Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

#222. 3 Mindset Shifts Every Writer Needs to Finish Their Novel


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Discover the mindset shifts to break out of analysis paralysis, choose progress over perfection, and build your novel layer by layer until it's complete.

Feeling stuck writing your novel? You're not alone. Most writers think they're struggling because they don't have enough time, talent, or discipline. But more often than not, the real issue is actually mindset. In fact, it's the root cause of stuckness: rewriting the same chapters, second-guessing every decision, or trying to fix everything at once.

In this episode, I’m sharing three mindset shifts that'll ease the pressure you're putting on yourself, help you get clarity on your draft, and write forward instead of sideways.

You will hear me talk about things like:

[03:15] Why getting stuck on the first few chapters is more about how you're thinking than how you're writing, and what to pay attention to instead.

[06:45] How preparing, planning, and researching can quietly stall your first draft, and the moment you know it's time to switch into writing mode.

[12:05] The reason drafting feels overwhelming when you try to fix everything at once, and the reframe that makes finishing your story feel doable.

If you've been feeling pressure to get everything right before you can move forward, these shifts will help you see your draft in a much clearer and more manageable way. 

Your story doesn’t need perfection to grow; it's allowed to be messy while you figure things out.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

  • Get on the Notes to Novel waitlist!
  • Take The Author Success Blueprint Quiz 
  • 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!

Ready to make 2026 the year you finally finish your novel? Notes to Novel is my signature program that walks you through brainstorming, outlining, and writing a first draft that works—so you always know what to do next. Click here to get on the waitlist →

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Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing TipsBy Savannah Gilbo

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