Erin Radniecki • Book Coach

Author: Erin Radniecki

  • Should You Worry If Your Novel Has a Twin?

    Should You Worry If Your Novel Has a Twin?

    I just finished reading a novel that had some strong similarities to the book that I’m writing – and I’m not mad about it. 

    If you’ve ever had the experience of coming across a published book that resembles your work in progress (WIP), you may have thought something along the lines of, “Ugh, someone else wrote my book and did it better than me! Now I have to start over with a new idea.”

    Step away from the delete key, because I’m here to tell you you don’t need to bail on your book when you discover your WIP has a doppelgänger.

    While at first it may seem that finding a book similar to what you’re writing is a problem, it’s really not the end of the world. 

    You may worry that there isn’t room in the publishing industry for books that are alike, that your idea isn’t original enough, or that you won’t be able to write a book of equivalent quality. Just the knowledge that a book like yours exists in the world can be disheartening, maybe even to the point that you want to give up on your story.

    Let’s take a moment and acknowledge that there are millions of creative people working on novels, screenplays, poetry, music, and art at any given moment. And it’s reasonable to assume that more than one person will find inspiration in a given topic or premise at the same time. 

    There’s actually a name for it when it happens with movies: twin films. (Anyone remember when Antz and A Bug’s Life both came out in 1998?)

    But just like twin films, which have no problem coexisting in the theaters, similar books can absolutely coexist on the bookshelf.

    In fact, here are three reasons it’s actually a good thing to find a novel similar to yours. 

    A Helpful Opportunity

    First, you have a chance to evaluate the book and note what you liked about it, and what didn’t work for you. Ask yourself how your book is different and unique to you. 

    Even though you may be worried these books are twins, if you look closely there will be big differences. They may have similar elements – maybe they are both mythology retellings, or they each have a Deaf protagonist – but it’s unlikely that they are completely alike. Stick with this exercise until you move beyond the panic and are able to compare and contrast the books with a clear head.

    It’s Market Research

    Second, finding a book similar to your WIP proves there is an audience for what you’re writing. People often have particular genres or tropes they like to read, so when they’ve finished a book they loved they’re desperately looking for another book with the same vibes. Knowing there’s a market for books like yours can give you the confidence to keep writing when things get tough.   

    Preparing for Publication

    Third, if you plan on pursuing traditional publishing, you’ll need to be able to name two to four comparative (comp) titles in your pitch materials. 

    A comp title is a published book that is similar to your book and would appeal to the same readers. And if you’ve found a book similar to yours, you now have a new comp title. Even if you’re not thinking about publishing, having a few comp titles in mind makes it easier to tell people what your book is about. 

    Now, back to my WIP and its doppelgänger.

    Did I have any panicked thoughts as I read this new-to-me book? Did I worry that all my efforts had been wasted because another author beat me to the bookshelf?

    Honestly, no. 

    I loved the book, I enjoyed reading it, and it motivated me to keep working on my novel. 

    You read that right: it motivated me to keep writing! 

    Holding a real life example of a book that could sit next to mine in a bookstore or library was exciting. It helped me picture what my book would look like, and what the reading experience would be like for my audience. It also helped me identify areas where I want to level-up my writing.

    Finding a novel similar to your WIP certainly has the potential to send you into a panic spiral. But before you freak out, take a breath and do a reality check. Novels are incredibly complex forms of writing, and each one is created by a unique author who brings their own voice and inspiration. 

    You can write the book you’re dreaming of, and even if you find its doppelgänger, you can be confident that your novel will be unique to you.

  • Beta Readers: Confirmation That Your Book Works

    Beta Readers: Confirmation That Your Book Works

    Here’s a scenario you probably want to avoid: 

    You put your novel out into the world… and nothing happens. 

    Or worse, you get reviews, but they are far from the glowing accolades you had hoped for.

    How do you prevent this fate from happening to your book?

    One way to ensure this doesn’t happen to you, is to get feedback on your novel before you self publish or pitch to agents. 

    Enter: Your beta readers

    What are beta readers?

    Beta readers are a test audience for your book. They read an early version of your novel and provide high level feedback on how the book landed for them, where they were confused, or if something about the story made them put the book down and not finish it. 

    Beta readers can be incredibly helpful as you decide where to focus your energy in your writing and revising. But it’s crucial to your goals that you use them at the right time and choose them well.

    Do you need to use beta readers?

    My short answer is: Yes! 

    Whether you’re planning to pursue traditional publishing or self publish, you need eyes on your book before you can know that it’s ready. 

    You don’t want the first time that someone interacts with your book to be after you’ve released it into the world, be that in publication or during pitching. 

    Why? All writers (myself included) have blind spots for their writing. You see what you believe is on the page, not what is actually written. And because you’re so close to the story, you usually can’t see what’s missing.

    Beta readers provide a fresh perspective and feedback to shine a light on those blind spots.

