July 1, 2025 • 15 mins
Ever wonder why 97% of aspiring authors never finish their books? The answer might surprise you.
If you've been dreaming about writing a novel but find yourself starting and stopping, getting stuck in the middle, or just staring at a blank page wondering where to even begin, you're not alone.
Here's what I've noticed after working with hundreds of writers: the ones who actually finish their novels aren't more talented or creative than you. They've just learned to navigate around five specific roadblocks that trap everyone else in an endless cycle of starting and stopping.
In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what those writing roadblocks are and how you can sidestep them to break free from the cycle that keeps so many writers trapped.
This is what I talk about:
[03:00] The planning trap that leaves writers lost in the "saggy middle" with no clue how to move forward (and why even a simple roadmap changes everything).
[04:50] Why chasing the perfect first sentence is killing your momentum and what successful authors do instead when they sit down to write.
[00:00] How consuming endless writing advice keeps you from actually writing and the one thing you need to focus on to finally make progress.
[06:35] Why trying to write your novel completely alone makes everything ten times harder, and what kind of support actually helps you finish.
[08:10] The fundamental difference between writers who finish and those who don't (and it's probably not what you're expecting).
If you've been stuck in the start-and-stop cycle or wondering if you'll ever actually finish your novel, this episode reveals precisely how to join the small percentage of writers who actually make it to The End.
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
- Want my complete, step-by-step framework for writing a story that works? Join the waitlist for the next open enrollment of my Notes to Novel course. Don’t miss your chance to turn your ideas into a finished draft you’re proud of!
- Grab this free guide to see how real writers (like you!) pushed past the most common writing roadblocks to finish their novels: 5 Writing Roadblocks Keeping You Stuck & How to Break Through
⭐ Follow & Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!
FREE GUIDE: 5 Writing Roadblocks Keeping You Stuck (& How To Break Through)
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Writing a novel is a really massive undertaking and
without the right approach, it'sreally easy to get lost and
stuck, but the other thing Iknow for sure is that it doesn't
have to be this way forever.
Once you understand what'sreally keeping you stuck, you
can break free from that cycleand finally finish the book that
you've been dreaming aboutwriting.
(00:21):
Welcome to the Fiction WritingMade Easy podcast.
My name is Savannah Gilbo andI'm here to help you write a
story that works.
I want to prove to you thatwriting a novel doesn't have to
be overwhelming, so each week,I'll bring you a brand new
episode with simple, actionableand step-by-step strategies that
you can implement in yourwriting right away.
So, whether you're brand new towriting or more of a seasoned
(00:43):
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
Have you ever heard thestatistic that says that 97% of
adults want to write a book, butonly 3% of those people ever
actually finish one?
Well, in today's episode, we'regoing to talk about why that is
, or why so many aspiringauthors, who start out with big
(01:05):
dreams of writing a novel, endup stuck, overwhelmed and
wondering if they're even cutout to be a writer.
But before we dive into thedetails, I have something super
exciting to share.
My Notes to Novel course isopening for enrollment very soon
.
This is my signature eight-weekprogram designed to help you
confidently write a story you'reproud of, without the
self-doubt, frustration oroverwhelm that stops most
(01:28):
writers in their tracks.
So if you've been wanting towork with me on your novel and
follow a step-by-step frameworkto turn your ideas into a
finished draft, then this isyour chance.
I'll be sharing more detailssoon, but if you want to be the
first to know when doors openand snag a few extra goodies in
the meantime, make sure you'reon the waitlist at
savannahgilbocom forward slashwaitlist.
(01:49):
All right, so let's dive intotoday's episode.
I'm going to break down exactlywhy this happens, why so many
people never finish their booksand, more importantly, how you
can make sure you're part ofthat 3% who actually finishes
what they start.
I think a lot of us can relateto that initial excitement that
comes when we have a new ideafor a story.
We sit down to write and maybethe first chapter just flows out
(02:10):
of us beautifully.
