July 10, 2025 • 16 mins
What if the reason you haven't written your novel has nothing to do with how many hours are in your day?
"I don't have time to write" might be the most common excuse that stops aspiring authors before they even start. But here’s what I’ve learned after working with hundreds of writers… It’s not about how much time you have that matters. It’s about what you do with your limited time that counts.
In this episode, you'll hear from three busy writers who had every legitimate reason to put their writing dreams on hold—yet didn't. Meet Maddie, a mom of four kids aged one to six who wrote her first draft while juggling pregnancy, a newborn, and a copywriting career. Rhonda, a clinical pharmacist who transitioned from competing in 14-hour triathlons to writing an 80,000-word manuscript. And Mark, a former college administrator, worried it was too late in life to learn how to write a novel.
None of them found magical extra hours in their day. Instead, they discovered something far more powerful: how to make their limited writing time more effective.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- [03:00] How a mom of four young children completed her first draft in just six months of actual writing time, including taking a year-long break for pregnancy and a newborn, without losing momentum
- [06:25] Why one debut author discovered that following a proven framework didn't create a cookie-cutter novel—it actually freed him to be more creative and original
- [09:35] The mindset shift that helped a 45-year-old clinical pharmacist transition from grueling 14-hour triathlons to completing her first 80,000-word novel
- [13:20] Why having limited writing time can actually make you a more effective writer, when you know exactly what to write in each session
Ready to stop using "no time" as your excuse? Join Maddie, Rhonda, Mark, and hundreds of other busy writers who've discovered that you don't need more hours—you need a better plan. Get on the waitlist for the next open enrollment of my Notes to Novel course and get my complete, step-by-step framework for writing a story that works. Don’t miss your chance to turn your ideas into a finished draft you’re proud of!
🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
- Grab this free guide to discover how busy writers (with kids, jobs, and real lives!) find time to write consistently and finish their novels: 5 Time Management Strategies to Help You Write Your Novel
- Madi Unruh Instagram
- Mark Mrozinski Instagram
⭐ 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.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I had to take a long break from my novel about a year
from the end of my pregnancy,through the newborn phase, until
I was ready to come back to it.
But thanks to my outline thatwas just pressure tested and
waiting for me I was able topick right back up and write the
next scene as though I hadn'ttaken that break, which was so
helpful.
So, even though I took a longbreak in the middle, thanks to
(00:21):
everything I learned in notes toNovel, I was able to write my
first draft in six months ofactual writing time, which felt
like a huge accomplishment to me.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made 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
(00:53):
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
In today's episode, we'retackling the number one excuse
that stops aspiring authorsbefore they even start, and that
excuse is I don't have time towrite a book or I'm just too
busy right now to focus on mywriting.
(01:13):
If you've ever looked at yourpacked schedule and wondered how
anyone with a real life managesto finish a book, or if you've
been telling yourself thatyou'll start writing when things
slow down, then this episode isfor you.
You'll hear from three writerswho had every reason to put
their writing dreams on holdMaddie, a mom of four kids aged
one to six, who is jugglingpregnancy, a newborn and a
(01:35):
demanding schedule.
Rhonda, a clinical pharmacist,who spent years competing in
grueling long-distancetriathlons that took over 14
hours to complete in grueling,long-distance triathlons that
took over 14 hours to complete.
And Mark, a former collegeadministrator, who worried that
at his age it might be too lateto learn how to write a novel.
Now here's what I love aboutthese stories.
None of these writers magicallyfound more hours in their day.
(01:57):
Instead, they learned how tomake their limited writing time
incredibly effective.
They discovered that having aclear roadmap actually made it
possible to write consistentlyeven in small pockets of time.
So if you're tired of using notime or not enough time as your
excuse, if you're ready to seehow real people with real
responsibilities actually finishtheir novels, these stories
(02:18):
will show you exactly how it'sdone.
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
writers in their tracks.
(02:39):
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.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Hi everyone.
My name is Maddie Unruh, I am29 years old, I live in
California and I'm currentlywriting romance.
I am actually a professionalwriter.
