Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

#224. The Truth About Writing Faster: It's Not What You Think

Dec 16, 2025

Discover how clarity can transform your writing process. Fast drafting isn't about rushing but having a solid understanding of your story's foundations. Learn why common advice can lead to frustration and how a little prep work can save you time in rewriting. Hear inspiring stories of writers who overcame anxiety and achieved significant progress by focusing on essential elements like genre and character. With the right roadmap, you can draft confidently and create compelling narratives without sacrificing quality.

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INSIGHT

Clarity Enables Fast, High-Quality Drafting

Fast drafting isn't a trade-off between speed and quality; clarity enables both.
When you understand your story before writing, speed follows because you stop second-guessing.

INSIGHT

Draft Quality Comes From Pre-Understanding

First-draft quality depends more on pre-draft understanding than on slow sentence-level polishing.
Writers who produce coherent drafts prepare smarter by defining story expectations and turning points first.

ADVICE

Invest Prep Time To Avoid Rework

Avoid skipping prep to save time because the real time waster is restarting and abandoning drafts.
Invest focused weeks upfront so you don't lose months redoing manuscripts later.

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Unlock the clarity you need to write smoothly, avoid constant restarts, and finish a stronger first draft in less time.

If you've ever tried to draft quickly and ended up with pages that feel unsalvageable, this episode will help you understand why that happens and what to do instead.

You'll learn what makes fast drafting possible, how clarity speeds up your process, and why a little prep work often saves months of rewriting. You'll also hear how my writing students used this approach to finish their drafts with a lot less overwhelm.

This is what I talk about:

[02:25] Why following common first-draft advice leads to writing that feels impossible to fix, and how this one shift saves months of frustration.

[03:50] The deeper reason you feel slow and stuck while drafting, even when you're writing regularly, and why fixing it builds intentional forward momentum.

[06:45] The story foundations most writers skip and how having them in place keeps you from second-guessing or rewriting the same chapters.

[08:50] How a simple, flexible roadmap gives you clarity, confidence, and momentum so you stop wandering through your first draft and start moving forward.

[09:25] What writing feels like when you’re no longer guessing and how this clarity helps you finish a stronger first draft.

Fast and good don't have to compete. With the proper prep work, you can draft briskly and end up with a story that works from beginning to end.

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