    What should you look for in a beta reader?

    When choosing your beta readers, think carefully about the people you select. Sharing your writing with others, especially in the early stages, is a vulnerable act. It’s a responsibility that beta readers shouldn’t take lightly.

    I write in this blog post about why you shouldn’t consider family relationships when identifying safe people to tell about your writing. That advice goes double when we’re talking about beta readers! 

    You do not need to hear from doubters and downers right now. Choose people you know will be supportive and gentle, even as they point out the weak parts of your novel.

    You’re looking for a very specific type of person: they should be able to keep in mind that your novel is in its early stages, and is not a polished book that they’d pick up from the bookstore. 

    Especially if you are using beta readers earlier in your process, they need to understand that they are reading a work in progress that will have inconsistencies, typos, and errors – and they need to be okay with that. 

    They also need to be able to follow instructions. You should give beta readers a short, specific list of what kind of feedback you’re looking for, and they should be people who will adhere to those guidelines. A reader who comments on punctuation and grammar errors when you specifically asked them to focus on pacing, is not going to be much help to you.

    Finally, they should be familiar with the genre you’re writing in. If they only read science fiction, and you’re writing a romance, they won’t be familiar with the expectations of your future audience. 

    When should you use beta readers?

    The answer here is… it depends. Specifically, it depends on what your goals are. 

    First, ask yourself if the manuscript is ready enough. Don’t send beta readers a messy first draft and expect them to be able to provide helpful feedback. Make sure you’ve gone through at least one to three rounds of revision. It doesn’t have to be perfectly polished, but if it’s too rough your beta readers won’t be able to follow the story.

    Next, consider the type of feedback you’re looking for. If you want to confirm big picture things, like is the story on the page and believable, you’ll want to seek out beta readers earlier in the process. If you want feedback on more polished elements like pacing and voice, a beta read later in the writing process will be most helpful. 

    Ultimately, I believe there are benefits to both early and late stage beta reads, and you’re best served by doing both. 

    Think of it this way, you want to feel you have a solid story before you spend time revising and refining it. If you wait until you believe your novel is completely finished and polished before you employ beta readers, they may point out a plot problem that sends you back to square one, and all that polishing you did was for naught.

    Getting feedback on your book may feel intimidating, but it’s an important step in writing a novel. You don’t want the first feedback on your novel to come after you’ve self published, or after you’ve started pitching to agents. You want to have an idea of how your novel is landing with readers before you go public in a big way.

  • How to Keep Writing, Even When It’s Hard

    How to Keep Writing, Even When It’s Hard

    I’ve reached an exciting life milestone:  My home is finally free of a child’s play kitchen. 
    (And before you ask, yes, I promise this is related to writing.)

    The play kitchen had been in my dining room for a decade, and honestly there were times I thought I would never be rid of it. I was tired of seeing it day after day, month after month. So when my youngest announced that it was time to find it a new home, I jumped into action.

    Do I miss the kitchen? No, not right now. But I know that some day I will. I’ll look back longingly on the times when a tiny chef would cook me a pretend dinner.

    That’s the thing with phases: it’s hard to appreciate them when you’re going through them. 

    And writing a novel, like parenting, is a big task made up of many phases. You might find some phases fun, while others are less so. 

    But it’s important to find a way to enjoy (or at least appreciate) the phase that you are in, while you are in it.

    Because if you wait until your book is complete to enjoy it, well, you may never reach the finish line. 

    Having the motivation to show up and write is hard when you’re dreading the work. 

    Actively looking for something enjoyable in each phase of the writing process ensures you keep showing up all the way through completion.

    Different phases use different skills

    It can be helpful to notice that each phase of the writing process uses different skills and strengths:

    • Foundational planning involves dreaming big and imagining all the directions your story could go.
    • Writing the first draft uses puzzle solving and pattern identification as you work out exactly how the main character will move through the story.
    • Revising means stepping back and evaluating the big picture.
    • Polishing involves drilling down and looking closely at each paragraph and sentence.

    If you’re in a phase that requires a strength that isn’t in your wheelhouse, it’s understandable that you might struggle. The trick is to figure out how to do the work anyway.

    One approach is to identify a non-writing task that uses similar skills as the writing phase you’re in, and consider how you make that task enjoyable (or at least less painful) in life. What mindset or re-framing tools do you use to tackle a task that doesn’t play to your strengths at work or at home? Can you use a similar approach in your writing?

    Struggling with a writing phase 

    When you’re struggling with a phase of your novel, it can be hard to want to work on it. 

    Perhaps the phase is new and you feel shaky about it. 
    Or the skills needed in this phase don’t match your preferred skill set. 
    You might wonder if you’re doing it right, or if you’re wasting your time and energy. 

    In the moment, a phase can feel uncomfortable, it can be a struggle, or it might even feel painful. But being aware of what’s making it hard can help you find a way through it.

