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In this episode of the Resilient Writers Radio Show, we dive deep into one of the most common struggles writers face: the feeling that their book is taking forever to complete. If you've ever caught yourself thinking "I'm too slow" or "this book will never be finished," this episode is for you.

The Story We Tell Ourselves

About 80% of the time, the feeling that our writing is "too slow" is simply a story we tell ourselves. This unhelpful narrative often stems from comparing ourselves to other writers, particularly indie romance or cozy mystery authors who publish multiple books per year. 

But here's the truth: it's not about the most words—it's about the right words for your project.

Why Books Take Time

Writing a book is fundamentally about becoming the writer you need to be to finish that particular book. Sometimes this transformation requires more time for deep thinking and problem-solving. 

As Alice Munro famously said, some of her best writing happened while staring out her kitchen window—the thinking process is just as valuable as the actual typing.

The Perfectionism Trap

Many writers slow themselves down by trying to perfect each scene before moving on. This approach ignores a fundamental truth: revision is a necessary part of the creative process. 

Your brain literally cannot hold all the elements needed for a perfect scene simultaneously—there are simply too many craft elements to juggle at once.

Attempting to write perfect first drafts is not only impossible but counterproductive. You cannot create work that makes you immune to criticism or judgment. 

Art is subjective—just look at the one-star reviews for Ernest Hemingway on Amazon. The goal isn't perfection; it's creating the best work you can right now.

The Two-Brain Problem

Your creative brain (which gets the draft down) and your editorial brain (which scans for mistakes) work differently. Trying to use both simultaneously is the slowest possible way to write a book. 

As Sir Terry Pratchett (RIP) said, "The first draft is just you telling yourself the story."

Practical Solutions

When progress genuinely feels slow, the only practical solution is more consistent time with your book. Books are built through consistency—20 minutes here, an hour there, paragraph by paragraph, scene by scene.

Consider these strategies:

• Increase your writing frequency from twice to three or four times per week
• Schedule writing retreats or long weekend sessions
• Use small pockets of time throughout your day
• Take temporary breaks from volunteering commitments
• Write during lunch breaks or before the household wakes up

Embracing Your Writing Pace

Every writer is different. Some produce 1,200 words in 45 minutes, others write 250 words in the same time—and both are perfectly valid. The key is learning to accept the writer you are rather than suffering because you think you should be different.

Remember: you are an artist whose medium is words, and art takes time. That's not just okay—it's necessary.

Resources mentioned: DIY Writing Retreat Guide 

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Welcome back to The Resilient Writers Radio Show! In this solo episode, Rhonda tackles a sneaky form of procrastination that plagues so many writers—what she calls “procraftination.”

You know the feeling. You sit down to write that tricky third scene in Act Two… and suddenly you need to read just one more writing craft book. 

Or register for a new workshop. Or spend two hours researching the Victorian medical tools your character might use—even though that detail doesn’t show up for three more chapters.

Sound familiar?

Rhonda dives into why this kind of procrastination feels productive (because hey, it’s writing-adjacent!), but actually gets in the way of finishing your draft. 

She shares her love for craft books, research rabbit holes, and workshops—but also offers a crucial mindset shift: these tools are powerful when used in the right phase of the writing process.

Inside the episode, you'll learn:

• Why we often turn to writing education instead of writing the next scene
  
  
• How to recognize when you're avoiding your draft in disguise
  
  
• The best times to read craft books or take workshops (hint: not mid-draft!)
  
  
• Rhonda’s “square bracket method” for handling research without interrupting your creative flow
  
  
• Why fast-drafting your book—without trying to perfect every line—is so essential to long-term success

Rhonda also unpacks how fear, self-doubt, and “this book might be mediocre” thinking can trick us into busywork that feels safe. 

She shares how becoming a conscious observer of your own creative process can help you spot the difference between genuine growth and sneaky procrastination.

💬 One key truth from the episode:
 All good books aren’t written—they’re rewritten.

This liberating mindset shift can help you finally give yourself permission to write a messy first draft and save the polish for later. Because you can’t revise what you haven’t finished.