The characters feel real, theworld feels fun and it comes
alive on the page, but thensomething starts to shift.
All of a sudden the plot feelsreally messy, characters aren't
coming together in the way youimagined and you realize that
you don't actually know whathappens in the middle of your
story.
Then life gets busy andsuddenly that dream of finishing
a novel feels impossible.
(02:31):
If this sounds familiar, I wantyou to know that you are not
alone.
Writing a novel is a reallymassive undertaking and without
the right approach it's reallyeasy to get lost and stuck.
But the other thing I know forsure is that it doesn't have to
be this way forever.
Once you understand what'sreally keeping you stuck, you
can break free from that cycleand finally finish the book that
(02:52):
you've been dreaming aboutwriting.
So, after working withcountless aspiring authors, I've
identified five main reasonswhy so many writers never make
it to the end.
So the first roadblock, or thefirst reason why you might not
be finishing the drafts that youstart, is that you started
writing without a clear plan,and I always say that diving
into a novel without a roadmapis like trying to build a house
(03:14):
without blueprints.
You might make a littleprogress at first, but
eventually you'll run out ofsteam and you won't know what to
do next.
Now, many writers start withjust a vague idea of their story
and they hope they'll figure itout as they go.
But what ends up happening isthey reach the dreaded saggy
middle and they have no idea howto move forward.
And then, because there's noplan in place, they end up
(03:35):
writing themselves into corners.
So characters get introducedbut serve no real purpose.
Plot threads are started butthey're never resolved.
Every decision they need tomake becomes a struggle because
they're not sure if it fitswithin the bigger picture.
So eventually they get soconfused about their own story
that abandoning it feels likethe only option.
So if you can relate to this, Iwant you to know that even a
(03:57):
simple outline or creating somekind of roadmap can change
everything.
So, for example, knowing thekey plot points, like the
inciting incident, the midpointtwist and the climax, even just
identifying a general sense ofwhat happens in these three key
scenes, that's going to give youa much clearer path to follow
than not knowing what anythinglooks like when you start
(04:18):
writing.
Now, that's not to say that youneed every plot detail figured
out, but having those guidepostscenes or the key plot points of
your story figured out willhelp you move in the right
direction, especially when doubtcreeps in, which we all know
that it will.
So if you started writingwithout some kind of plan and if
you're stuck somewhere in themiddle, or if you had to give up
on a draft, then I would highlyencourage you to make some kind
(04:41):
of plan.
Remember even just a simpleoutline, because it really can
make a big difference.
All right, so that is roadblocknumber one starting without a
clear plan.
Roadblock number two isperfectionism.
That kills progress, and thisone trips up more writers than
almost any other issue.
So what this looks like is youget stuck trying to make every
(05:02):
sentence perfect.
You're editing as you write,spending hours rewriting the
same paragraph over and over andover, and that little voice in
your head insists that you can'tmove to chapter two until
chapter one is absolutelyflawless.
And this approach killsmomentum completely, because,
instead of making progress onyour story, you're instead
(05:23):
trapped in an endless cycle ofrevision, and then you start to
dislike your story becauseyou're hyper focused on its
flaws.
So eventually you convinceyourself that if you can't even
get the first chapter right,then what's the point?
You'll never be able to write awhole book if this is how it's
going to go.
But here's the truth thatsuccessful writers who finish
their books and go on to publishtheir books here's what they
(05:46):
understand.
Your first draft does not needto be perfect, it just needs to
exist, and you've probably heardsome version of this advice all
over the internet.
But it is true that you can'tedit a blank page, but you can
always improve a messy firstdraft, and it is true that the
magic happens in revisions, butfirst you need something to
revise to enable that magic tohappen.
(06:07):
So if you think this is thereason you're getting stuck, or
the reason that you've given upon manuscripts in the past, then
I want you to try to giveyourself permission to write
something that isn't perfect,because the thing is that's not
just a band-aid to help you moveforward.
