"All first drafts are shit." — Attributed to Hemingway

• Is the outline too vague to write from?
• Are expectations too high for a first draft?
• Is there fear of the blank page?
• Are you waiting to feel "ready"?

• Perfectionism (standards too high for first draft)
• Anxiety (fear of judgment or failure)
• Over-preparation (planning forever, never starting)
• Vague outline (don't know what to write)

• Write a zero draft scene with no expectations
• Start with dialogue only (easiest to generate)
• Write "What happens in this scene is..." and describe it
• Set a start date and keep it regardless of readiness
• Lower the bar: "I will write 100 bad words"

• Are you editing while drafting?
• Did you stop at a dead end?
• Is the current scene unclear?
• Did you stop at a bad place last time?

• Not re-reading previous work before writing
• Moving forward, not polishing backward
• Stopping mid-scene (not at ends)
• Using placeholders for stuck parts

• Skip to a different scene you CAN write
• Use placeholders: [SOMETHING HAPPENS HERE]
• Lower word count goals dramatically
• Stop mid-sentence next time (easier to resume)
• Disable backspace / turn off screen

• Is the story working?
• Is there a structural problem the draft is revealing?
• Is motivation flagging because direction is unclear?
• Do you know the ending?

• Outline was incomplete for middle section
• Story problem discovered during drafting
• The "long slog" between exciting beginning and end
• Lost connection to why this story matters

• Connect with the ending—write toward it
• Review outline for structural gaps
• Write scenes out of order (skip to climax if needed)
• Ask: "What's the worst thing that could happen now?"
• Take a short break, then resume with fresh eyes

• Is the ending unclear?
• Is there fear of judgment once complete?
• Has momentum been lost?
• Are you avoiding the ending?

• Fear of evaluation (once done, it can be judged)
• Uncertainty about what comes next
• Ending feels inadequate
• Attachment to the process over the product

• Set a deadline and commit publicly
• Commit to word count regardless of quality
• Remember: a finished bad draft beats an unfinished "good" one
• Write the ending NOW, then fill gaps
• Accept the ending can be revised—just get something down

• Is editing happening during drafting?
• Are word count goals too low?
• Is perfectionism slowing progress?
• Are you treating the first draft as final?

• Daily word count goal exists and is met
• Not re-reading more than last paragraph before starting
• Not revising sentences after writing them
• Actually drafting, not perpetual revision

• Increase daily goals (500 → 1000 → 2000)
• Time-box sessions (write for 1 hour, regardless of output)
• Commit to speed over quality for remainder of draft
• Track word count publicly for accountability
• Use "dirty draft" philosophy: it's supposed to be bad

• Is it a drafting problem or a story problem?
• What specific element feels wrong?
• Can you push through and fix in revision?
• Does the outline need adjustment?

1. Push through anyway — Fix in revision (fastest)
2. Pause and re-outline — If fundamentally broken (significant)
3. Follow the draft — Let story go where it wants (discovery)
4. Write both versions — Compare later (exploratory)

• Distinguish: is it prose quality or story structure?
• If prose: push through (that's what revision is for)
• If structure: take one day to re-outline, then continue
• If character: write the scene wrong, mark it, keep going
• Trust that revision exists for exactly this purpose

"Writer's block is a non-medical condition primarily associated with writing, in which an author is either unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown."

• Write with screen off
• Use a different tool (pen, typewriter, different app)
• Write in a "junk" file meant to be deleted
• Set a timer and don't stop until it rings
• Dictate instead of type
• Write at a different time of day

• Pomodoro: 25 min on, 5 min off
• Power hour: 60 min focused drafting
• Sprint: 15-30 min bursts with breaks

1. Set time limit (5-20 minutes)
2. Keep hand moving—no pausing
3. Don't correct anything
4. If stuck, write "I don't know what to write"
5. When done, mark passages worth keeping

1. Change location (different room, outside, café)
2. Change tool (pen/keyboard, different app)
3. Lower the bar ("I'll just write 100 words")
4. Skip ahead to a scene you can write
5. Write about being stuck (free write about the block)
6. Talk it through (explain scene aloud, transcribe)
7. Set a timer (even 10 min of forced writing)

• Write it badly on purpose
• Write only the dialogue
• Summarize what needs to happen: [Character confronts villain about X]
• Skip it with placeholder and move on
• Ask: does this scene need to exist?

• That's normal. Keep going.
• Don't re-read until draft is done
• Remember: you're generating raw material
• The revision skill exists for exactly this reason

• Dedicated space if possible
• Minimal distractions
• Consistent location (habit trigger)

• Distraction-free writing tool
• Internet blocked
• Notifications silenced
• Phone in another room

• Consistent time of day
• Morning often works (before world intrudes)
• Specific time matters less than consistency

• Can't start? → D1
• Starts but stalls? → D2
• Middle stuck? → D3
• Can't finish? → D4
• Taking too long? → D5
• Story problem emerging? → D6

• Re-reading before writing?
• Revising sentences after writing them?
• Standards too high for first draft?

• Daily goal (words or time)?
• Consistent schedule?
• Appropriate scope per session?

• To scene-sequencing: When stuck scene is structural
• To character-arc: When character isn't coming through
• To revision: When draft is complete (not before!)
• To prose-style: ONLY after draft is complete

• Outline or at least clear sense of story
• Characters defined enough to write
• Setting clear enough to describe

1. Identify state: D1 (Can't Start)
2. Ask: "What's stopping you from writing the first scene?"
3. Check for perfectionism or fear
4. Suggest: Start with a zero draft or dialogue-only version
5. Set concrete goal: "Write 500 bad words by tomorrow"

1. Identify state: D3 (Middle Stall)
2. Ask: "Do you know how the story ends?"
3. Check: is it boredom, structural problem, or lost momentum?
4. If boredom: skip ahead, write an exciting scene
5. If structural: brief outline review, then continue
6. If momentum: set smaller daily goals, rebuild habit

1. Identify state: D6 (Story Problem)
2. Ask: "What specifically doesn't work?"
3. Distinguish prose quality from story structure
4. If prose: push through (revision exists)
5. If structure: one-day pause to re-outline, then continue
6. Remind: first drafts are discovery—finding problems IS the process

1. Check for

   context/output-config.md

   in the project
2. If found, look for this skill's entry
3. If not found or no entry for this skill, ask the user first:
   • "Where should I save output from this drafting session?"
   • Suggest:

     explorations/drafting/

     or a sensible location for this project
4. Store the user's preference:
   • In

     context/output-config.md

     if context network exists
   • In

     .drafting-output.md

     at project root otherwise

• Drafting state diagnosis - which block or resistance applies
• Internal editor patterns - specific voices/fears identified
• Momentum strategies - techniques that work for this writer
• Progress tracking - word counts, session notes, breakthroughs

• You do not write the draft for them
• You do not encourage endless preparation
• You do not validate perfectionism about first drafts
• You do not suggest editing mid-draft
• You do not hand off to revision until draft is DONE