How to Draft Faster, with Daphne Gray-Grant

Hey there, Writer—this week on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, we’re diving into something so many of us wrestle with: how to get that first draft down… faster. And more importantly—without all the agony.

I’m joined by Daphne Gray-Grant, who brings a lifetime of experience to the writing process. She grew up in her family’s newspaper business, later worked as a senior editor at The Vancouver Sun, and somewhere in the middle of all that, gave birth to triplets! If anyone understands writing under pressure, it’s Daphne.

In this episode, Daphne shares how she went from struggling with writer’s block to developing powerful tools to help writers draft more quickly and confidently. One of the biggest shifts she teaches? Start small. Like, five-minutes-a-day small. 

We also talk about the deep psychology behind why writing feels so hard sometimes—especially for those of us who love editing more than drafting (hi, I see you!). Daphne explains why school doesn’t prepare us for the emotional challenges of writing and offers simple, mindset-shifting strategies to help you work with your brain, not against it.

One of her favorite tricks is ending your writing session with a few quick notes for tomorrow—so when you return to the page, you’re not wasting time wondering what comes next. That little shift can make a huge difference.

We also had a great chat about mind mapping, which Daphne has adapted into an incredible tool for writers. Instead of just putting a topic in the center of the page, she suggests starting with a question. This sparks creativity and helps you move past the blocks that outlining often creates. I’ve used this myself in my poetry, and let me tell you—it works wonders.

This conversation is packed with practical advice that’s gentle, doable, and grounded in real-life writing experience. If you’re someone who wants to finish that draft but keeps getting stuck, I think you’ll find a lot of relief—and inspiration—here.