I’m Deanne. I’m a writer and I’m not normal.

This is not a confession: it’s a boast. I suspect you’re not normal either. Congratulations.

I wouldn’t mind guessing that you haven’t finished any of the stories you started. One didn’t work so you quit and started another. I’m not attacking you. You are not the problem. The problem is the ‘normal’ way of doing things.

The normal way people become writers of fiction has to change. It starts with excitement and eagerness but all too often descends into disappointment, confusion and a feeling of failure. How far through this writing process have you got? And how many times have you cycled through the same stage over and over?

The normal way to write a novel

The normal way to get a novel out into the world is to write it on your own, send it to an editor who rips it to bits and tells you to rewrite massive chunks of it so that it works, then you rewrite it. Again, on your own. 

Then you get feedback again. And change more parts of your story. On your own.

Then you do a copy edit and keep changing words and phrasing one way then back to the original. Then you get told you’re telling too much and you need to show more. So you change it. And someone else says the new version is too flowery and you need to show less. 

And then… you decide you can’t bear to read the story you were once so in love with even – one – more – time.

Maybe this works for some people. Good for them. Personally, I want to still like my manuscript by the time it’s ready for publishing. I want to enjoy the writing process. There will be sticky patches, sure, but I want to enjoy writing fiction, not do it as if I’m punishing myself for some terrible crime.

I suspect you want the same. Certainly that’s what I’ve found to be true of all my clients.

Writing only one piece of fiction keeps you from growing.

And while you’re not growing, there are people who are publishing books that are worse than yours. They’re writing blogs online. Sharing their flawed stories. Making money. They’re getting famous. More importantly, they are improving their writing skills.

You don’t need to polish one story endlessly. You don’t need to spend years on one novel. You don’t need to hide your writing from the world. You don’t need to stay in one place. You can cheat on your writing project – it won’t be offended.

The best way to write a novel

Working on the same novel for years, struggling to find the right words, is not the best way to write a great novel. The best way to write great work is to write frequently and to write different stories and scenes. Cheat on your novel.

Develop a writing habit. When you do this and also learn the craft of writing fiction, you will improve your storytelling, your structure and your style. That way, you’ll get the success you want.

With the new year fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about new writing goals for 2025. But before we do that, let’s take a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come.

I’ve been reflecting on the many exciting projects I’ve been working on, including making significant progress on my second novel. What have you been chipping away at, and what are you most proud of? Let’s learn from our hurdles, and celebrate our successes. 

But first, I have some presents to finish wrapping and sneak under the tree. And that red wine won’t drink itself. So until then, I wish you Seasons Greetings however (and if) you celebrate. See you in 2025!

You can’t just abandon your idea, can you?

Do you find yourself wishing that you’d started writing a different story when you’re too invested in the first idea to quit?

You know how it goes. You have this brilliant idea for a story that you’re super excited about. You start writing it with enthusiasm and passion, thinking it’s going to be the best thing ever. You outline the plot, develop the characters, create the world, and everything seems to be going smoothly.

But then, something happens. You lose interest in the story or you realise that the idea is not as original or compelling as you thought. Or you discover a new idea that sounds way more fun and exciting than the one you’re working on. Whatever the reason, you suddenly find yourself wishing you’d started writing a different story instead.

But you can’t just abandon the first idea, can you? You’ve written thousands of words, maybe even tens of thousands. You’ve told your friends and family about it, maybe even your readers if you have a platform. You’ve made a commitment to finish it, to yourself and to others. You can’t just give up on it now. Or can you? 

Well, maybe you can, or should. Maybe it’s better to follow your heart and write what you really want to write, rather than force yourself to write something that doesn’t inspire you anymore. Maybe it’s okay to let go of the first idea and start fresh with the second one. Perhaps it’s not too late to change your mind.

