What if perfectionism is the real reason you haven't finished your novel—not lack of talent or time?

"I need to get this right before I move on" keeps aspiring authors stuck forever. But here's what I've discovered... Perfectionism isn't about having high standards. It's about fear. Fear of judgment, failure, or not being "good enough."

In this episode, you'll hear from three reformed perfectionists who broke free from the endless editing trap and finished their novels. Meet Pornika, who delayed starting for months thinking she needed every detail figured out first. Amy, working on her eighth novel but never finishing because she'd spend weeks perfecting each chapter. And Kara, who wrote 100,000 words but got overwhelmed trying to fix its problems.

None of them lowered their standards. Instead, they discovered something far more powerful: how to write messy and make real progress.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• [03:10] How a corporate finance professional went from months of planning paralysis to 114k words in 88 days using the fast drafting technique that changed everything
• [05:15] Why a writer starting her eighth novel finally broke her pattern of endless chapter editing and discovered the foundational skills that put her "in the power seat"
• [06:00] Why understanding theme, genre conventions, and scene structure actually makes writing easier and more enjoyable, not more restrictive
• [07:30] The "magical revisions" technique that lets you keep moving forward without getting bogged down in details you haven't figured out yet
• [09:00] The structural breakthrough that helped one writer transform a problematic 100k-word manuscript into a publishable novel
• [15:00] How to shift from perfectionist paralysis to forward momentum without sacrificing the quality you care about

Ready to stop polishing and start finishing? Join Poornika, Amy, Kara, and hundreds of other reformed perfectionists who've discovered that messy first drafts lead to better novels. 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 my free guide to see how real writers (like you!) pushed past these roadblocks to finish their novels: 5 Writing Roadblocks Keeping You Stuck & How to Break Through
• Poornika Kakkanaiah Instagram
• Ami Blackford Instagram
• Kara Kentley Instagram

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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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