It's actually a necessary stepfor you to finish your novel.
Right, you need to get thestory out of your head and onto
the page, and only then can yourevise what you come up with.
(06:30):
Alright, so that is roadblocknumber two perfectionism that
kills progress.
Roadblock number three isinformation overwhelm.
That paralyzes progress, andit's no secret that in today's
world, there is an overwhelmingamount of writing advice
available right.
You read blog posts about storystructure, you watch YouTube
videos about characterdevelopment, you buy course
(06:51):
after course, hoping one of themwill finally unlock the secret
to finishing your novel, and theirony of it is that all of this
learning is often what keepspeople from writing.
So, instead of becoming apracticing writer, you become a
perpetual student.
You might know more aboutwriting theory than many
published authors do, but youstill can't seem to apply it to
(07:11):
your own work.
And, even worse, every piece ofadvice seems to contradict the
last thing you read, leaving yousecond-guessing every decision
and frozen by all theconflicting rules and advice.
If you can relate to this, Ipromise you are not alone.
It happens way more than youthink, and here's what I've
learned from working withwriters who get stuck in this
particular roadblock over theyears.
(07:32):
You really don't need to mastereverything about writing before
you start.
You just need to take the nextstep and focus on what's in
front of you, and the bestadvice I can give you is to
choose one proven process or onemethod and commit to it all the
way to the end of a draft.
So stop consuming all theconflicting information out
there, all the different adviceand just choose one process or
(07:55):
one method, commit to it andmove forward, because remember
progress is going to beatperfection every single time
when it comes to finishing yournovel.
Okay, so that is roadblocknumber three information
overwhelm that freezes yourforward progress.
Roadblock number four is fearthat stops you in your tracks.
Fear shows up in more ways thanyou might expect when you're
(08:17):
trying to finish a novel.
There's the obvious fear offailure.
So what if your book isn't goodenough?
What if people hate it?
Right, but there's also theless obvious fear of success.
What if your book is actuallyreally good?
Will you ever be able to writeanother one that measures up to
that first book?
Or what will you do if peoplestart expecting too much from
you?
Right, it's the other side ofthe coin, and no matter what
(08:40):
kind of fear you're feeling,whenever fear takes control,
excuses tend to multiply.
So suddenly you feel like youneed to start doing more
research.
Or maybe you feel like youdon't have the right writing
space, or you're not in theright headspace, or maybe it'll
be different this weekend.
Have the right writing space, oryou're not in the right
headspace, or maybe it'll bedifferent this weekend.
You might even start otherprojects to avoid finishing the
one you're working on, andthings like that.
Right, but deep down, what'shappening is you're protecting
(09:02):
yourself from both thepossibility of failure and the
pressure that comes withpotential success.
So, if you are dealing withthis particular roadblock, the
key to moving past it lies inshifting your focus from the
outcome to progress.
Every word you write isprogress, regardless of the
quality, and I want you toremember, too, that every draft
(09:23):
you write teaches you somethingvaluable, even if it never sees
the light of day.
And the only real failure isletting your fear stop you from
trying to write a book orfinishing the books that you
start.
And I think it's also importantto remember that published
authors aren't the ones whonever felt fear, right, they're
the ones who wrote the book andfinished the book despite
feeling fear, because, at theend of the day, we're all human.
(09:46):
We all feel some version offear when it comes to doing
something new and something bigand something important, like
writing a novel.
Okay, so that is roadblocknumber four fear that stops you
in your tracks.
Roadblock number five is writingin isolation, without support,
and we all know that writing isinherently a solitary activity
(10:06):
right, but that does not meanyou have to go at it alone when
trying to finish your novel.