I'm a copywriter for manydifferent businesses, so writing
has always been a big part ofmy life, but this is the first
time I've ever attempted towrite a novel.
I always knew I wanted to do itsomeday.
(03:22):
I always felt called to do it,but I had never taken that step
until I started listening toSavannah's podcast and
eventually joined the Notes toNovel course.
One of the biggest things thatNotes to Novel gave me was
really just the ability to takemyself seriously as a novelist.
I feel like signing up for thatcourse was me putting a stake
(03:44):
in the ground and saying that Ibelieved in that call in my life
and was willing to invest in itand take it seriously.
So for me that was a really bigstep and it led to me
completing my first draft, whichis so exciting.
Another big thing I got out ofthe notes novel course was the
ability to outline.
I had attempted a little bit ofnovel writing before, but I'd
(04:06):
always attempted to pants, andit turns out that outlining was
really a key to me beingsuccessful in writing a story
that worked.
So going through those modulesin the notes to novel course was
so helpful Just learning how tooutline with key scenes and
conventions, how to pressuretest that outline.
It really gave me a roadmap formy writing, which was super
(04:27):
helpful because I have fourlittle kids aged one to six, and
so my writing time is verylimited, so it was so helpful to
know exactly what I needed tosit down and write at every one
of my writing sessions.
It helped me make really quickprogress and in fact I ended up
soon after taking the course,finding out that I was pregnant
(04:48):
with my fourth and last baby andI had to take a long break for
my novel about a year from theend of my pregnancy, through the
newborn phase, until I wasready to come back to it.
But thanks to my outline thatwas just pressure tested and
waiting for me, I was able topick right back up and write the
next scene as though I hadn'ttaken that break, which was so
(05:08):
helpful.
So even though I took a longbreak in the middle, thanks to
everything I learned in notes tonovel, I was able to write my
first draft in six months ofactual writing time, which felt
like a huge accomplishment to me.
And then the last thing that Ireally got out of Notes to Novel
that I would just is.
The biggest reason probably thatI would recommend it to any
(05:30):
aspiring novelist is howpositive and fun Savannah is and
just her presence and herability to believe in you and
your story so much that youbelieve in yourself and your
story too.
I really feel like she is sogifted at being a book coach and
joining notes novel was justlike having my own little
cheerleader, not just empoweringme with the tools that I needed
(05:55):
and just so much incrediblethings that we needed to know to
write the novel, but also theencouragement that you
inevitably need along the waywhen you hit all those uh kind
of rough spots in novel writing.
So I loved the notes to novelcourse.
I loved it so much I ended upjoining the story lab afterwards
and I would highly recommend itto anybody on the fence to just
(06:17):
go for it.
Take the chance, take your callon your life as a novelist
seriously and join notes tonovel.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Hi, I'm Mark Rosinski and I'm a former college
administrator turned writerliving in the Chicago area.
But I started my life as firstas a musician and composer, and
I spent my early days playingthe accordion and then the piano
, and it always amazes me howyou can start your life from one
path and end up someplace youtotally didn't plan, just by the
small decisions you make alongthe way.
(06:47):
Now I'm writing short and longfiction in a variety of genres,
but recently I've starteddigging into historical
mysteries, both for my readingpleasure and for writing.
I so enjoy novels such asUmberto Eco's Name of the Rose
and Caleb Carr's the Alienist.
I began focusing on my writingabout four years ago and, being
older than most debut authors, Iknew I didn't have tons of time
(07:09):
to mess around and learnthrough experimentation.
I had this real fear it was toolate for me to learn to write
novels, and I was afraid ofinvesting into something, a
practice, a framework that wouldtake me nowhere and just waste
time and money.
So I was looking for ano-nonsense plan to help me to
put my novel together, one thatwould get me to the finish line
(07:29):
with a solid work.
I tried a couple otherapproaches, but found them
either too loose or too much inthe weeds.
Savannah's notes to novel didit just right for me.
I'd been listening to herpodcast for a while and loved
her direct and positive approachand knew it would be a good fit
for me.
I think the biggest aha in thecourse was the realization there
was the flexibility to createmy own story.