    Check in with yourself and ask, why is this phase feeling impossible? It might be the task itself (like writing in a scene rather than a summary, or improving dialogue), unrealistic expectations you’re putting on yourself, or the slow pace of the work.

    Once you’ve identified the issue, look for a creative way around it. You might tape some paper over your screen to prevent you from editing as you write, or challenge yourself to write the worst dialogue possible. Do something that will lift you out of the heaviness you’re feeling and help you loosen up.

    Each phase is temporary

    Whether you like the writing phase you’re in, or you’re really struggling with it, take time to remember that it is just a phase. By definition, you will eventually complete it and move to a new one. 

    That next phase will likely be daunting in new ways. And when you look back, the old phase may seem easier or simpler. The reality is that since you’ve overcome it, it doesn’t hold the same power that it did when you were in the middle of it.

    As you’re moving through each phase of your writing journey, remember that the work you’re doing is something that most people never even attempt. It may feel uncomfortable right now, but take pride in the struggle. Doing the hard thing is worth it.

    Choosing to write a novel means agreeing to tackle a variety of types of work, from visioning and planning, to drafting and polishing. Not every phase of the process will light you up, but if you can commit to finding some enjoyment at each point you increase your chances of finishing your book.

  • What You Realize After You’re Published

    What You Realize After You’re Published

    One thing I didn’t have on my 2026 bingo card was having a short story published in an anthology! Being included in the Cai Emmons Short Fiction Contest Anthology has been an exciting surprise.

    I don’t typically work in short form fiction, and I’d never submitted my writing to a contest, but I thought, why not? The worst that will happen is I’ll get a polite rejection email. I felt like I could handle that. 

    So this past fall, I took a break from revising my novel, wrote and revised a 3,000 word short story, and sent it off to the contest. Three months later, I was thrilled to find out my story had won a prize and was going to be included in the anthology! 

    This past week I had the amazing experience of reading my story, Fragile, in front of a virtual audience at the anthology launch event.

    Now that I’m able to hold the physical book, see my short story in print, and have read a portion of it publicly, I’ve been reflecting on the experience of being published. 

    Here’s what I’ve learned:

    Publishing means giving up control

    I don’t know about you, but whenever I daydream about being published, I envision my words landing perfectly with readers. I can see now how much that is out of my control. 

    Once I’ve released my words out into the world, there’s nothing more I can do beyond promoting my work.

    If I find a typo, or I wish I had written a passage more succinctly, there’s no recourse. If I think of a more apt metaphor or a better turn of phrase, well… that ship has sailed.

    If I have second thoughts about how I represented a character or a place, there’s nothing I can do to change it. (Luckily, I caught those missteps during the revision process.)

    I’m learning that you’re always going to find things you want to change after you’ve seen your writing in print. But you have to find a point where you’re satisfied, and then let the words go out in the world. 

    The alternative is to hold them so tightly that no one else ever gets to experience and benefit from them.

    This is a place where a lot of writers get stuck, and can end up in an endless cycle of revision. As a book coach, I help writers notice when revising is necessary and when it has become a form of procrastination driven by fear. Having a trusted person to help you realize it’s time to let the writing be what it is can make the process feel less agonizing and give you a sense of peace.

    Readers bring their own perspective

    One of the biggest challenges for fiction writers of any format (novel, novella, short story, etc.) is that you have the burden of knowing what you’re trying to say. 

    You can see the story you’re creating in your mind’s eye, which means that when you read your writing, your mind fills in details that aren’t there.

    When a reader picks up your work, they don’t have access to those details. If not done well this can lead to confusion on their part, potentially causing them to put your story down without finishing it. 

    But an outcome that I think is even more frustrating is when someone reads your writing and interprets it differently than you intended. 

    Here’s an example: I was surprised to learn that someone considered the protagonist in my story to be annoying. They didn’t mean that as a derogatory comment, in fact they said, ‘I love an annoying protagonist.’ 

    That gave me pause. I thought I had written a protagonist who was passionate. But as I considered all the details about the character that I had included in the story, I could see how a reader might classify her as annoying. 

    Thoughts, behaviors, and character traits that we create can be interpreted very differently by readers, because they are bringing their own opinions, perspective, and world view to the words.

    I’m learning that you can’t control how readers interpret your work. All you can do is make your best attempt at clearly conveying your story. 

    Quick tip: If it’s important to you that readers feel a particular way about something, use beta readers and specifically ask for their take.

    Sharing your writing can be scary… but it’s worth it

    Writing is by nature a solo activity. 

    You can write hundreds of pages, and if you keep them to yourself no one will ever know they exist. 

    That knowledge can be a comfort. You’re in control, you get to choose if your writing ever sees the light of day.

    But stories are meant to be shared. Words are meant to be read by people other than the writer. The whole point of putting ideas on paper (physical or digital) is to be able to share information. And I think, deep down, writers do want others to read their words. 