On the other hand, maybe you shouldn’t. Is it better to stick with the first idea and see it through to the end, rather than jump from one idea to another without ever finishing anything? Maybe it’s okay to keep working on something that doesn’t excite you anymore, because you know it has potential and value. You ponder if it’s not too late to rediscover your love for the first idea and make it work.

So how do you decide? I have some thoughts and tips that might help you if you’re in this situation:

I know it’s not easy, but I believe you can overcome it and write the story that you truly want to write. And I’m here to support you and cheer you on, as always. 

How to break free from the habits that hold you back as a writer

Self sabotage.

It’s the worst enemy of any creative person, especially a fiction writer. You have a deadline, a project, a goal, but you can’t bring yourself to work on it. You find excuses, distractions, alternatives. You spend hours thinking about how to write it, but not actually writing it. In your head, the task is bigger and scarier than it really is. You delay it until the last minute, and then you rush it and do a poor job. Feeling guilty and frustrated, you scold yourself… ‘Why do I always do this to myself?’ When really, it only takes a little effort and discipline to complete it. And then you can enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done!

Procrastination and imposter syndrome

Procrastination and imposter syndrome are common challenges – or enemies – that many of us face, no matter what we are trying to achieve. They make us doubt our abilities, delay our actions, and lose our motivation. For writers, these issues can be especially harmful, as they prevent us from expressing our creativity, developing our skills, and completing our stories. We can’t have that now, can we?

Being a writer, or aspiring to be one, can make you worry about many things. Like the awful possibility of creating a bad story. I can relate to that feeling. Sometimes I look at my past work, from different stages of my journey, and I cringe at how bad some of it is. But that’s not the end of the world. Those stories are steps – they show that I did something towards my dream, no matter how I feel about the outcome later.

Have faith in your writing

This leads me to talking about perfectionism – waiting until you think you can produce the perfect piece of writing before you sit down and actually write the piece. This is another form of self sabotage. Perfectionism is a powerful enemy for a writer – it makes you think you have to write something flawless before you even start. That’s not helpful at all. Just write what comes to your mind and don’t worry too much about the quality. Be in the moment – you can always improve it later. And even if you think your writing is bad, there must be some parts that you like or that are good. You don’t have to discard the whole thing just because of some errors or weak spots. Have faith.

Let me tell you a secret – Every writer feels the same way. It’s natural to care about the opinions of others, but it’s not healthy to stress over them.

This fear is common amongst writers. Even those who are published authors feel nervous about sharing it with others. But they have overcome it by practising how to craft their story. They improved their draft with each revision and rewrite, until they reached the end. It required hard work to produce a novel that they hope will captivate avid readers, and the most rewarding outcomes always come from diligent effort, don’t they? Something worth having takes consistent work. 

Although a novel is the creation of its author, it often benefits from broader influences; a team of experts, a community of peers, and lots of feedback that shaped their creation.

We crave the validation of our peers, but this also has a drawback. It ties our self esteem to their opinions. When our loved ones don’t give us the thumbs-up, it hurts our sense of worth. Writers know this pressure well, but we also have a responsibility to share our stories with others. That’s the ultimate destination for our creation. Why create something new and keep it hidden from other human beings? But the craving for validation often makes new writers hide their work from critical eyes. This is especially devastating to a new writer who has dreams that are not understood or supported by their loved ones.

Why would a fiction writer fear sharing their work with others? 

There are many possible reasons, but one of them is the fear of rejection. Writing fiction is a creative and personal process, and it can be hard to expose your imagination and emotions to the world. You might worry that people will judge you unfairly, criticise your writing or misunderstand you. You might think that your work is not good enough, original enough, or interesting enough. You might feel vulnerable and insecure about your abilities and your identity as a writer. 

These fears are natural and common, but they can also be overcome. Sharing your work with others can be a rewarding and enriching experience, as you can get feedback, support, and inspiration from other writers and readers. You can learn from their perspectives, improve your skills, and discover new possibilities for your stories. 