(07:51):
I was afraid that following anymethod, so to speak, I'd end up
with cookie cutter, dime storenovel to kind of people read in
a day and then forget and tossaway.
The notes to the novel coursewere great at showing the
non-negotiables, those thingsthat made it a successful story,
but also in allowing space fororiginality and creativity.
So when I actually put myfingers to the keyboard and I
(08:13):
drafted the novel, I justfollowed her framework and they
didn't worry about being toorigid or formulated.
The magic, if I can call itthat, was that the end product
was anything but so.
If I had a word of advice, if Ihad a word of advice for anyone
on the brink of starting anovel.
I'd say, trust the process or,better yet, trust Savannah's
process, because it works.
(08:34):
So what's next for me?
I finished my novel a fewmonths ago and I had some beta
readers review it.
Well, they loved it.
At first.
That was a huge relief becauseas writers, we know we're always
writing in a vacuum and it'sgreat to have positive feedback.
Then it was exciting and then Iwas completely scared.
I just started querying agentsand I can tell you, nothing
(08:55):
prompts the imposter feelinglike querying agents.
Agents and publishers will askso what's next?
They want more than just a book.
They want an author, someonewho writes books, not able.
So another thing I got from thenotes to novel course the
confidence that I can do thisagain.
I can write another novel.
There's no fear that I will bea one-hit wonder.
(09:18):
I can honestly tell you that Ican write another.
The process is hard.
That is full of hard work, butthe path isn't a mystery.
So thanks for listening and Iwish you the best success in
your writing.
Thanks for listening and I wishyou the best success in your
writing.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
Hi there, I'm Rhonda Eustace, and I write historical
fiction.
I am a late bloomer when itcomes to writing.
When I was a kid, I'd writeplays to entertain my friends
and family at Christmas andforce my brothers to act in them
, and after college I wrote afew murder mysteries for parties
that I hosted for friends.
But other than that and keepinga daily journal, I didn't write
(09:53):
much for fun, even though I hadthis idea for a story that
lingered in the back of my mindfor years.
So most of my early adult yearsI chased my career as a
clinical pharmacist, and forseveral of those years I
competed in long distancetriathlons that monopolized
pretty much all of my free time.
And so at age 45, when I gotinjured and couldn't compete in
(10:15):
triathlons anymore, I decided itwas finally time to sit down
and write this novel.
So I did what as many do Ibought a bunch of craft books
and read everything I can get myhands on and started to write.
But I found myself gettingstuck and spinning my wheels
trying to get this partiallyfirm story from my head onto the
page.
So I knew I needed some help.
(10:36):
When I was doing triathlon, Ihad worked with a great
triathlon coach who got me tothe finish line of more than a
dozen triathlons One took memore than 14 hours to complete
so I knew I had the endurance towrite a novel.
I just didn't know what I wasdoing, and so I figured I was
going to need some kind of coach, but I did not know where to
find one until I came acrossSavannah's podcast and the Notes
(11:00):
to Novel course, and with herhelp and the help of this course
, I was able to complete myfirst 80,000 words first draft.
And so everything I learned inNotes to Novel was valuable.
But there were two things thatthe course taught me that really
helped me get through thisfirst draft.
So what I found was, many timeswhen I would sit down to write,
(11:22):
my inner critic, that littlevoice inside me, would tell me
you're too old to start writing,you should be doing something
more practical, you don't haveanything important to say.
But one of the first things theNotes to Novel course taught me
was to really think through whyI wanted to write this story
and to tap into my core messageor tap into my deep level.
(11:43):
Why, and to tap into my coremessage or tap into my deep
level why, and once I was ableto do that, I was able to
uncover my story's theme andthis served as kind of a golden
thread that I could go back towhen I got stuck when I was
developing my outline and againwhen I was writing my scene.
So I thought that was veryvaluable.
So the second thing that thenotes to novel teaches that was
(12:05):
a game changer for me was how towrite a compelling scene.
So I thought that was veryvaluable.
So the second thing that thenotes to novel teaches that was
a game changer for me was how towrite a compelling scene, and
specifically in each scene Ineeded to give my point of view
character agency by making surethis character is the one that's
making the decision in theclimactic moment of the scene.
So this really helped me tostreamline my writing and to
create a good narrative drivethat drove me to the end of the
scene.
So this really helped me tostreamline my writing and to
create a good narrative drivethat drove me to the end of the
(12:27):
story.
So the notes to novel course andthe Q&A sessions with Savannah
gave me the tools and theencouragement to finish this
first draft of my novel.
Now, I never expected my firstdraft to be perfect and it
wasn't.
But, like Savannah says, youcan't edit something if it's not
on the page.
So through this process Idiscovered how incredibly fun
(12:48):
writing can be when you find theright coach who meets you where
you are and cheers you on allthe way to the finish line.
And, unlike with triathlon,writing has a very slim chance
of causing chipping and blisters.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
All right.
So I hope hearing from Maddie,rhonda and Mark completely
shifted how you think about yourtime and your writing.
Whether it was Maddie's abilityto complete her first draft in
six months of actual writingtime while raising four children
, rhonda's transition from14-hour triathlons to
80,000-word manuscripts, orMark's proof that it's never too
late to start and finishwriting your book, these stories
(13:24):
show that time isn't really theissue.
So here's the key takeaway Iwant you to remember you don't
need more time to write a novel.
You need a better plan for thetime that you already have.
And that's because when youknow exactly what to work on in
each writing session, even 20minutes can move your story
forward in a big way.
Now, if these stories inspiredyou to finally stop waiting for
(13:46):
the perfect time to startwriting, then I have some
exciting news.
Notes to Novel.
My signature eight-week liveprogram is opening for
enrollment on August 19th.
This is the same program thatgave Maddie, rhonda, mark and
hundreds of other busy writersthe roadmap they needed to
finish their novels withoutadding more stress to their
already packed lives.
But here's the thing I want youto be prepared when doors open,
(14:09):
because this live round alwaysfills up fast, and that's why
I've created a VIP waitlist thatgives you early access before
the public launch, plus somereally fun and incredible
bonuses while you wait.
When you join the waitlist,you'll get my novel writing
roadblocks guide with realstories like the ones you heard
today, early bird access tonotes to novel, a few free live
(14:30):
Q&A sessions with me, quick andstraightforward mindset videos
to help you break throughcreative blocks, and inspiring
stories from writers who've madethe journey from stuck to
unstoppable.
Head over to savannahgilbocomforward slash waitlist to get on
the VIP waitlist and to getearly access when doors to Notes
to Novel open.
And if you're listening to thisafter August 19th, don't worry,
(14:52):
you can still join the waitlistto be the first to know when
Notes to Novel opens forenrollment again.
All right.
So that's it for this episodeof the Fiction Writing Made Easy
podcast.
Head over to savannagilbocomforward slash podcast for the
complete show notes, includingthe resources I mentioned today,
as well as bonus materials tohelp you implement what you've
(15:12):
learned and if you're ready toget more personalized guidance
for your specific writing stage,whether you're just starting
out, stuck somewhere in themiddle of 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.
(15:33):
Last but not least, make sureto follow this podcast in your
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.
I had to take a long break from my novel about a year
from the end of my pregnancy,through the newborn phase, until
I was ready to come back to it.
But thanks to my outline thatwas just pressure tested and
waiting for me I was able topick right back up and write the
next scene as though I hadn'ttaken that break, which was so
helpful.
So, even though I took a longbreak in the middle, thanks to
(00:21):
everything I learned in notes toNovel, I was able to write my
first draft in six months ofactual writing time, which felt
like a huge accomplishment to me.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made 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
(00:53):
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
In today's episode, we'retackling the number one excuse
that stops aspiring authorsbefore they even start, and that
excuse is I don't have time towrite a book or I'm just too
busy right now to focus on mywriting.
(01:13):
If you've ever looked at yourpacked schedule and wondered how
anyone with a real life managesto finish a book, or if you've
been telling yourself thatyou'll start writing when things
slow down, then this episode isfor you.
You'll hear from three writerswho had every reason to put
their writing dreams on holdMaddie, a mom of four kids aged
one to six, who is jugglingpregnancy, a newborn and a
(01:35):
demanding schedule.