    But that means going public. It means being open to readers not ‘getting’ what you’re trying to express. It means releasing control of who talks about your writing and what they say. 

    The biggest obstacle to submitting your writing for publishing opportunities might very well be crossing the threshold from private to public. 

    I get it, it’s scary to put your words out for others to consume – and judge.

    But if you let doubt, uncertainty, and fear of judgement stand in your way, no one will ever read your writing. You’ll never know what you’re capable of if you don’t find a way to move past doubt and give it a try. 

    There’s a reason I chose a local writing contest as my first foray into sharing my fiction:
    It seemed approachable. 

    I could picture other writers just like me, living in my neck of the world, choosing to be brave and submitting their story for judges to read. That made submitting my story a little less intimidating, and helped me to feel a part of the larger writing community. 

    Even if my short story hadn’t been chosen for the anthology, just going through the process would have been worth it. After all, my identity as a writer changed over the course of six months. I can now say I’m a short story author who enters writing contests!

    It has been a fun experience to write a short story and share it with other people. And it’s something I plan on doing more of in the future, even as I continue to work on my novel. 

    I’ve learned many lessons from this publishing experience. That knowledge will help prepare me for the day that my novel is ready to go out in the world, and it will also help me prepare my clients for the realities of publishing.

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  • Are Writing Prompts Actually Helpful?

    Are Writing Prompts Actually Helpful?

    You’re staring at a blank page, and the words just aren’t coming. What do you do?

    Maybe you turn to writing prompts to help you get the ball rolling. 

    Writing prompts are thought starters. They provide some type of instruction or parameter for you to fulfill. They might be a single word, a phrase, a setting, or a question to answer. Their goal is to provide some inspiration to help you start writing.

    I’ll be honest, I have mixed feelings about writing prompts.

    I see them posted all over social media, and I know they are frequently used in writing workshops. And while using them as a warm up exercise or a fun distraction seems harmless enough, if you’re working on a novel, I question their usefulness. 

    Here’s why.

    I’m a big believer in context – the background that informs a scene and gives meaning to the details in it. It’s because of context that we understand if a reveal or plot twist is positive or negative in relation to your protagonist and their goals.

    A writing prompt is unrelated to your story. It has no context to connect it to your protagonist.

    When you rely on writing prompts, instead of spending time and energy exploring situations that would be meaningful for your main character, you’re writing about something that may lack any connection to your story.

    How Writing Prompts Can Lead You Astray

    Let’s look at a potential situation to give us context. (Hey, there’s that word again!) 

    Perhaps you’re at a difficult point in your novel, like the murky middle, and you don’t know what comes next. You’re sitting, your head is spinning, and none of your ideas seem right. In that situation a writing prompt can feel like a valid way to generate some ideas.

    And that may work. But here’s the problem. 

    Let’s say that a writing prompt really inspires you, and sends you in a completely new direction from what you’ve been writing. The words are really flowing and you love what you’ve come up with, to the extent that you want to include it in your work in progress (WIP). 

    So you start looking for ways to shoehorn it into your story. You twist character motivations and redirect your protagonist’s actions to integrate this new piece of writing. 

    Suddenly a plot that was making sense goes off the rails. The protagonist loses their agency because now you’re trying to set up the dominoes to accommodate this new information that you’re introducing. 

    If you’re making plot decisions based on whims (and I would classify a random writing prompt as a whim), it’s a sign that you need to do more work to understand your protagonist on a deep level.

    How to Use Writing Prompts Successfully

    So, how can you use writing prompts to your advantage when you’re in the midst of your novel? Here are a couple tips.

    First, ask yourself if you’re hiding from something. Why write pages disconnected from a WIP when you could write your WIP?

    The answer to this could be that you’re looking for a little mental stretch break from your novel. But it could also be that you’re avoiding your novel because the writing has gotten hard. Being aware of what’s making writing prompts appealing can help you avoid giving them more attention than they deserve.

    Second, look at the prompt as a way to explore your protagonist’s personality or backstory. This might require zeroing in on the essence of the prompt and adjusting the specifics to align with your WIP. 

    For example, the prompt could be to write a break up scene. If your protagonist isn’t in a romantic relationship or romance isn’t key to your story, you might choose instead to write a scene where they fight with a friend or family member, or you could write about an impactful relationship from their past.

    Use the prompt as a way to add complexity and nuance to what you know about your protagonist, not as a means to add unnecessary details.

    Now, I know not every writing prompt will resonate with you, let alone provoke you to jump ship on the current trajectory of your WIP. But those that do can result in a huge detour of energy and writing time. And once you’ve gone to the trouble of writing something new that you’re excited about, it can feel hard to abandon it.

    So be honest about your goals when using writing prompts. And if you think you’re using them as a replacement for cohesive plot development, it’s time to pump the brakes.

  • Orienting Your Reader

    Orienting Your Reader

    Have you ever woken up the first morning of a vacation and wondered, where am I? 

