is not the fault of the library. The city of Ferndale controls the parking. Please do not leave a bad review for the library. It makes the librarians sad, and we do not want to make the librarians sad.

PLEASE NOTE: KICKOFF IS NOT A POTLUCK. Food is no longer allowed in the Ferndale meeting room. (womp womp)

Following Kickoff is our Meet and Greet Ice Cream Social:
Treat Dreams
22965 Woodward Ave
Ferndale, MI 48220
October 18, 2025
3:30 to 5:30 PM
Who doesn’t love ice cream for dinner? Join us after Kickoff at Treat Dreams and enjoy some delicious ice cream and additional socialization! Talk more about the plans that you’re making for your November project. Will I get a different flavor this year? Unlikely! Come try to talk me into something that ISN’T salted butterscotch!

A Day at the DIA

Meet us at the Detroit Institute of Arts in the Kresge court at 1 PM and soak up some beautiful inspiration! Bonus: there’s a new exhibit on Anishinaabe art!
Detroit Institute of Arts
5200 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48202
October 26, 2025
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Street parking is free. The parking lot across John R costs $7. Admission to the DIA itself is free for residents of the tri-county area (Macomb, Oakland, Wayne counties).

Frontloading First Weekend

The Dovetail in Warren is once again generously allowing us the use of their space to try to cram in as many words as possible in this first weekend of November. The food and coffee are tasty, the vibes are wacky (in the best way!), and we’ll have plenty of creative sprints to keep you rolling.
The Dovetail Cafe
29200 Hoover Rd
Warren, MI 48093
November 1, 2025
4:00 to 10:00 PM

Scribbles

Scribbles are our more low-key creative get-togethers. We have 4 every month (except December please we just want to sleep) but in November we have more!

You ready for the November list? You sure? Let’s go!

• Monday: none yet 🙁
• Tuesday: none yet 🙁
• Wednesday: Dessert Oasis (Ferndale) with Chesnaye, 4:30 to 7:30 PM
• Thursday: Road Less Traveled Books (Farmington) with Erin, 4:30 to 6:30 PM
• Friday: The Office Coffee Shop (Royal Oak) with Owen, 5 PM to 8 PM
• Saturday: None yet because we’ve got a bunch of big events!
• Sunday: Online (Discord) with Beth, 8 AM to 10 AM; Blue Hat Coffee (Farmington) with Erin, 1 PM to 4 PM

If you want to host a scribble (look at those two lonely days there, so sad!!) then feel free to let one of us know! You can absolutely host an online-only one just like Beth, or you can host an in-person one. Be the scribble you want to see in the world!

Donations

As a reminder, we are a 501c3 nonprofit, which means any donations you make to us are tax-deductible! We have several avenues available for you to donate to, if you’re interested:

1. Kroger Community Rewards (search for First Draft Detroit)
2. Paypal: firstdraftdetroit@gmail.com
3. Cashapp: $firstdraftdetroit

If you desire the shiny gold donor role in our Discord sever, do any of the above (including signing up for Kroger Community Rewards) and let one of Da Board know! (Remember the NaNo halos? This is our version! It turns your name gold and everything.)

Find us online!

As always, you can reach us via this email and in several social media-type places!

• Discord: http://discord.gg/GZxdWjs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstdraftdetroit/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/firstdraftdetroit.bsky.social

Creatively Yours,
Erin
Director of Community Engagement
First Draft Detroit