Discover how three Notes to Novel™ students stopped guessing their way through drafting and built steady, sustainable momentum toward a finished first draft.

In this short bonus episode, I'm sharing three real case studies from past Notes to Novel students who were all stuck in different ways but wanted the same thing: to finish their first draft. 

You’ll hear how each writer went from stalled, inconsistent drafting to steady momentum once they stopped overthinking and started working with a clear story structure and scene-level direction. 

These aren't theories or abstract tips. They're real examples of what changes when writers have a proven process that they can trust.

Here’s what we cover:

[03:56] How Lindsay went from 25,000 words in six months to a 100,000-word draft after finding the missing piece that finally made her story flow.

[08:47] Why Alison kept putting finished drafts in a drawer, and the realization that finally explained why her scenes weren't working.

[10:40] How Sharon, a first-time novelist, set a realistic goal of 6,000 words per week and finished her entire first draft two days ahead of schedule, stress-free. 

[13:18] The drafting strategy that keeps you moving forward with confidence instead of second-guessing every scene you write

Ready to stop stalling and start finishing? Join Lindsay, Alison, Sharon, and hundreds of other writers who've discovered that drafting doesn't have to feel like a slog. You just need the right roadmap. 

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. Doors open January 22nd—don't miss your chance to turn your ideas into a finished draft you're proud of.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Get on the Notes To Novel Waitlist

⭐ 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

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If you've been working on your novel for months—or even years—without making real progress, this episode will help you understand why.

Maybe you've started multiple books but never finished one. Maybe you sit down to write and have no idea what to work on. Or maybe you keep rewriting the same chapters over and over, hoping clarity will finally come.

Here's what I want you to know: this isn't a talent problem or a motivation problem. It's a process problem—and process problems are fixable.

In this episode, I'm walking you through five signs your writing process is broken, what's really causing all of them, and the one fix that will help you finish your novel.

This is what I talk about:

[02:13] Why you keep abandoning novels around the 20-30k word mark—and what's really happening when a new idea feels easier than finishing your current draft.

[04:30] The real reason you sit down to write and don't know what to work on, even when you've protected the time and eliminated distractions.

[06:53] How perfectionism disguises itself as productivity—and why rewriting the same chapters keeps you stuck instead of moving your draft forward.

[10:24] The difference between having a story idea and having a story that can support a full-length novel (hint: it comes down to knowing your ending).

[12:39] The one root cause behind all five signs—and how building a solid story foundation before you draft changes everything.

If you recognized yourself in any of these signs, stop blaming yourself and start looking at your foundation. The fix isn't more willpower or a better story idea—it's building a solid foundation before you draft.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Get on the Notes to Novel waitlist

⭐ 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

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Learn how a self-proclaimed perfectionist wrote a 114,000-word first draft in just 88 days—while working full-time and without finding more hours in the day.

Poornika didn't have endless hours to write. She had two hours a night after work, some longer weekend sessions, and a chronic illness that sometimes forced her to step away completely. And yet, she finished her novel in 88 days—and went on to sign with her dream agent.

In today's episode, I'm sitting down with Poornika Kakkanaiah, a former Notes to Novel student, to talk about what made that kind of progress possible. Spoiler: it wasn't discipline or motivation. It was having a clear roadmap that eliminated decision fatigue and made every writing session count.

Poornika shares how she broke free from months of research paralysis, the outlining approach that gave her a scene-by-scene outline she trusted, and why setting a cut-bait date changed everything.

If you've ever felt like your day job makes finishing a novel impossible, this conversation will show you otherwise.

Here's what we cover:

[07:51] Why combining multiple plotting methods created confusion instead of clarity, and what she did instead

[10:45] How Poornika built a scene-by-scene outline she trusted—and the cut-bait date that forced her to start drafting

[11:27] The three strategies that made it possible to write 114,000 words in 88 days while working full-time

[37:50] What it was like to get "the call"—and why signing with her dream agent felt like everything finally clicking into place

[40:06] The truth about getting multiple offers of representation (and why one great fit is all you need)

If you're craving proof that it's possible to write a novel alongside a demanding job and real-life challenges, Poornika's story will show you exactly what that can look like.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Poornika Kakkanaiah on TikTok
• Poornika Kakkanaiah on Instagram
• Get on the Notes To Novel Waitlist 

⭐ 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

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If you've been trying to write a novel with a full-time job, family, and everything else life throws at you, this episode is for you.