Connect with other Writers

You may think that other writers are more confident and experienced than you, and that you have nothing to offer them. But this is not true. Many writers face similar challenges and struggles as you do. You have a common passion for creativity and expressing yourself through words. By reaching out to other writers, you can benefit from their support and feedback, as well as offer your own. They can help you overcome your fears and doubts, and inspire you to grow as a writer.  

One way to connect with other writers is to join my online community, where you can share your work and get constructive criticism from peers who understand your journey. It’s a safe and friendly space to learn from each other and improve your writing skills. If you need some support and encouragement to bring out your hidden works, Storytellers Elite is the place for you. You can join our next online group session and participate in lively discussions about writing and see how we can help you achieve your writing goals.

And that deadline creeps ever closer, like an assassin in the night. You feel anxious. Your writing speed is too slow. You worry your writing won’t be good enough, and you spend time fretting about that instead of making progress by getting words on the page. You doubt you can complete your project on time despite your best efforts. Your word count grows in tiny, infinitesimal notches, and your daily writing target swells beyond your capacity. 

You may have been there before. You want to avoid getting there again. But what do you do about it?

• Break down the task into smaller steps. One of the reasons a deadline can be overwhelming is because it makes us think of the task as a whole, as if we have to complete it in one big chunk. This can lead to procrastination, anxiety, and lack of motivation. If something seems like an impossible mountain, maybe we can’t climb it and shouldn’t even try. To avoid this, I like to break down the task into smaller steps that are more manageable and achievable. For example, to write a blog post on a topic, I divide it into steps such as: research the topic, outline the main points, write the introduction, write the body paragraphs, write the conclusion, edit and proofread. Then, I would assign a mini-deadline for each step and focus on one at a time. For a novel, come up with some key scenes that have to be there and write those. They don’t have to be perfect. They are bound to change in the edit. That’s fine. It’s progress not perfection.

• Use tools and resources. I overcome deadline challenges by using tools and resources that can save me time and improve the quality of my writing. I use online and offline resources such as blogs, podcasts, books, and courses to learn new skills and get inspiration for my writing. It’s not cheating to get help.

• Create visual cues as reminders of goals and achievements. I use post-it notes, wall planners and calendars to display my deadlines, milestones and tasks. These help me to keep track of my progress and plan ahead. I like to log how many words I’ve written of my novel so that I can look back and see how far I’ve come, not just how much further I’ve got to go. When the mountain starts looking neverending, look backwards. You’ve come a long way. I also celebrate small steps of success, such as revising a scene I knew wasn’t working or getting feedback that tells me what’s good and suggests exciting improvements. Writing about these moments in a journal can help, so that you can look back later to motivate yourself, boost your confidence and encourage yourself to keep writing. 

How to have more time to write

I don’t have time to exercise. I’m far too busy running the business, taking care of the household stuff, and all the other things in life. I’d like to exercise more, of course. I know it would be good for me and it would help me gain that sylph-like figure I want. I just don’t have time. Life keeps getting in the way. Plus, I’m not naturally athletic. I don’t have what it takes. Genetics and all that.

Yep. Bulls**t.

The real reason I don’t exercise as much as I know I should is because I can’t be arsed. As a result, I’m not going to achieve a goddess physique any time soon.

Making time to write

When you really want something, you will make the time for it. Not One Day – it’ll be Today that writing becomes your priority. You don’t have to commit hours and hours all at once to it. But if you’re new to writing longer pieces, like a novel, you need to find time to hone your skills. It won’t happen overnight, but small bits of time writing all mount up.

When you choose to make writing your priority, I can help. I’ll teach you solid techniques for writing a great story without red-faced bootcamps or quick fixes. Instead, you’ll be motivated to make new writing habits that become part of your busy life.

Together, let’s make those habits easier, quicker, and more fun. I’d love to know about your ideas and support your dreams to write a novel. Get in touch and say hello – it’s the first step to you becoming an author!