How to Finish a Book...Even When Life Gets Hard
Links from this Episode
Show Notes
Well, hey there, Writer. Welcome to the Resilient Writers Radio Show. I'm your host, Rhonda Douglas, and this is the podcast for writers who want to create and sustain a writing life they love. Because, let's face it, the writing life has its ups and downs, and we want to not just write, but also to be able to enjoy the process so that we'll spend more time with our butt-in-chair getting those words on the page.
This podcast is for writers who love books and everything that goes into the making of them. For writers who want to learn and grow in their craft and improve their writing skills. Writers who want to finish their books and get them out into the world so their ideal readers can enjoy them.
Writers who want to spend more time in that flow state. Writers who want to connect with other writers to celebrate and be in community in this crazy roller coaster ride we...
Choosing the Right Narrative Structure for Your Book
Are We Losing the Plot?
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
— Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
I love this quote because at its heart, this is narrative structure. This is storytelling. And it’s simple.
You could follow the White Rabbit down the hole and come out with one heck of a story. Pun intended. All you have to do is follow the world’s simplest directions for telling a story.
Yet, it’s not as easy as the King would have us believe, right? Otherwise, everyone would be a writer, and we’d all be wildly prolific.
In the spirit of keeping it simple, let’s break it down…
What Is Narrative Structure?
A narrative is a story.
Structure is “the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex.” (Source: Oxford Dictionary)
At its core, narrative structure is how you tell...
2 Unruly Beasts All Writers Must Tame
The Two Unruly Beasts You Must Tame In Order to Create a Writing Routine and Writer’s Life You Love
How do you create and sustain a writing routine? Is it even possible in today’s hustle & ping world of distractions and demands?
That is the question.
The goal of this consistent writing routine is not necessarily to be a prolific writer and pump out hundreds of thousands of words.
Our true goal is to LOVE the process (most of the time), so we can LIVE the writer’s life for the rest of our days.
It’s no secret that I believe the key to all of this is becoming a resilient writer. And I’ve talked about what that means before.
But how do you get there from where you are now? Why do so many writers struggle to find the time to write?
There are two beasts we must tame, in order to become the writers we want to be…
Tame Your Expectations
You’ve always loved stories. And you’ve been a writer for as...
Three Sneaky Types of Writer’s Procrastination Keeping You from Finishing Your Book
[photo credit: Annie Spratt via Unsplash. Isn't it great?]
Let me guess…
You have one (or 12) unfinished writing projects stashed in the back of your desk drawer, or buried 22 subfolders deep on your hard drive.
These unfinished writing projects might include:
- Stalled novel manuscript(s)
- Illegible memoir notes on napkins
- Scattered bits of short stories
Sound familiar?
If you’re like the vast majority of writers I work with in the First Book Finish program, it’s probably far too familiar.
You may be comfortable with things the way they are. In fact, you may even believe your fate as the “half-finished creative” is sealed because you think:
“That’s just how my brain works.”
“I’ve always been like this.”
“I enjoy having multiple projects to choose from.”
“Who has the time to actually finish a book anyway?”
I’ve heard every single line above and more.
When it comes...
8 Lessons I've Learned from Helping Almost 200 Writers Finish Their Books
This is the final episode in a mini-series I’ve been doing on the podcast, which I think of as “The Finishers Series.” It’s designed for those writers who have “Finish My Book in 2024” on their list of writing goals.
Links from today’s show:
First Book Finish Waiting List
The Brass Queen, by Elizabeth Chatsworth [novel]
Extreme Healing: Reclaim Your Life and Learn to Love Your Body, by Mari Ruddy [non-fiction]
Better to Beg, by Kirsti Mackenzie [novel]
The Resilient Writers Radio Show: 8 Lessons I’ve Learned From Helping Almost 200 Writers To Finish Their Books -- Full Episode Transcript
Rhonda:
Well, hey there, Writer. Welcome to The Resilient Writers Radio Show. I'm your host, Rhonda Douglas, and this is the podcast for writers who want to create and sustain a writing life they love.
Because, let's face it, the writing life has its ups and downs, and we want to not just write, but also to be able to enjoy...
Finishers Series: How to Fit Finishing A Book Into Your Busy Life
This is the last episode in a little mini-series of episodes I did at the start of 2024, for writers who have finishing their book on their list of writing goals for the year ahead.
Links from today’s episode:
First Book Finish Waiting List
30 Ways To Find More Time To Write
The Resilient Writers Radio Show: How to Fit Finishing A Book Into Your Busy Life -- Full Episode Transcript
Intro:
Well, hey there, Writer. Welcome to The Resilient Writers Radio Show. I'm your host, Rhonda Douglas, and this is the podcast for writers who want to create and sustain a writing life they love.
Because, let's face it, the writing life has its ups and downs, and we want to not just write, but also to be able to enjoy the process so that we'll spend more time with our butt in the chair getting those words on the page.
This podcast is for writers who love books and everything that goes into the making of them. For writers who want to learn and...
Finishers Series: How to Manage a Book-Length Project
When you start writing a book, you’re excited. You want to work on it, and you’re so excited to finish it!
But then the work keeps going, and going, and going. And all of a sudden continuing the work seems impossible.
That is the lack of momentum talking. Don’t listen to it—finishing your book is within your reach just as much as finishing anything else you've done in your life.
You just need to manage the writing of your book the right way, and I’ll tell you exactly what you need to know in today’s episode.
The Resilient Writers Radio Show: How to Manage a Book-Length Project
Listen to learn:
- How to manage a book-length project
- How to get and stay organized
- The value of seeing your book as a project
- What to avoid when working to finish a book
Here’s a sneak peek…
[02:18] It gives you this sense of momentum that is inspiring in and of itself, but with a book, the ending...
Finishers Series: The 6 Phases of Finishing a Book
Jumping into writing a book is so much fun. But when we start writing a book without enough knowledge on the process, we can end up stalled in our progress.
That’s why it’s so important to learn about the six phases of writing a book. Knowing what they are and when it’s time to move into each one will not only make the act of writing easier for you, but it will also teach you what a realistic book-writing process looks like.
The 6 Phases of Finishing a Book
Listen to learn:
- What the six different phases of writing a book are
- How knowing the six phases of finishing can help you beat perfectionism
- The difference between editing and revision
- What writing a book really looks like, and why it isn’t what you see in media
Here’s a sneak peek:
[02:13] We have some mistaken ideas about books and they get in the way because they create ideas in our head that foster a sense of perfectionism.
[03:53] Your book is...
Finishers Series: Why Your Book Matters
This is the first episode in a five-part series on finishing our books and getting them out into the world.
It was inspired by the recent Writer’s Planning Party held on December 30th, when 98% of the writers present said they wanted to finish a book as one of their goals for 2024.
In this episode, I am talking about why it matters so much that our books get finished and out into the world – for us as writers, as creative human beings, and for our Ideal Readers.
Upcoming episodes in this series will explore what goes into writing a book, how to manage a book-length project and how to fit writing a book into an already busy life.
Links in this episode:
First Book Finish Waiting List
The Retreat (novel by Elisabeth de Mariaffi)
Read on for this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show.
The Resilient Writers Radio Show: Why Your Book Matters -- Full Episode Transcript
Rhonda:
Well, hey there, writer. Welcome to the Resilient Writers...
Getting Ready to FINISH Your Book
Are you wondering if you’re really ready to finish your book?
Sometimes, it can be hard to tell – especially if we’re getting bogged down by our self-doubt. But that self-doubt can be a sign that you are ready to finish.
Listen to learn:
- How to tell if you’re really ready to finish
- Why we don’t always have to be working towards finishing a book
- How some of the best books come about
- Why writing our books takes time
And while we at Resilient Writers want you to finish your book, it’s also important to remember that we don’t always have to be in a state of finishing to be a “Real Writer.”
Here’s a sneak peek of today’s episode…
[02:09] I really strongly believe that there has to be time in a writer's life where we're just playing around.
[04:12] I think a writer is someone who writes, but there's no question that it kind of gives you that extra...
