First Draft Frenzy

So… What is First Draft Frenzy?

The First Draft Frenzy is our yearly main event! Running from 12:00am on November 1st through to 11:59:59pm on November 30th, the Frenzy is an explosion of creativity and camaraderie. 

The point of the event is to encourage participants to prioritize creativity in their daily lives, even if it’s just for thirty days. Write the novel you always said you’d write “someday”. Paint thirty postcards of the same beach. Make a scarf, or a stuffed animal, or a series of clay pots. Or maybe you want to accomplish tasks instead: finish editing your collection of poems, write and playtest a tabletop game module, program a book organization app, learn to play the theremin. Whatever it is that you want to do this month, there’s a gaggle of others who are also doing something wild and crazy and are here to cheer you on.  

So… What do I do?

Whatever you want! The Frenzy is open to all sorts of creative tasks. Currently, we make use of the Pacemaker website, which allows participants to set their own goals. Progress is tracked through percentages, rather than hard numbers. You can set the “Classic” goal of writing 50,000 words of a new novel, or challenge yourself to 75,000. Maybe 50k seems too daunting, and 20,000 words is more your speed. Great! Or maybe you want to draw 30 pages of a comic book, write 100 pages of a script, spend 25 hours editing, or knit 15 pairs of socks. Set a goal, create a Pacemaker account and project, and join us for all the fun!

So… How do I join you?

Throughout the month, various participants and board members will be running Scribbles, small events for people to get together and create with others. These Scribbles can be online or in person, and are spread across the Metro Detroit area. As November draws nigh, the calendar (found HERE) will fill up with these events, so you can find the one that suits you best. Typically, there’s at least one a day!

November also features our major events! Almost every Saturday (sometimes every Saturday!) will have a Big Event, where much of the community gathers together for several hours of creative abandon. There are word wars, there are prizes, there are raffles, there is often delicious food! Late October features our Kick-Off, where the year’s theme and teams are revealed. Following that is a meet and greet to casually hang and eat ice cream. November brings a Front Load First Weekend, a Midway event, a Boot Camp, a Black Friday Writing Crawl, and a One Last Push Party online until midnight on the 30th. Check our Events page HERE for all the details on those!