Six Weeks to a First Draft with Suzanne Kelman
Join us for a practical, encouraging workshop designed to help writers move from idea to completed first draft in a focused and manageable way. The class is primarily geared toward fiction writers, though all writers are welcome.
Across six in-person sessions over seven weeks, participants will develop a clear story idea, build a simple roadmap for their book, and write consistently toward a finished draft. The emphasis is on progress, not perfection, and on giving writers tools they can use long after the class ends.
Each session will include a short teaching segment, simple exercises, time for questions, and gentle accountability for the week’s writing goal. Writers will also receive guidance for what to work on between sessions, including during the Memorial Day week when the library is closed.
Participants will register for the full series and expect to attend every class.
Program dates (all Mondays): 4/27/26, 5/4/26, 5/11/26, 5/18/26, 6/1/26, 6/8/26
Who This Workshop Is For
- Fiction writers who are ready to start or restart a novel
- New writers who have always wanted to write a book but do not know where to start
- Writers who have started a manuscript and feel stuck or overwhelmed
- Busy people who need structure, encouragement, and realistic weekly goals
No previous writing classes are required. All that is needed is an idea for a story and a willingness to show up each week.
What Participants Will Learn
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Clarify the core idea, genre, and premise of their book
- Create a simple story roadmap so they know where they are going
- Develop compelling main characters and understand what they want and fear
- Learn a clear beginning, middle, and ending structure that keeps a story moving
- Build a realistic weekly writing habit and word count goal
- Learn gentle tools to quiet self-doubt and keep writing when it feels hard
- Finish, or come closer to finishing, a complete first draft
Sample Weekly Focus
Each session will build on the last, moving from idea to outline to pages on the desk:
- Idea, genre, and premise of the book
- Characters and conflict
- Story structure and simple outlining
- Openings that pull readers in
- Building the middle and raising the stakes
- Writing toward a satisfying ending and next steps after “The End.”
Participant Requirements
- A notebook or a laptop for writing
- Time set aside each week to write between sessions
Suzanne Kelman is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than half a million books. She writes World War II historical fiction and contemporary novels published around the world and translated into multiple languages. Originally from the UK, she now lives on Whidbey Island and is passionate about making the writing process feel friendly, manageable, and fun for new and emerging writers.
To request a sign language interpreter, complete this online form or contact your local library at least two weeks prior to the library event. Interpreters will be provided based on availability.