In fact, without accountabilityor support, it's going to be
incredibly easy to losemotivation when life gets hectic
or when you hit one of theseinevitable roadblocks, and the
reason for that is becausethere's no external pressure to
keep going, there's no onecheering you on when things get
(10:27):
tough, and I think for most ofus, when we write in isolation,
our novels become the firstthing to go.
When life gets busy, right, westop setting aside time for our
projects because no one elseknows about our goals and our
deadlines but ourselves, andthen that doubt creeps in about
whether our stories are evenworth telling, because we're not
able to make time for it andwe're not making progress and
(10:48):
things like that.
So without some kind of outsideencouragement or understanding
or even accountability fromother people who get the
struggle that comes with writinga novel, it's very easy to
drift away from the workaltogether.
So if you feel like you'restruggling with this particular
roadblock, then I want you toknow this Having someone to
cheer you on and hold youaccountable can change the
(11:09):
entire game, whether it's acritique group, a writing buddy
or an online communitysurrounding yourself with other
writers who understand whatyou're doing, the journey you're
on, and things like that.
That's going to provide themotivation and support that you
need to push through when timesget tough.
You do not have to do it alone.
There are so many other peopleout there on the same journey as
you who probably don't want todo it alone either, and
(11:32):
sometimes all it takes isreaching out on social media or
joining some kind of onlinecommunity or something like that
to find your perfect writingbuddy.
All right, so that is roadblocknumber five writing in
isolation, without support.
Now here's the encouraging newsthe writers who finish their
novels aren't necessarily themost talented or the ones with
unlimited time.
(11:52):
They're simply the ones whohave learned to work with a
clear process, embrace theimperfection and stay consistent
.
They understand that writing anovel is more like a marathon,
not a sprint, and they'velearned to work with their
limitations instead of againstthem.
They've embraced the messymagic of writing a first draft
and they know that done beatsperfect.
(12:13):
Every single time the writerswho finished their books.
They didn't start with somekind of magical advantage or
special talent.
They simply learned what worksand applied it consistently.
They gave themselves permissionto write imperfectly,
celebrated small wins along theway and refused to give up when
things got challenging.
So the difference betweenfinishing and not finishing
often comes down to having theright roadmap, the right mindset
(12:36):
and the right support systemworking together.
I know it might feel like thosesuccessful writers have
something you don't, but here'sthe truth.
Every finished novel startedwith someone just like you,
someone with an idea, someself-doubt and a dream to tell
their story.
And the writers who finisharen't the ones who never hit
the roadblocks that we talkedabout in today's episode.
They're the ones who learn tonavigate around them and finish
(12:58):
anyway.
Imagine if you commit to pushingpast these roadblocks today.
Imagine where you could be in 6to 12 months from now.
Instead of still wondering ifyou can even write a novel, you
could be holding your completedfirst draft in your hands.
Instead of feeling like you'rea wannabe writer, you could be
confidently calling yourself acapital-A author.
Instead of looking back onanother year of unfulfilled
(13:19):
dreams, you could be alreadyplanning to publish your book or
outlining your next book.
So, in my opinion, the questionisn't whether you have what it
takes to write a novel.
You absolutely do.
The question really is whetheryou're ready to stop letting
these five roadblocks defineyour entire writing journey.
All right, now, real quick,before I let you go, I want to
let you know that I have a freeguide that talks about all the
(13:41):
roadblocks we went over today.
So it explains what theroadblocks are, why they happen,
and then gives you thestrategies to break through each
one of the roadblocks.
You'll also see some casestudies and examples in there of
writers just like you who havebroken through these roadblocks
and gone on to finish theirbooks.
So if you want to download that, it's totally free Go to
savannahgilbocom forward slashroadblocks.
(14:02):
And if you want to get my helpbusting through these five
roadblocks, if you want to workwith me on your novel and learn
my step-by-step framework toturn your ideas into a finished
draft, then get on the waitlistfor my notes novel course, which
will be opening for enrollmentagain very soon.