Whether you’re tempted to re-read Save the Cat one more time or you’re lost in 19th-century historical medical texts (true story), this episode is your gentle but firm reminder:
📣 It’s time to finish the damn draft.

🎧 Listen now and get clear on how to make progress that actually moves your book forward:

Resources Mentioned:

• Rhonda’s Book Finishers Bootcamp (returning in September!)
  
  
• Rhonda’s 12-Step Revision Process (taught inside First Book Finish)
  
  
• Craft books and workshops: when to use them, and when to pause
  
  
  

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In this solo episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, Rhonda dives into one of the most common struggles writers face—imposter syndrome. 

If you’ve ever heard that insidious voice whisper, “Who do you think you are?” or “Your writing isn’t good enough,” this episode is your reminder that you’re not alone—and that voice is lying.

Drawing on thousands of weekly check-ins from writers inside her First Book Finish program, Rhonda unpacks why imposter syndrome shows up (especially for those working on their first book), and how to move through it without letting it derail your progress.

Rhonda shares personal stories and writing truths, including:

• Why even published and award-winning writers still struggle with imposter syndrome
  
  
• How our brains look for “proof” that we can’t do something when we’re learning new skills
  
  
• The dangerous myth of a “magical moment” when you’ll finally feel good enough to write

She also explores how our culture reinforces the idea that you’re not a “real writer” until you’ve published something big, and how that messaging gets internalized—especially if you haven’t yet finished your first book.

But here’s the heart of the message: Writing is a skill you can learn. 

Just like you once learned to cook, lift weights, or drive a car, you can also learn how to write compelling dialogue, structure scenes, or move your story across timelines.

Rhonda encourages writers to trade perfectionism for progress, and comparison for compassion. She offers a powerful mantra that has helped her and many of her students silence that inner critic:

📝 “I’m always learning and growing as a writer.”

It’s a reminder that we don’t become great writers overnight—and even our future selves will look back and see how much we’ve grown. This kind of growth is not only normal, it’s necessary. It's also deeply human.

She shares how even after publishing books and winning awards, she still edits and improves her past work when she reads from it. Why? Because growth is ongoing. And that's a beautiful part of the creative process.

Whether you’re just starting your first draft or revising your fifth, this episode will reassure you that you're not an imposter—you’re a writer in progress, and that’s exactly where you're supposed to be.

🎧 Tune in now to reframe your mindset and take your next step with more confidence.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Rhonda’s upcoming Book Finishers Bootcamp (11-17 September)
  
  
• Workshops from Jane Friedman and Writer’s Digest
  
  
• The mantra: “I’m always learning and growing as a writer.”
  
  
  

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Welcome back to The Resilient Writers Radio Show! In this solo episode, Rhonda dives into two of the most common struggles writers face: finding the time and the focus to write consistently—especially during emotionally and politically challenging times.

She shares how global events and personal overwhelm can lead to creative paralysis, making it feel almost impossible to stay on track with writing goals. 

But rather than waiting for the perfect time or long, uninterrupted hours, Rhonda encourages a more compassionate and strategic approach to fitting writing into your life as it is right now.

Drawing from her own experience and her work with writers inside her First Book Finish program, Rhonda introduces the concept of scheduling both “long time” (30–45 minute sessions) and “short time” (those unexpected 10–20 minute pockets throughout your day) to make real progress on your book. 

She also explains why binge-writing on weekends often leads to long stretches of inactivity—and how consistency, not intensity, is the key to getting your draft done.

You'll learn how to shift your mindset by planning your week as a writer first—before all the other roles and responsibilities take over. 

Rhonda walks through her Sunday planning ritual and encourages listeners to do the same using her free resource, The Writer’s Weekly Planner, which helps you carve out writing time with intention.

She also shares how having a “mobile writing kit” (la tote bag stocked with notebooks, prompts, and pens) allows you to take advantage of unexpected downtime. Even just 15–20 minutes can be enough to outline a scene, sketch character backstory, or brainstorm story ideas.

The episode wraps with a powerful reminder: no one is going to hand you leftover time to write—you have to claim it. 

Rhonda emphasizes that writing just 2–3 times a week can be enough to finish a book, and that when you put your creative life first, everything else tends to flow more easily.

If you’re struggling to focus, Rhonda also recommends checking out her Focused Writer Workshop, which breaks down the science of focus and helps you create a writing ritual that actually works with your brain, not against it.

📌 Resources Mentioned:

• Writer’s Weekly Planner – FREE Resource
• The Focused Writer Workshop

DM Rhonda on Instagram: @resilientwriters

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If you’ve been toying with the idea of writing a memoir — or you’re knee-deep in draft pages wondering what now? — you’re going to love this conversation with memoir coach and author Wendy Dale.

Wendy’s the author of Avoiding Prison and Other Noble Vacation Goals and the creator of The Memoir Engineering System, a structured seven-step process for turning your life stories into page-turning memoirs. 

She’s also been a memoir coach for 17 years and has read more than a thousand memoirs along the way — so when she says she’s seen it all, she means it.

We kicked off our chat with the age-old memoir question: what stays in and what gets cut? Wendy shares that the biggest mistake new memoirists make is treating their book like an autobiography — including everything — rather than crafting a story with a clear premise. 

Whether you’re writing about a time in your life, a specific relationship, or a transformational journey, you need to know what your memoir is about before you start writing.

And then comes the kicker: structure. Wendy opens up about how her first memoir attempt got a big fat “no” from agents because — as one of them told her — she had no idea how structure worked. That rejection became the catalyst for developing her Memoir Engineering System. 

According to Wendy, structure is the foundation of a memoir — just like a well-built house. Readers might not notice it when it’s working, but if your structure’s missing? No one’s sticking around to admire your prose.

We also talked about plot, and how “what actually happened” isn’t the same as a compelling story. Memoirists need to shape their real-life events into a sequence that builds tension and invites readers to turn the page. 

That includes identifying the conflict at the heart of your book — what Wendy calls the “narrative want” — and writing scenes where something happens, even if it’s just an emotional realization.

Wendy also offers some brilliant insight into the power of subjective writing — how your thoughts, reflections, and unique perspective are what breathe emotion into your scenes and allow readers to truly feel your story.

We even tackled the tricky question of whether you can write part of a memoir in third person. Wendy’s take? It’s risky and rarely works well — unless you’re a phenomenal writer and handle it with nuance and restraint.

If you’re working on a memoir — or have a dusty manuscript sitting in a drawer — you’ll want to check out Wendy’s free video series at freememoirclass.com, and of course, grab a copy of The Memoir Engineering System.

This episode is full of insight, warmth, and practical tools to help you move from messy draft to compelling memoir. Don’t miss it!

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Hey there, Writer—welcome back to The Resilient Writers Radio Show!

In this episode, we’re diving into the world of short fiction with the wonderful Pamela Gwyn Kripke. If you’ve ever been curious about writing short stories, how to build a collection, or what publishing with a small press actually looks like—this conversation is for you.

Pamela is an award-winning writer with bylines in The New York Times, Elle, Seventeen, Newsweek and more. Her debut novel At The Seams was published by Open Books in 2023 and her brand-new short story collection And Then You Apply Ice is also out now. (Yes, you can find links to both in the show notes!)

She joined me to chat about how she moved from journalism and essays into short fiction—something she only began exploring about four years ago. She found that many of her essays had a narrative quality to them, and that natural storytelling instinct drew her into writing fiction. She leaned into the short form during the pandemic and quickly found a rhythm that worked for her. 

Pamela shares how she pulled together her stories by focusing on recurring themes—especially around the idea of transgression—and how some of the characters appear across stories at different points in their lives.

We also talked about her decision to publish with a small press and what that process actually looked like. (Spoiler: she sent queries to about 25 publishers!) Her approach was smart and strategic—targeting presses that aligned with her voice and genre. 