    In the foggy moments of early consciousness your brain is grasping for landmarks, looking for something familiar. It’s disorienting for a moment, before you recall where you are and why you’re there.

    When someone is reading your novel, they are having that experience repeatedly. 

    This happens most dramatically in the opening chapter of your novel, but it also occurs at the beginning of each new scene, and when you switch between point of view characters.

    Any time that you quickly change location, day or time, or the people in your protagonist’s company, your reader is forced to reorient themself.

    These moments of reorienting are pivotal for your reader. They are feeling off balance and are searching for answers. It’s your job as the author to quickly and succinctly ground the reader with just enough details that they understand where they are and what’s happening. 

    Leave them with too many details and they will be overwhelmed with information, unsure which parts are most important. But if you don’t give them enough information, they won’t have the context to understand what’s happening. Either way, you risk losing their attention.

    Let’s look at the biggest, most important “where am I?” moment of any novel: the first chapter.

    When your audience reads the first pages of your book they have no understanding of what they’ve been dropped into. Even if they’ve read the jacket copy, they don’t know the specifics of the precise moment they are occupying in the book.

    As they are reading the opening pages, they are thinking:

    • Where and when am I?
    • Who am I? (As in, whose head am I in?)
    • Am I alone? If not, am I with friends or enemies?
    • Am I in a safe place? A dangerous place? An embarrassing situation?

    Until the reader understands those basic things, their brain is quickly handling every piece of information available, looking for threats and discarding anything that doesn’t answer the questions above. They are looking for landmarks that can orient them. 

    This is an important time for you to give them precise pieces of information that help them feel grounded. It is not the time to introduce an extensive cast of characters, describe your fictional world in great detail, or explain large amounts of backstory.

    I know it can be hard to hold back at this moment. After all, you are so excited about the story you’ve written, and you can’t wait to tell your audience all about it! But remember that you have a whole novel to reveal your creation to your reader. 

    Overwhelming them with details at any point of the story is never good, but it’s especially dangerous at the beginning of the novel when they’re not yet invested in the story. 

    How do you choose the information to include to provide the guidance your reader is looking for?
    Here are some guidelines to help you decide.

    Include specific details

    When you’re trying to quickly convey a setting, the more specific the details you include the better. This does not mean you want to include loads of details. One very clear description is better than a paragraph of vague adjectives. Choose a few details that will best express what’s happening in the moment and work to make them as evocative as you can.

    Share the protagonist’s feelings

    If your main character is afraid, then the reader knows to be afraid. If they are annoyed, then the reader knows to be annoyed. Having this information from the protagonist helps set the tone for the reader and allows them to settle into the reality of the present moment in the story.

    Consider that you can provide an extra layer of insight if the setting and the protagonist’s feelings are mismatched. For example, if the story opens in a setting that is calm or jovial, but the main character is feeling tense, worried, or fearful, that gives the reader clues that something is happening under the surface.  

    Avoid backstory that can’t be conveyed in one sentence

    Early in the story it’s often sufficient to apply a label to something that holds significant meaning for the protagonist. For example, the protagonist referring to an “ex-best friend” lets the reader know how to feel toward a side character without wading into the history of the relationship just yet. Or if the protagonist mentions a place that always makes them feel sad or happy or nostalgic the reader knows that location holds meaning without sharing all the details in the moment.

    Now, when you hint at backstory you’re making a promise to your reader that you will explain the details later. So make sure you eventually provide that detailed backstory in a later scene or chapter, when the reader is grounded in the story and ready to receive the information.

    Limit the number of characters involved

    If you were to show up to a gathering of new-to-you people, would you want to meet them rapid fire, each of them peppering you with their personal details? Of course not! That would be overwhelming and you likely wouldn’t remember much about anyone. 

    Your reader is in a similar position in the opening chapter of a book. Not only are they juggling many details about the setting and what is occurring in the scene, but if you introduce a whole cast of characters on top of that they are likely to get overwhelmed. Try to limit yourself to just the essential characters for your opening scene.


    Whether it’s the opening pages of your book, or a scene change somewhere in the middle, abrupt shifts in time, space, or point of view require that your reader reorient themself in the story.

    Giving them cues to help them feel grounded in the details of the moment ensures that they feel guided throughout your story. It allows them to stay deeply immersed in the world that you’ve created, and that means they’ll keep turning the pages until The End.

  • How Many Books Should You Write at One Time?

    How Many Books Should You Write at One Time?

    Fun fact: most writers have multiple book ideas floating around in their heads at any given moment.

    We’re creative beings, after all, and most of us like to play the “what if?” game.

    What if someone wakes up and discovers their life has moved forward 40 years overnight?
    What if someone reaches into their mailbox and gets bitten by a small monster? 
    What if someone uncovers a family secret that makes them rethink their whole childhood?