Go to savannahgilbocom forwardslash waitlist to get on the
waitlist and snag a few extragoodies in the meantime, and
(14:23):
you'll be the first to know whenenrollment opens for that.
All right, so that's it for thisepisode of the fiction writing
made easy podcast.
Head over to savannahgilbocomforward slash podcast for the
complete show notes, includingthe resources I mentioned today,
as well as bonus materials tohelp you implement what you've
learned, and if you're ready toget more personalized guidance
(14:44):
for your specific writing stagewhether you're just starting out
, stuck somewhere in the middleof a draft, drowning in
revisions or getting ready topublish, take my free 30-second
quiz at savannahgilbocom forwardslash quiz.
You'll get a customized podcastplaylist that'll meet you right
where you're at and help youget to your next big milestone.
Last but not least, make sureto follow this podcast in your
(15:05):
podcast player of choice,because I'll be back next week
with another episode full ofactionable tips, tools and
strategies to help you become abetter writer.
Until then, happy writing.
Writing a novel is a really massive undertaking and
without the right approach, it'sreally easy to get lost and
stuck, but the other thing Iknow for sure is that it doesn't
have to be this way forever.
Once you understand what'sreally keeping you stuck, you
can break free from that cycleand finally finish the book that
you've been dreaming aboutwriting.
(00:21):
Welcome to the Fiction WritingMade Easy podcast.
My name is Savannah Gilbo andI'm here to help you write a
story that works.
I want to prove to you thatwriting a novel doesn't have to
be overwhelming, so each week,I'll bring you a brand new
episode with simple, actionableand step-by-step strategies that
you can implement in yourwriting right away.
So, whether you're brand new towriting or more of a seasoned
(00:43):
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
Have you ever heard thestatistic that says that 97% of
adults want to write a book, butonly 3% of those people ever
actually finish one?
Well, in today's episode, we'regoing to talk about why that is
, or why so many aspiringauthors, who start out with big
(01:05):
dreams of writing a novel, endup stuck, overwhelmed and
wondering if they're even cutout to be a writer.
But before we dive into thedetails, I have something super
exciting to share.
My Notes to Novel course isopening for enrollment very soon
.
This is my signature eight-weekprogram designed to help you
confidently write a story you'reproud of, without the
self-doubt, frustration oroverwhelm that stops most
(01:28):
writers in their tracks.
So if you've been wanting towork with me on your novel and
follow a step-by-step frameworkto turn your ideas into a
finished draft, then this isyour chance.
I'll be sharing more detailssoon, but if you want to be the
first to know when doors openand snag a few extra goodies in
the meantime, make sure you'reon the waitlist at
savannahgilbocom forward slashwaitlist.
(01:49):
All right, so let's dive intotoday's episode.
I'm going to break down exactlywhy this happens, why so many
people never finish their booksand, more importantly, how you
can make sure you're part ofthat 3% who actually finishes
what they start.
I think a lot of us can relateto that initial excitement that
comes when we have a new ideafor a story.
We sit down to write and maybethe first chapter just flows out
(02:10):
of us beautifully.
The characters feel real, theworld feels fun and it comes
alive on the page, but thensomething starts to shift.
All of a sudden the plot feelsreally messy, characters aren't
coming together in the way youimagined and you realize that
you don't actually know whathappens in the middle of your
story.
Then life gets busy andsuddenly that dream of finishing
a novel feels impossible.
(02:31):
If this sounds familiar, I wantyou to know that you are not
alone.
Writing a novel is a reallymassive undertaking and without
the right approach it's reallyeasy to get lost and stuck.
But the other thing I know forsure is that it doesn't have to
be this way forever.
Once you understand what'sreally keeping you stuck, you
can break free from that cycleand finally finish the book that
(02:52):
you've been dreaming aboutwriting.
So, after working withcountless aspiring authors, I've
identified five main reasonswhy so many writers never make
it to the end.