Pamela also pitched both her novel and story collection at the same time and found a supportive home with Open Books. She opens up about the differences between traditional publishing and her long-time experience freelancing for magazines, and the pros and cons of working with a smaller press—including the realities of doing your own book publicity.

You’ll love Pamela’s grounded and generous wisdom about the writing life. She talks about her daily writing routine (dog walks included!), how she transitions between essays, journalism, and fiction, and how being a working writer has taught her not to wait for the muse—but to get in the chair and do the work.

And of course, I had to ask her what it means to be a resilient writer. Her answer was beautiful—it's about maintaining emotional equilibrium and trusting that you’ve done your best, no matter the outcome.

This episode is packed with insight, inspiration, and encouragement—especially if you’re navigating the ups and downs of publishing or wondering where short stories might fit into your own creative path.

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Hey there, Writer—this week on The Resilient Writers Radio Show, we’re diving into something so many of us wrestle with: how to get that first draft down… faster. And more importantly—without all the agony.

I’m joined by Daphne Gray-Grant, who brings a lifetime of experience to the writing process. She grew up in her family’s newspaper business, later worked as a senior editor at The Vancouver Sun, and somewhere in the middle of all that, gave birth to triplets! If anyone understands writing under pressure, it’s Daphne.

In this episode, Daphne shares how she went from struggling with writer’s block to developing powerful tools to help writers draft more quickly and confidently. One of the biggest shifts she teaches? Start small. Like, five-minutes-a-day small. 

We also talk about the deep psychology behind why writing feels so hard sometimes—especially for those of us who love editing more than drafting (hi, I see you!). Daphne explains why school doesn’t prepare us for the emotional challenges of writing and offers simple, mindset-shifting strategies to help you work with your brain, not against it.

One of her favorite tricks is ending your writing session with a few quick notes for tomorrow—so when you return to the page, you’re not wasting time wondering what comes next. That little shift can make a huge difference.

We also had a great chat about mind mapping, which Daphne has adapted into an incredible tool for writers. Instead of just putting a topic in the center of the page, she suggests starting with a question. This sparks creativity and helps you move past the blocks that outlining often creates. I’ve used this myself in my poetry, and let me tell you—it works wonders.

This conversation is packed with practical advice that’s gentle, doable, and grounded in real-life writing experience. If you’re someone who wants to finish that draft but keeps getting stuck, I think you’ll find a lot of relief—and inspiration—here.

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Well hey there, Writer—and welcome to another cozy conversation on The Resilient Writers Radio Show! 

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with speculative fiction author M.T. Solomon, and let me tell you—this one’s for you if you’ve ever wondered how to balance real life with writing big, bold stories.

M.T. grew up in Alaska, and the vast, rugged wilderness she called home now infuses the lyrical, emotionally resonant stories she writes. She’s been creating stories since she was six (including hand-stitched books at age 11—how adorable is that?) but it wasn’t until after college and becoming a mom that she fully embraced her dream of publishing novels. 

We talk about her journey from self-publishing her first novel, All the Fragile Hearts, to continuing the duology with Whispers in the Dark, and how she ultimately found her way to traditional publishing with Liar Queen—a lush, politically charged fantasy series released through Golden Scales Publishing. 

M.T. shares how empowering it was to have a team behind her this time, supporting everything from editing to cover design. But she’s also refreshingly honest about what it took to self-publish—yes, including marketing her own books and even flying out of Alaska to sell them in-person at events.

We also dig into her approach to world-building—hint: it involves lots of people-watching, note-taking, and a fully developed story bible. If you’re writing speculative fiction and struggling with how to build a believable world, you’ll love M.T.’s practical and creative insights.

Of course, we couldn’t let the conversation go by without talking about how she gets the writing done—because M.T. is a mom, a partner, and a coach. From early-morning writing sessions to squeezing in time in the school pickup line, she shares how she carves out time and energy for her work. She’s refreshingly real about what it takes to prioritize writing without losing yourself in the process.

Whether you’re working on your first novel, wondering about the self-pub vs. traditional debate, or trying to write your book in the chaos of daily life—this episode is full of heart, encouragement, and grounded advice.