Maybe you squeeze writing into nights or weekends. You may start strong, then lose momentum when things don't go as planned. Or perhaps you keep telling yourself you’ll take your writing seriously when you have more time.

In this episode, I’m sharing five practical shifts to prioritize your novel and start making steady progress, even when your time is limited and unpredictable. 

These shifts help you simplify your writing process, reduce decision fatigue, and use the time you already have more effectively, so your draft keeps moving forward instead of wobbling every time life gets busy.

You’ll hear me talk about things like:

[02:40] Why jumping between plotting methods can quietly stall your draft, and what really helps move the needle. 

[04:30] How indecision eats up your writing time before you even start, and what to clarify before you sit down to write.

[06:33] The mistake most busy writers make when setting goals, and how to choose targets that actually fit your real life

[08:44] How to spot hidden pockets of writing time and why you need to protect them before your brain talks you out of it.

[10:50] Why isolation kills momentum, and how the right support system keeps you writing when motivation disappears.

[13:01] BONUS: Two real examples of busy writers who used the same approach, finished their drafts, and signed with agents.

And so much more…

You can finish your novel with a full, busy life. The time is already there. You just need a better plan. Listen in, choose one tip to try this week, and keep your first draft moving forward without waiting for perfect conditions.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Sign up for the Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp
• Get on the Notes to Novel Waitlist

⭐ 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

The best writing advice sticks because it changes how you approach the page. In this special year-end episode, I’m counting down the top 10 most impactful writing tips from Fiction Writing Made Easy in 2025, pulled from this year's most listened-to episodes.

These are the lessons writers kept coming back to. The ones that helped them stop second-guessing, get unstuck in the middle, and finally make real progress on their drafts. 

In the episode, you’ll hear me talk about things like:

[07:30] Why perfectionism during drafting slows everything down, and what to do instead so you can keep moving forward.

[15:30] Why learning to write strong, focused scenes first makes plot structure clearer and helps your novel come together faster.

[18:30] How narrative drive works, why disconnected scenes stall your story, and the simple fix that creates clear cause-and-effect momentum.

[28:00] The real reason writers struggle to finish, and why process matters just as much as craft and mindset.

[31:00] Why following one complete writing method beats trying to combine multiple approaches, and how too much advice creates paralysis.

And so much more…

So grab your notebook, settle in, and let’s celebrate the writing advice that helped so many writers move closer to finishing their novel in 2025.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Click here to view the episode page with all the links.
• Get on the Notes to Novel waitlist!

⭐ 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Learn how a busy parent finished a novel by following a clear roadmap that made it possible to pause, return, and keep moving forward.

Between raising four kids, navigating pregnancy and newborn life, and juggling everything that comes with being a busy parent, Madi didn't exactly have ideal writing conditions. And yet, she finished her novel.

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Madi, a former Notes to Novel student, to talk about what it actually looked like to write a book in the middle of real life. She didn’t have unlimited time or perfect routines. What she had was a clear plan, realistic expectations, and a way to keep moving forward even when progress felt slow.

Madi shares the mindset shifts that helped her stop waiting for the right time, how outlining gave her momentum instead of boxing her in, and why having a process made it possible to pause without quitting when life demanded her attention.

If you’ve ever wanted to write and finish your novel but feel too busy right now, this conversation is for you.

Here’s what we cover:

[05:15] The mindset shift that helped Madi stop treating her novel like a hobby and start making real progress toward a finished draft

[09:00] How outlining gave Madi clarity and confidence without killing creativity or locking her into a rigid plot structure

[07:15] What writing a novel looked like during pregnancy, newborn life, and four kids—plus the simple routine that kept her moving forward

[14:50] The step-by-step editing process that turned Madi's first draft into a contest finalist manuscript without burnout

[24:15] How Madi went from querying literary agents to landing her dream agent at a top Christian Fiction agency

If you're craving proof that it's possible to write a novel alongside a full, busy life, Madi's story will show you exactly what that can look like.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Madi Unruh Instagram 
• Get on the Notes To Novel Waitlist 

⭐ 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

What if the reason you haven't started writing your novel has nothing to do with how much you know?

“I’m not ready yet” is one of the most common things I hear from writers. And on the surface, it makes sense. You want to feel prepared before starting something as big as writing a novel.

But not feeling ready usually has very little to do with knowledge. More often, the root cause is a lack of clarity. 