So the first roadblock, or thefirst reason why you might not
be finishing the drafts that youstart, is that you started
writing without a clear plan,and I always say that diving
into a novel without a roadmapis like trying to build a house
(03:14):
without blueprints.
You might make a littleprogress at first, but
eventually you'll run out ofsteam and you won't know what to
do next.
Now, many writers start withjust a vague idea of their story
and they hope they'll figure itout as they go.
But what ends up happening isthey reach the dreaded saggy
middle and they have no idea howto move forward.
And then, because there's noplan in place, they end up
(03:35):
writing themselves into corners.
So characters get introducedbut serve no real purpose.
Plot threads are started butthey're never resolved.
Every decision they need tomake becomes a struggle because
they're not sure if it fitswithin the bigger picture.
So eventually they get soconfused about their own story
that abandoning it feels likethe only option.
So if you can relate to this, Iwant you to know that even a
(03:57):
simple outline or creating somekind of roadmap can change
everything.
So, for example, knowing thekey plot points, like the
inciting incident, the midpointtwist and the climax, even just
identifying a general sense ofwhat happens in these three key
scenes, that's going to give youa much clearer path to follow
than not knowing what anythinglooks like when you start
(04:18):
writing.
Now, that's not to say that youneed every plot detail figured
out, but having those guidepostscenes or the key plot points of
your story figured out willhelp you move in the right
direction, especially when doubtcreeps in, which we all know
that it will.
So if you started writingwithout some kind of plan and if
you're stuck somewhere in themiddle, or if you had to give up
on a draft, then I would highlyencourage you to make some kind
(04:41):
of plan.
Remember even just a simpleoutline, because it really can
make a big difference.
All right, so that is roadblocknumber one starting without a
clear plan.
Roadblock number two isperfectionism.
That kills progress, and thisone trips up more writers than
almost any other issue.
So what this looks like is youget stuck trying to make every
(05:02):
sentence perfect.
You're editing as you write,spending hours rewriting the
same paragraph over and over andover, and that little voice in
your head insists that you can'tmove to chapter two until
chapter one is absolutelyflawless.
And this approach killsmomentum completely, because,
instead of making progress onyour story, you're instead
(05:23):
trapped in an endless cycle ofrevision, and then you start to
dislike your story becauseyou're hyper focused on its
flaws.
So eventually you convinceyourself that if you can't even
get the first chapter right,then what's the point?
You'll never be able to write awhole book if this is how it's
going to go.
But here's the truth thatsuccessful writers who finish
their books and go on to publishtheir books here's what they
(05:46):
understand.
Your first draft does not needto be perfect, it just needs to
exist, and you've probably heardsome version of this advice all
over the internet.
But it is true that you can'tedit a blank page, but you can
always improve a messy firstdraft, and it is true that the
magic happens in revisions, butfirst you need something to
revise to enable that magic tohappen.
(06:07):
So if you think this is thereason you're getting stuck, or
the reason that you've given upon manuscripts in the past, then
I want you to try to giveyourself permission to write
something that isn't perfect,because the thing is that's not
just a band-aid to help you moveforward.
It's actually a necessary stepfor you to finish your novel.
Right, you need to get thestory out of your head and onto
the page, and only then can yourevise what you come up with.
(06:30):
Alright, so that is roadblocknumber two perfectionism that
kills progress.
Roadblock number three isinformation overwhelm.
That paralyzes progress, andit's no secret that in today's
world, there is an overwhelmingamount of writing advice
available right.
You read blog posts about storystructure, you watch YouTube
videos about characterdevelopment, you buy course
(06:51):
after course, hoping one of themwill finally unlock the secret
to finishing your novel, and theirony of it is that all of this
learning is often what keepspeople from writing.
So, instead of becoming apracticing writer, you become a
perpetual student.
You might know more aboutwriting theory than many
published authors do, but youstill can't seem to apply it to
(07:11):
your own work.
And, even worse, every piece ofadvice seems to contradict the
last thing you read, leaving yousecond-guessing every decision
and frozen by all theconflicting rules and advice.
If you can relate to this, Ipromise you are not alone.
It happens way more than youthink, and here's what I've
learned from working withwriters who get stuck in this
particular roadblock over theyears.
(07:32):
You really don't need to mastereverything about writing before
you start.
You just need to take the nextstep and focus on what's in
front of you, and the bestadvice I can give you is to
choose one proven process or onemethod and commit to it all the
way to the end of a draft.
So stop consuming all theconflicting information out
there, all the different adviceand just choose one process or
(07:55):
one method, commit to it andmove forward, because remember
progress is going to beatperfection every single time
when it comes to finishing yournovel.
Okay, so that is roadblocknumber three information
overwhelm that freezes yourforward progress.
Roadblock number four is fearthat stops you in your tracks.
Fear shows up in more ways thanyou might expect when you're
(08:17):
trying to finish a novel.
There's the obvious fear offailure.
So what if your book isn't goodenough?
What if people hate it?
Right, but there's also theless obvious fear of success.
What if your book is actuallyreally good?
Will you ever be able to writeanother one that measures up to
that first book?
Or what will you do if peoplestart expecting too much from
you?
Right, it's the other side ofthe coin, and no matter what
(08:40):
kind of fear you're feeling,whenever fear takes control,
excuses tend to multiply.
So suddenly you feel like youneed to start doing more
research.
Or maybe you feel like youdon't have the right writing
space, or you're not in theright headspace, or maybe it'll
be different this weekend.
Have the right writing space, oryou're not in the right
headspace, or maybe it'll bedifferent this weekend.
You might even start otherprojects to avoid finishing the
one you're working on, andthings like that.
Right, but deep down, what'shappening is you're protecting
(09:02):
yourself from both thepossibility of failure and the
pressure that comes withpotential success.
So, if you are dealing withthis particular roadblock, the
key to moving past it lies inshifting your focus from the
outcome to progress.
Every word you write isprogress, regardless of the
quality, and I want you toremember, too, that every draft
(09:23):
you write teaches you somethingvaluable, even if it never sees
the light of day.
And the only real failure isletting your fear stop you from
trying to write a book orfinishing the books that you
start.
And I think it's also importantto remember that published
authors aren't the ones whonever felt fear, right, they're
the ones who wrote the book andfinished the book despite
feeling fear, because, at theend of the day, we're all human.
(09:46):
We all feel some version offear when it comes to doing
something new and something bigand something important, like
writing a novel.
Okay, so that is roadblocknumber four fear that stops you
in your tracks.
Roadblock number five is writingin isolation, without support,
and we all know that writing isinherently a solitary activity
(10:06):
right, but that does not meanyou have to go at it alone when
trying to finish your novel.
In fact, without accountabilityor support, it's going to be
incredibly easy to losemotivation when life gets hectic
or when you hit one of theseinevitable roadblocks, and the
reason for that is becausethere's no external pressure to
keep going, there's no onecheering you on when things get
(10:27):
tough, and I think for most ofus, when we write in isolation,
our novels become the firstthing to go.
When life gets busy, right, westop setting aside time for our
projects because no one elseknows about our goals and our
deadlines but ourselves, andthen that doubt creeps in about
whether our stories are evenworth telling, because we're not
able to make time for it andwe're not making progress and
(10:48):
things like that.
So without some kind of outsideencouragement or understanding
or even accountability fromother people who get the
struggle that comes with writinga novel, it's very easy to
drift away from the workaltogether.
So if you feel like you'restruggling with this particular
roadblock, then I want you toknow this Having someone to
cheer you on and hold youaccountable can change the
(11:09):
entire game, whether it's acritique group, a writing buddy
or an online communitysurrounding yourself with other
writers who understand whatyou're doing, the journey you're
on, and things like that.