Rhonda, a clinical pharmacist,who spent years competing in
grueling long-distancetriathlons that took over 14
hours to complete in grueling,long-distance triathlons that
took over 14 hours to complete.
And Mark, a former collegeadministrator, who worried that
at his age it might be too lateto learn how to write a novel.
Now here's what I love aboutthese stories.
None of these writers magicallyfound more hours in their day.
(01:57):
Instead, they learned how tomake their limited writing time
incredibly effective.
They discovered that having aclear roadmap actually made it
possible to write consistentlyeven in small pockets of time.
So if you're tired of using notime or not enough time as your
excuse, if you're ready to seehow real people with real
responsibilities actually finishtheir novels, these stories
(02:18):
will show you exactly how it'sdone.
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
writers in their tracks.
(02:39):
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.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Hi everyone.
My name is Maddie Unruh, I am29 years old, I live in
California and I'm currentlywriting romance.
I am actually a professionalwriter.
I'm a copywriter for manydifferent businesses, so writing
has always been a big part ofmy life, but this is the first
time I've ever attempted towrite a novel.
I always knew I wanted to do itsomeday.
(03:22):
I always felt called to do it,but I had never taken that step
until I started listening toSavannah's podcast and
eventually joined the Notes toNovel course.
One of the biggest things thatNotes to Novel gave me was
really just the ability to takemyself seriously as a novelist.
I feel like signing up for thatcourse was me putting a stake
(03:44):
in the ground and saying that Ibelieved in that call in my life
and was willing to invest in itand take it seriously.
So for me that was a really bigstep and it led to me
completing my first draft, whichis so exciting.
Another big thing I got out ofthe notes novel course was the
ability to outline.
I had attempted a little bit ofnovel writing before, but I'd
(04:06):
always attempted to pants, andit turns out that outlining was
really a key to me beingsuccessful in writing a story
that worked.
So going through those modulesin the notes to novel course was
so helpful Just learning how tooutline with key scenes and
conventions, how to pressuretest that outline.
It really gave me a roadmap formy writing, which was super
(04:27):
helpful because I have fourlittle kids aged one to six, and
so my writing time is verylimited, so it was so helpful to
know exactly what I needed tosit down and write at every one
of my writing sessions.
It helped me make really quickprogress and in fact I ended up
soon after taking the course,finding out that I was pregnant
(04:48):
with my fourth and last baby andI had to take a long break for
my novel about a year from theend of my pregnancy, through the
newborn phase, until I wasready to come back to it.
But thanks to my outline thatwas just pressure tested and
waiting for me, I was able topick right back up and write the
next scene as though I hadn'ttaken that break, which was so
(05:08):
helpful.
So even though I took a longbreak in the middle, thanks to
everything I learned in notes tonovel, I was able to write my
first draft in six months ofactual writing time, which felt
like a huge accomplishment to me.
And then the last thing that Ireally got out of Notes to Novel
that I would just is.
The biggest reason probably thatI would recommend it to any
(05:30):
aspiring novelist is howpositive and fun Savannah is and
just her presence and herability to believe in you and
your story so much that youbelieve in yourself and your
story too.
I really feel like she is sogifted at being a book coach and
joining notes novel was justlike having my own little
cheerleader, not just empoweringme with the tools that I needed
(05:55):
and just so much incrediblethings that we needed to know to
write the novel, but also theencouragement that you
inevitably need along the waywhen you hit all those uh kind
of rough spots in novel writing.
So I loved the notes to novelcourse.
I loved it so much I ended upjoining the story lab afterwards
and I would highly recommend itto anybody on the fence to just
(06:17):
go for it.
Take the chance, take your callon your life as a novelist
seriously and join notes tonovel.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Hi, I'm Mark Rosinski and I'm a former college
administrator turned writerliving in the Chicago area.
But I started my life as firstas a musician and composer, and
I spent my early days playingthe accordion and then the piano
, and it always amazes me howyou can start your life from one
path and end up someplace youtotally didn't plan, just by the
small decisions you make alongthe way.
