Poornika Kakkanaiah
YA fantasy author and former Notes to Novel student who finished a 114,000-word first draft in 88 days while working full-time, later signing with a literary agent.
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Jan 8, 2026 • 51min
#228. Student Spotlight: How She Finished Her First Draft in 88 Days (While Working Full-Time) With Poornika Kakkanaiah
Poornika Kakkanaiah, a YA fantasy author who finished a 114,000-word first draft in 88 days while working full-time, shares her journey. She explains the single outlining method that cut research paralysis. She describes a cut-bait start date, a two-hour nightly routine plus sprints, and balancing chronic illness with intense writing windows.