That's going to provide themotivation and support that you
need to push through when timesget tough.
You do not have to do it alone.
There are so many other peopleout there on the same journey as
you who probably don't want todo it alone either, and
(11:32):
sometimes all it takes isreaching out on social media or
joining some kind of onlinecommunity or something like that
to find your perfect writingbuddy.
All right, so that is roadblocknumber five writing in
isolation, without support.
Now here's the encouraging newsthe writers who finish their
novels aren't necessarily themost talented or the ones with
unlimited time.
(11:52):
They're simply the ones whohave learned to work with a
clear process, embrace theimperfection and stay consistent
.
They understand that writing anovel is more like a marathon,
not a sprint, and they'velearned to work with their
limitations instead of againstthem.
They've embraced the messymagic of writing a first draft
and they know that done beatsperfect.
(12:13):
Every single time the writerswho finished their books.
They didn't start with somekind of magical advantage or
special talent.
They simply learned what worksand applied it consistently.
They gave themselves permissionto write imperfectly,
celebrated small wins along theway and refused to give up when
things got challenging.
So the difference betweenfinishing and not finishing
often comes down to having theright roadmap, the right mindset
(12:36):
and the right support systemworking together.
I know it might feel like thosesuccessful writers have
something you don't, but here'sthe truth.
Every finished novel startedwith someone just like you,
someone with an idea, someself-doubt and a dream to tell
their story.
And the writers who finisharen't the ones who never hit
the roadblocks that we talkedabout in today's episode.
They're the ones who learn tonavigate around them and finish
(12:58):
anyway.
Imagine if you commit to pushingpast these roadblocks today.
Imagine where you could be in 6to 12 months from now.
Instead of still wondering ifyou can even write a novel, you
could be holding your completedfirst draft in your hands.
Instead of feeling like you'rea wannabe writer, you could be
confidently calling yourself acapital-A author.
Instead of looking back onanother year of unfulfilled
(13:19):
dreams, you could be alreadyplanning to publish your book or
outlining your next book.
So, in my opinion, the questionisn't whether you have what it
takes to write a novel.
You absolutely do.
The question really is whetheryou're ready to stop letting
these five roadblocks defineyour entire writing journey.
All right, now, real quick,before I let you go, I want to
let you know that I have a freeguide that talks about all the
(13:41):
roadblocks we went over today.
So it explains what theroadblocks are, why they happen,
and then gives you thestrategies to break through each
one of the roadblocks.
You'll also see some casestudies and examples in there of
writers just like you who havebroken through these roadblocks
and gone on to finish theirbooks.
So if you want to download that, it's totally free Go to
savannahgilbocom forward slashroadblocks.
(14:02):
And if you want to get my helpbusting through these five
roadblocks, if you want to workwith me on your novel and learn
my step-by-step framework toturn your ideas into a finished
draft, then get on the waitlistfor my notes novel course, which
will be opening for enrollmentagain very soon.
Go to savannahgilbocom forwardslash waitlist to get on the
waitlist and snag a few extragoodies in the meantime, and
(14:23):
you'll be the first to know whenenrollment opens for that.
All right, so that's it for thisepisode of the fiction writing
made easy podcast.
Head over to savannahgilbocomforward slash podcast for the
complete show notes, includingthe resources I mentioned today,
as well as bonus materials tohelp you implement what you've
learned, and if you're ready toget more personalized guidance
(14:44):
for your specific writing stagewhether you're just starting out
, stuck somewhere in the middleof a draft, drowning in
revisions or getting ready topublish, take my free 30-second
quiz at savannahgilbocom forwardslash quiz.
You'll get a customized podcastplaylist that'll meet you right
where you're at and help youget to your next big milestone.
Last but not least, make sureto follow this podcast in your
(15:05):
podcast player of choice,because I'll be back next week
with another episode full ofactionable tips, tools and
strategies to help you become abetter writer.
Until then, happy writing.
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