(06:47):
Now I'm writing short and longfiction in a variety of genres,
but recently I've starteddigging into historical
mysteries, both for my readingpleasure and for writing.
I so enjoy novels such asUmberto Eco's Name of the Rose
and Caleb Carr's the Alienist.
I began focusing on my writingabout four years ago and, being
older than most debut authors, Iknew I didn't have tons of time
(07:09):
to mess around and learnthrough experimentation.
I had this real fear it was toolate for me to learn to write
novels, and I was afraid ofinvesting into something, a
practice, a framework that wouldtake me nowhere and just waste
time and money.
So I was looking for ano-nonsense plan to help me to
put my novel together, one thatwould get me to the finish line
(07:29):
with a solid work.
I tried a couple otherapproaches, but found them
either too loose or too much inthe weeds.
Savannah's notes to novel didit just right for me.
I'd been listening to herpodcast for a while and loved
her direct and positive approachand knew it would be a good fit
for me.
I think the biggest aha in thecourse was the realization there
was the flexibility to createmy own story.
(07:51):
I was afraid that following anymethod, so to speak, I'd end up
with cookie cutter, dime storenovel to kind of people read in
a day and then forget and tossaway.
The notes to the novel coursewere great at showing the
non-negotiables, those thingsthat made it a successful story,
but also in allowing space fororiginality and creativity.
So when I actually put myfingers to the keyboard and I
(08:13):
drafted the novel, I justfollowed her framework and they
didn't worry about being toorigid or formulated.
The magic, if I can call itthat, was that the end product
was anything but so.
If I had a word of advice, if Ihad a word of advice for anyone
on the brink of starting anovel.
I'd say, trust the process or,better yet, trust Savannah's
process, because it works.
(08:34):
So what's next for me?
I finished my novel a fewmonths ago and I had some beta
readers review it.
Well, they loved it.
At first.
That was a huge relief becauseas writers, we know we're always
writing in a vacuum and it'sgreat to have positive feedback.
Then it was exciting and then Iwas completely scared.
I just started querying agentsand I can tell you, nothing
(08:55):
prompts the imposter feelinglike querying agents.
Agents and publishers will askso what's next?
They want more than just a book.
They want an author, someonewho writes books, not able.
So another thing I got from thenotes to novel course the
confidence that I can do thisagain.
I can write another novel.
There's no fear that I will bea one-hit wonder.
(09:18):
I can honestly tell you that Ican write another.
The process is hard.
That is full of hard work, butthe path isn't a mystery.
So thanks for listening and Iwish you the best success in
your writing.
Thanks for listening and I wishyou the best success in your
writing.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
Hi there, I'm Rhonda Eustace, and I write historical
fiction.
I am a late bloomer when itcomes to writing.
When I was a kid, I'd writeplays to entertain my friends
and family at Christmas andforce my brothers to act in them
, and after college I wrote afew murder mysteries for parties
that I hosted for friends.
But other than that and keepinga daily journal, I didn't write
(09:53):
much for fun, even though I hadthis idea for a story that
lingered in the back of my mindfor years.
So most of my early adult yearsI chased my career as a
clinical pharmacist, and forseveral of those years I
competed in long distancetriathlons that monopolized
pretty much all of my free time.
And so at age 45, when I gotinjured and couldn't compete in
(10:15):
triathlons anymore, I decided itwas finally time to sit down
and write this novel.
So I did what as many do Ibought a bunch of craft books
and read everything I can get myhands on and started to write.
But I found myself gettingstuck and spinning my wheels
trying to get this partiallyfirm story from my head onto the
page.
So I knew I needed some help.
(10:36):
When I was doing triathlon, Ihad worked with a great
triathlon coach who got me tothe finish line of more than a
dozen triathlons One took memore than 14 hours to complete
so I knew I had the endurance towrite a novel.
I just didn't know what I wasdoing, and so I figured I was
going to need some kind of coach, but I did not know where to
find one until I came acrossSavannah's podcast and the Notes
(11:00):
to Novel course, and with herhelp and the help of this course
, I was able to complete myfirst 80,000 words first draft.
And so everything I learned inNotes to Novel was valuable.
