Writing a novel is never a straight path. But what happens when that journey takes 20 years? In this episode, I sit down with Michael Fedor, an award-winning independent author, to talk about the long, winding road to publishing his debut novel, What It Takes to Kill a Bull Moose, a political science fiction thriller with deep themes and sharp commentary.

Michael shares:

✨ How an idea from two decades ago finally became a published book
✨ The highs and lows of drafting, rewriting, and refining a novel over time
✨ How personal life events and evolving perspectives shaped his storytelling
✨ The importance of community, persistence, and finding the right tools to stay motivated
✨ Lessons learned from self-publishing and navigating the indie author world

If you’ve ever struggled with finishing a manuscript or wondered if it’s too late to make your writing dreams a reality, Michael’s story is proof that perseverance pays off.

Episode Breakdown

📌 00:00 – The reality of long-term writing projects
📌 01:11 – Meet Michael Fedor and his writing journey
📌 02:52 – How What It Takes to Kill a Bull Moose came to life
📌 08:29 – Writing political science fiction and balancing genre with message
📌 13:54 – The biggest challenges in writing and rewriting over 20 years
📌 24:00 – How to balance writing with real life (and why it’s okay to take breaks)
📌 26:48 – Michael’s best advice for writers struggling to finish their novel
📌 35:05 – Final thoughts and encouragement for your own writing journey

Writing isn’t just about speed—it’s about sticking with the story that won’t let you go. Whether you're knee-deep in your first draft or revising something you started years ago, this episode will remind you that your book is worth finishing.

Let me know what resonated most with you from Michael’s journey, and as always—keep writing, even when it’s scary. ✨

To connect with Michael, please visit these links:

Substack https://michaelfedorbooks.substack.com/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23296831.Michael_Fedor

Website https://michaelfedorbooks.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/michaelfedorbooks/

Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you.

Support the show

To become a supporter of the show, click here!

To get in touch with Stacy:

Email: [email protected]

https://www.writeitscared.co/wis

https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/

Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:

Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide

Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears