First Draft
First Draft is a feature that helps you get the ball rolling when you don’t know where to begin. Whether you’re working on a novel, blog post, article, or essay, First Draft will generate up to 3000 words based on a prompt you provide—giving you a solid jumping-off point to work from.
It’s intended for that early, idea-spark moment, before you’ve written anything in the document. First Draft offers a substantial foundation you can then edit, refine, or build on.
How to use First Draft
First Draft only appears when your document is completely empty. Here’s how to find it:
- Open a blank document inside any Sudowrite project.
- Click on the Plugins dropdown in the toolbar.
- Select First Draft from the list.
You’ll see a field appear with some example prompts to inspire you below. Just complete that field and click Go!
ICYMI: First Draft only appears in totally blank documents. You won’t find it in the Plugins menu if you’re working in a document you’ve already written in.
For best results from First Draft
The more detail you provide, the better the draft will be. Here are a few tips:
- Fiction? Include character names, settings, and key events.
- Non-fiction? Share the structure or argument you want to make.
- Something else? Mention tone, style, or any specific quirks you’d like to see.
We recommend giving as much detail as you can here. A sentence or two is fine, but a full paragraph is better. As you type, First Draft gives you feedback on how to improve your prompt—think of it as a writing coach guiding you toward a stronger start.
What you can expect from First Draft
Once you submit your prompt, Sudowrite will stream a first draft directly into the editor. The draft is:
- Tailored to the type of content you asked for (fiction or non-fiction)
- Inserted as regular text, ready for immediate editing
- Generated with beautiful sparkles—so you can follow along as it appears!
Whether it’s a moody short story opening or a structured blog article, First Draft gives you something real to react to.
When you should use it
First Draft is perfect if you:
- Don’t know how to start your story or essay
- Want a quick spark of inspiration
- Prefer editing and shaping over generating from scratch
- Need to experiment with tone, structure, or POV without starting from zero
Some common use cases include:
- Fiction scenes and character intros
- Personal essays or blog entries
- Opinion pieces or structured arguments
- Genre-specific prompts like thrillers, romance, or historical fiction