But there were two things thatthe course taught me that really
helped me get through thisfirst draft.
So what I found was, many timeswhen I would sit down to write,
(11:22):
my inner critic, that littlevoice inside me, would tell me
you're too old to start writing,you should be doing something
more practical, you don't haveanything important to say.
But one of the first things theNotes to Novel course taught me
was to really think through whyI wanted to write this story
and to tap into my core messageor tap into my deep level.
(11:43):
Why, and to tap into my coremessage or tap into my deep
level why, and once I was ableto do that, I was able to
uncover my story's theme andthis served as kind of a golden
thread that I could go back towhen I got stuck when I was
developing my outline and againwhen I was writing my scene.
So I thought that was veryvaluable.
So the second thing that thenotes to novel teaches that was
(12:05):
a game changer for me was how towrite a compelling scene.
So I thought that was veryvaluable.
So the second thing that thenotes to novel teaches that was
a game changer for me was how towrite a compelling scene, and
specifically in each scene Ineeded to give my point of view
character agency by making surethis character is the one that's
making the decision in theclimactic moment of the scene.
So this really helped me tostreamline my writing and to
create a good narrative drivethat drove me to the end of the
scene.
So this really helped me tostreamline my writing and to
create a good narrative drivethat drove me to the end of the
(12:27):
story.
So the notes to novel course andthe Q&A sessions with Savannah
gave me the tools and theencouragement to finish this
first draft of my novel.
Now, I never expected my firstdraft to be perfect and it
wasn't.
But, like Savannah says, youcan't edit something if it's not
on the page.
So through this process Idiscovered how incredibly fun
(12:48):
writing can be when you find theright coach who meets you where
you are and cheers you on allthe way to the finish line.
And, unlike with triathlon,writing has a very slim chance
of causing chipping and blisters.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
All right.
So I hope hearing from Maddie,rhonda and Mark completely
shifted how you think about yourtime and your writing.
Whether it was Maddie's abilityto complete her first draft in
six months of actual writingtime while raising four children
, rhonda's transition from14-hour triathlons to
80,000-word manuscripts, orMark's proof that it's never too
late to start and finishwriting your book, these stories
(13:24):
show that time isn't really theissue.
So here's the key takeaway Iwant you to remember you don't
need more time to write a novel.
You need a better plan for thetime that you already have.
And that's because when youknow exactly what to work on in
each writing session, even 20minutes can move your story
forward in a big way.
Now, if these stories inspiredyou to finally stop waiting for
(13:46):
the perfect time to startwriting, then I have some
exciting news.
Notes to Novel.
My signature eight-week liveprogram is opening for
enrollment on August 19th.
This is the same program thatgave Maddie, rhonda, mark and
hundreds of other busy writersthe roadmap they needed to
finish their novels withoutadding more stress to their
already packed lives.
But here's the thing I want youto be prepared when doors open,
(14:09):
because this live round alwaysfills up fast, and that's why
I've created a VIP waitlist thatgives you early access before
the public launch, plus somereally fun and incredible
bonuses while you wait.
When you join the waitlist,you'll get my novel writing
roadblocks guide with realstories like the ones you heard
today, early bird access tonotes to novel, a few free live
(14:30):
Q&A sessions with me, quick andstraightforward mindset videos
to help you break throughcreative blocks, and inspiring
stories from writers who've madethe journey from stuck to
unstoppable.
Head over to savannahgilbocomforward slash waitlist to get on
the VIP waitlist and to getearly access when doors to Notes
to Novel open.
And if you're listening to thisafter August 19th, don't worry,
(14:52):
you can still join the waitlistto be the first to know when
Notes to Novel opens forenrollment again.
All right.
So that's it for this episodeof the Fiction Writing Made Easy
podcast.
Head over to savannagilbocomforward slash podcast for the
complete show notes, includingthe resources I mentioned today,
as well as bonus materials tohelp you implement what you've
(15:12):
learned and if you're ready toget more personalized guidance
for your specific writing stage,whether you're just starting
out, stuck somewhere in themiddle of 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.
(15:33):
Last but not least, make sureto follow this podcast in your
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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