    Those three “what ifs” could be three completely different novels. And each idea is shiny, new, and chock full of possibilities.

    But what about your current book? If you start working on something new are you cheating on your work in progress (WIP)? If you pause to play around with a new idea, are you avoiding the hard work of finishing your current novel? Or is it all just a big creative playground and the more ideas the merrier?

    Truth #1 is there are no hard and fast rules here.
    You can certainly step away from your draft or manuscript and play around with a new project that has captured your imagination. Maybe you have two or three projects and you rotate through them, spending time on each one as your inspiration directs.

    Truth #2 is project hopping can absolutely be a form of procrastination.
    If you’ve reached a difficult phase of your writing project, your brain says “woah, this is getting hard, you’re spending a lot of energy on this, let’s find an easier path.” Suddenly you feel compelled to explore a brand new idea, and you are absolutely certain that this premise or this character are what you should be working on.

    So what should you do? Open the floodgates and let all the ideas frolic? Or have a strict one-novel-at-a-time policy?

    Your approach is going to be personal, but here are some tips to help you be thoughtful and deliberate about your choices. 

    Jot it down and tuck it away.

    It’s always a great idea to write down some notes about the things that inspire you. I mean, who hasn’t had a fabulous idea, only to lose it forever because you didn’t jot it down in the moment? Record those shiny ideas somewhere safe, and then see if that’s enough to help you focus on your primary project. If that doesn’t scratch the itch, you could consider spending more time on the new story idea.

    Identify what you’re avoiding. 

    Most of the time we chase new ideas because our current project has gotten hard. So ask yourself, what is it about my current WIP that am I avoiding? Another way to ask this is, if I could fix one problem I’m struggling with in this WIP, what would it be? Once you’ve identified the issue, decide if you want to tackle it, either on your own or with help, or if giving yourself some time away from the problem might help unlock a solution. 

    And if you do decide to give your current WIP some space, put a date on your calendar when you’ll check back in. You don’t want a little break to turn into a three month hiatus.

    Use it as a reward. 

    It’s valid to worry that new projects are just avoidance masquerading as brilliant ideas. If that’s a concern for you, make progress on your main book a prerequisite for playing with your new idea. Set reasonable goals for your primary novel, and after you meet a goal, reward yourself with playtime with your new idea.

    Create a schedule. 

    If you want to make regular progress on two or more projects, you might need to put on your project manager hat. Create a schedule that includes all of your projects and balances your time between them. Also schedule pockets of time where you get to choose in the moment which project your energy is directing you toward.

    Check in with your goals. 

    Multiple projects means slower progress, but that’s not necessarily a deal breaker. Ask yourself, if it takes me six months longer to complete Project A, am I okay with that? You might choose to prioritize fun and inspiration over speed.

    Be sure to factor in any deadlines that are looming. For example, if you want to pitch Project A at a writing conference, then that project has to be given priority, and Project B will likely have to wait. 

    If this topic is resonating deeply with you because you’ve been in this place before, or you’ve been stuck here for a while, this may not be a problem you can crack on your own. You’ve likely tried all the DIY fixes, and it’s time to get some help. 

    If that’s the case, it might be a good idea for us to have a conversation and put together a high level plan for you so you have a strategy to stay on track. You can book a free call here.

  • Will I Ever Finish This Book?

    Will I Ever Finish This Book?

    Do you know what I love? A helpful progress bar.

    Whether I’m filling out a digital survey, completing an online course, or filing my taxes, I want to be able to see exactly where I am in the process. It helps me feel grounded and secure. Without it, I feel adrift, wondering what exactly I signed up for and if it’s too late to bail out.

    One place I would be thrilled to have a progress bar is in my writing.

    Imagine if our novels came with progress bars, showing us just how much further we need to go until the book is finished. And not just a finished first draft, but a completed manuscript, revised and polished and ready for the world. Wouldn’t that make it so much easier to keep going? Sounds pretty dreamy to me.

    The reality is, wherever you stand in your writing process at this moment, you really have no idea how close (or far) you are from being truly done. 

    Sure, you may have a guess how long it will take you to finish your first draft, or how long until your current round of revisions is complete. But you don’t know if your draft is hiding a major plot hole, or how many revision passes you’ll end up needing. 

    When we write a novel, we don’t actually know how long it will take to finish the book. And when we don’t know how far we need to go to reach our destination, it can feel unreachable. 

    It’s like having a map, but no legend to tell you the scale. Does one inch equal a mile or 100 miles? Three revision passes or 30? Two years of writing or 10? 

    When I look at my unfinished manuscript and wonder if I’ll ever finish it, this is what I tell myself:
    As long as you’re still working at it, you’re still getting closer. 

    If you’re still writing, still learning, and still taking small steps toward finishing your novel, then you are moving ever closer to your destination. 

    If you keep working at it, you will finish your novel, it’s just a question of when. (This is when that progress bar would really come in handy.) 