Grab your tea (or coffee!) and come join us. You’ll leave inspired to keep going, one messy, magical page at a time.

P.S. Here's some great news! The Resilient Writers Radio Show is featured as one of the Top 90 Book Podcasts on the web. You can find the list here.

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Hey there, Writer—welcome back to another episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show! Today, I’m chatting with author Terra Luft, a speculative fiction writer whose imagination leans toward the dark, twisty, and psychologically thrilling. 

Terra’s been writing since 2008 and just released her first solo short story collection, Nightmares of My Own. If you’ve ever wrestled with perfectionism, felt like your writing life doesn’t look “ideal,” or wondered if your small pockets of time could actually move your book forward—this episode is for you.

Terra opens up about her journey from isolated kitchen writing sessions to finding her footing in the writing community—and why that community was the game-changer that kept her going. 

For over a decade, she’s published short stories in various anthologies, always dreaming of someday putting together a collection of her own. That dream became real in December 2024, and in this episode, she takes us behind the scenes of how it happened.

We talk about why short stories became her chosen form—spoiler: instant gratification plays a big role! Terra shares how writing short fiction allowed her to sharpen her craft in the midst of a demanding life, including full-time work in healthcare IT, going back to school, and raising a family. 

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is when Terra shares how attending my Book Finishers Bootcamp shifted everything for her. She let go of the idea that she needed perfect conditions to write and leaned into consistent, realistic goals. She started writing on weekends while camping with her family—yes, literally around the campfire in a folding chair—and that’s how her book got finished.

Terra also walks us through her first foray into self-publishing, with all its surprises, challenges, and lessons learned. From choosing the perfect cover design to figuring out proofreading order (hint: it’s trickier than it seems!), Terra’s honest insights will resonate with anyone considering self-publishing. 

She shares how she curated the stories in her collection—crafting a reading journey from sci-fi to psychological horror to paranormal—and how discovering the unifying theme of “nightmares” helped her land on the perfect title.

We also talk about what she’s working on now: revising her favorite novel, with a goal of two writing sessions a week and 3,000 words. I loved hearing how the skills and confidence she built through short fiction and bootcamp are now fueling her longer work.

So if you’re wondering whether it’s “too late,” or if you have “enough time,” or if your first book needs to be perfect...this episode will remind you that the real magic is in starting anyway.

You can grab Nightmare

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In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with the thoughtful and talented Canadian author, Rebecca Morris. 

Rebecca’s debut novel, Other Maps, was published in 2024 with Linda Leith Publishing, and it’s a powerful exploration of friendship, trauma, healing—and the quiet resilience that carries us through. 

In this conversation, we dive into her creative process, the emotional weight of writing about difficult topics, and how she supports other writers through their own journeys.

Rebecca began her writing life with the big dream of crafting a novel, but quickly found herself leaning into short fiction to learn the craft and get those satisfying wins of finishing and publishing smaller pieces. That experience gave her the structure and confidence she needed to return to the long-form project that became Other Maps. 

Originally told from the perspective of one character, the story evolved into a dual point-of-view narrative when Rebecca realized the emotional depth and importance of her second character’s voice. The final novel alternates chapters between two women navigating past trauma and present reconnection—a structure she carefully mapped out with color-coded Post-It notes!

We also explored the challenges of writing trauma with care. Other Maps is a “Me Too” novel, and Rebecca spoke with such grace and honesty about the responsibility of holding emotional truth in fiction. 

She emphasized the importance of taking breaks, checking in with yourself, and doing research to ensure that you’re treating sensitive material with both realism and deep respect. Even in fiction, readers bring their real-life experiences to the page—and that connection is powerful.

One of my favorite parts of this chat? Talking about writing routines and how to stay focused in a noisy world. Rebecca is a big fan of analog tools (me too!), like egg timers and sand hourglasses, to carve out intentional writing time without the distraction of her phone. She starts her days with freewriting to clear her head, and aims to protect her most creative hours in the early morning—something so many of us can relate to.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.