    How do you ensure that you keep moving forward toward your goal without throwing in the towel? 
    Here are five things you can do. 


    Keep taking small steps 

    Writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes stamina and grit to complete a novel. To keep going you need to continually take small, steady steps toward your goal. Bonus points if you take a variety of steps to accommodate periods of high and low energy, and seasons of life that are busier than others. 

    For example, some days you might add to your word count, while others you might read an article about writing dialogue, or peruse your local bookstore to see what’s new in your genre.

    Keeping your book in the front of your mind will prevent it from slipping to the back burner.


    Reflect

    Once you’ve made it a habit to take small steps, the next thing to do is stop and reflect on all that progress you’ve made. Afterall, what’s the point of making consistent progress if you never stop to appreciate it?

    Reflecting might look like keeping a journal of how you’re feeling about your writing, recording your word count on a calendar, or just pausing to acknowledge, I’m doing this! Whatever method you choose, schedule time to do it regularly.


    Enjoy yourself along the way

    A sure fire way to guarantee you’ll give up is to make the writing process painful. If you think inflicting impossible-to-reach word count goals, and hours-long writing sessions on yourself is the way to successfully finish your novel, you’re going to be disappointed. 

    Instead of having high production expectations, which are guaranteed to cause burnout and avoidance, try having high fulfillment expectations. Set the expectation that writing will be fun, and then make it so.

    Try connecting your writing with something you enjoy, like a special beverage, treat, or writing ritual of some kind. I know writers who track their writing sessions in fun ways and share the tally with others at the end of the month. 

    Whatever you can do to make yourself smile when you write is worth trying!

    Remember what first sparked your interest

    Since writing a novel is such a long process, it’s possible to forget why you actually fell in love with your story idea in the first place. 

    When that little seed of a story has grown and you find yourself juggling a cast of complex characters, multiple points of view, and a fantastical world, you may look around and wonder, how did I get here?

    Occasionally reconnecting with that little story idea and remembering why it was so persistently stuck in your head can help you feel grounded and reorient your focus on your novel.

    Connect with other writers

    Humans are gregarious. We like to be part of a group. (Yes, even introverted writers!) And when you’re doing something as difficult as writing a novel, having one or more people to connect with is crucial.

    Seeing others trying, struggling, and overcoming the same obstacles you have helps you not feel so alone. 

    There are many places to find fellow writers, and connecting doesn’t have to mean swapping pages or giving (or receiving) feedback. 

    Here’s one way I’ve created this space for myself: I host two online co-writing sessions every week. There isn’t a lot of chit chat, and we don’t swap pages. We just gather, say hi, write for about an hour, and sign off. But even something as simple as that has given us the accountability needed to show up for our writing. You’re welcome to join me! You can sign up here.

    If you look around I bet you’ll find a variety of opportunities to connect with other writers, either in person or online. And if you don’t, create your own!



    When you’re deep in the writing trenches, wondering if you’ll ever finish your novel, just remember: As long as you keep working on it, you’re getting closer to the finish line all the time. If your novel had a progress bar, I bet you’d be surprised to see how much headway you’re making.

  • 3 Lessons for Writing a First Draft

    3 Lessons for Writing a First Draft

    Recently I shared an interview with a client (we’ll call her Karla), who recently finished the first draft of her novel. (Woo hoo! 🎉) If you missed that conversation, you can read it here.

    If you’re hoping to be in a similar position in 2026, here are 3 key takeaways from Karla’s interview that you should pay attention to.

    1. It takes time

    Karla has learned that it takes a lot of time to write a manuscript, even longer than she originally thought it would. What is your expected timeline to finish your draft? Do you think it’s realistic? 

    Let’s do some math. If an average novel is about 80,000 words (length is dependent on genre, but this is a nice round number to work with), and there are around 250 words on a double spaced manuscript page, you’ll be writing about 320 pages to complete your draft. 

    Now, how many pages can you realistically write in a week or month? Not during November, when some people are burning the candle at both ends trying to write 50,000 words. 

    In a typical month, where you’re dealing with life and work, how many pages can you complete? 

    There’s no right answer here, and certainly no judgement! Some people write fast and some write slow (that’s me!). The aim is to have realistic expectations. 

    Let’s say you can write 20 pages a month. That means you should plan to spend 16 months writing your draft. How does that number feel to you? Is it shorter or longer than you had imagined? If you want to finish your draft in less time, you might need to allocate more of your time each week to writing.

    2. Make it a routine

    Karla noticed that while it was hard to sit down and write at the beginning of the drafting process, it got easier with time. If you stay away from your draft for weeks at a time and then expect to be able to sit down and knock out a few thousand words, you might find your results are less than ideal.

    While it’s true that everyone has their own process, and I’m not here to dictate what yours should be, the sheer size of your goal means that tackling it in small, regular doses will increase your odds of success.

    Keeping a routine is especially important if you feel resistance every time you sit down to write. That resistance is your brain panicking at the enormous feat you’re attempting. 

    It’s saying, “Hold up, there are a lot of unknowns here. It’s looking a little dangerous, so let’s slowly back away from the computer and binge watch a nice, familiar Netflix drama.” 

    But with regular writing sessions, you’ll train your brain not to go into protector mode and you’ll see your word count grow.

    3. First draft ≠ Final draft

    Karla knows that when she types The End on her manuscript, she is far from done. This is an important lesson, because many writers think it’s an easy downhill coast after writing that first draft. 

    In reality, the revision process often represents more work than drafting, not less.

    If you find that thought discouraging, try looking at it this way:  You have every reason to loosen up and play while you’re drafting! 

    Knowing that most of what you write in your first draft will end up getting refreshed as you revise can help you release the death grip you have on your story, and maybe even keep that inner critic at bay.


    These three takeaways can help you achieve your goal of writing a first draft, no matter your experience level, the genre you’re writing in, or how much time you can devote to writing. 

    Writing the first draft of a novel is a big undertaking. Having realistic expectations can help you get to The End, and have more fun along the way!

  • The Writer’s Holiday Survival Guide: Managing Awkward Conversations About Your Writing

    The Writer’s Holiday Survival Guide: Managing Awkward Conversations About Your Writing

    If you’re planning to gather with friends and family this holiday season you may be dreading every writer’s worst case scenario: direct inquisition about your writing. 🫣

    Whether it’s the eagerly supportive “So, how’s your book coming along?” or the aggressive “Are you still wasting time writing?” having the public spotlight on your book, your progress, or your process can be stressful.

    All that attention can bring up a platter of insecurities and trigger a gravy boat full of self doubt. 

    Since we are at the start of the holiday season, I’ve put together a little survival guide to help you get through any awkward conversations you might encounter in the coming weeks.

    Choose who’s in your writing support circle. 

    The first thing to remember is that you get to choose who hears about your writing. Spend some time now to identify the people who you feel safe sharing writing updates with, and those you don’t.

    Envision a target. The people in your life who you consider to be a safe and supportive audience for writing realities go in the center bullseye. Those who are approved for generic writing updates go in the second ring, and anyone who shall-not-for-any-reason-be-told-about-your-book lands in the third ring. 

    Do not consider your family tree when making these designations. There are no rules here. If your second cousin’s wife is your staunch supporter, she goes in the bullseye. Your mom, who rolls her eyes at any mention of your writing, is in the outer ring. This is about support, not genetics.


    They don’t know what they don’t know. 

    Recognize that most questions come from a lack of knowledge about the writing and publishing process. When responding to a triggering question, take a deep breath and ask yourself if providing a little context would lead to a deeper conversation (and one that is focused on an industry rather than on you).

    For example, friends and family probably haven’t done the math around just how long it takes to write 70k, 80k, or 100k words. They might think you only need to write the first draft, run it through spell check, and call it a day, rather than going through multiple rounds of revision. If you’re feeling up to it, take a moment to share some writing realities with them.

    Not everyone goes pro. 

    If someone assumes that your version of success equals getting your book traditionally published, it might be helpful to point out that spending time on an activity you enjoy doesn’t mean you want to quit your day job. Lots of people take watercolor classes or train for marathons, but that doesn’t mean they want to become famous painters or sponsored athletes. 

    Now, it is absolutely okay to use this tactic even if you do hope to publish your novel some day! Remember, you get to choose who knows what about your writing dreams, and this can be a helpful way to deflect unwanted scrutiny while protecting what’s important to you.

    The money conversation. 

    Ick, money. It’s a taboo subject for a reason. But if it does come up that you spent money (or want to spend money) on your writing, and you’re getting some raised eyebrows, I suggest you frame the topic this way: people invest in activities they enjoy all the time. 

    Next, let the examples fly. Sports fans go to sporting events, and music lovers attend concerts. Knitters spend a lot on yarn, and it’s common for golfers to work with a golf pro. If you really want to be prepared, you can think of the interests that are popular in your family and have them at the ready. 

    The fact is, if you want to go to a writing conference or hire a book coach, that’s how you choose to invest in your craft and you shouldn’t feel bad about it. (And no one has any right to make you feel bad about it!)

    You don’t have to engage.

    If someone asks how your book is coming along and they are not a safe person to share the truth with, then don’t. Give a vaguely positive answer and then redirect the conversation. “The writing is great, thanks for asking. How’s your pickle ball game these days? I heard you were in a tournament.”

    I hope that you don’t have to employ any of these techniques during your holiday gatherings. But if you find yourself in a difficult conversation, hopefully these tips will help you get through them with grace and confidence.

    And while the holidays may be the hardest time to have these conversations, in reality they can happen any time of year. It’s worth your energy to draw these boundaries now so that you have them whenever you need them.