In this bonus episode, I’m sharing stories from three writers who spent months, and even years, stuck at the starting line because they didn't know how to move from idea to writing. 

You’ll hear about Tiara, who loved writing short stories but froze when she tried to write a novel. Jennifer, who dreamed about her YA fantasy for years but felt she needed more credentials before she could begin. And Sheila, a doctor and teacher who had read the books, taken the courses, and still couldn't put it all together.

None of them suddenly became more qualified. What changed was their process.

In this episode, you'll learn:

[04:00] How a short story writer overcame her fear of full-length novel projects by shifting her mindset around perfectionism and learning to trust a step-by-step approach.

[06:15] Why one aspiring author spent years frozen at chapter one and how a simple scene-by-scene roadmap helped her go from stuck to a complete first draft in just 90 days.

[08:30] How one writer learned to use genre to map out her story’s key scenes—and why this finally made everything click for her after bouncing between over-planning and under-planning for years.

If you’ve been telling yourself you're not ready, this episode will help you rethink that.

And if you want a clear, step-by-step path to help you finally start and finish your novel, you can get on the waitlist for the next round of Notes to Novel. Doors open January 22.

Your story doesn't need more prep work. It needs one clear direction. And I'll help you do that.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Get on the Notes to Novel waitlist
• Tiara Ito on Instagram
• Sheila Holmes on Instagram

⭐ 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Unlock the clarity you need to write smoothly, avoid constant restarts, and finish a stronger first draft in less time.

If you've ever tried to draft quickly and ended up with pages that feel unsalvageable, this episode will help you understand why that happens and what to do instead. 

You'll learn what makes fast drafting possible, how clarity speeds up your process, and why a little prep work often saves months of rewriting. You'll also hear how my writing students used this approach to finish their drafts with a lot less overwhelm. 

This is what I talk about:

[02:25] Why following common first-draft advice leads to writing that feels impossible to fix, and how this one shift saves months of frustration.

[03:50] The deeper reason you feel slow and stuck while drafting, even when you're writing regularly, and why fixing it builds intentional forward momentum.

[06:45] The story foundations most writers skip and how having them in place keeps you from second-guessing or rewriting the same chapters.

[08:50] How a simple, flexible roadmap gives you clarity, confidence, and momentum so you stop wandering through your first draft and start moving forward.

[09:25] What writing feels like when you’re no longer guessing and how this clarity helps you finish a stronger first draft.

Fast and good don't have to compete. With the proper prep work, you can draft briskly and end up with a story that works from beginning to end.

🔗 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Discover why “I’m not ready yet” is a fear-driven mindset and learn how to take small, confident steps that move your novel forward.

So many writers get trapped in the feeling that they need more time, more research, or more clarity before they can truly start their first draft. And on the surface, that sounds reasonable. But most of the time, “I’m not ready yet” is a sign that you're scared to make the wrong choice, afraid to write something imperfect, or petrified you won't live up to your idea.

In today’s episode, I want to help you understand what's really underneath the “I’m not ready” feeling, how to recognize when planning has quietly turned into procrastination, and how small, low-pressure experiments can help you build momentum right now. My goal is to help you shift out of waiting mode and into action so your story can finally start taking shape.

This is what I talk about:

[02:30] The hidden fear driving “I'm not ready yet” and why it shows up for even the most motivated writers.

[03:15] How research becomes a safety blanket, and the mindset shift that moves you from learner to creator.

[04:45] The real reason clarity doesn’t arrive before you start writing and how drafting gives you the answers you’re looking for.

[07:45] Simple “safe to fail” experiments that lower the stakes and help you build confidence on the page

[09:35] How to tell whether you actually need more foundation work or you're using prep to avoid making decisions.

You don't need to feel ready to start writing your novel. You just need permission to begin, and that confidence can come from you today. Tune in and take the very first step toward finishing your first draft.

🔗 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Discover five practical line editing strategies that sharpen your prose, strengthen emotional clarity, and make each sentence more purposeful on the page.

Line editing can feel intimidating, especially if you're not sure where to begin or how to make meaningful improvements at the sentence level. And if you've ever tried refining lines before your scenes are clear and working, you know how frustrating the process can be.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by three brilliant book coaches and editors: Karyn Fischer, Alice Sudlow, and Julie Artz, who work with writers every day to help them strengthen their line-level craft. Along with their best tips, I’m also sharing two of my own favorite strategies so you can approach line editing without feeling overwhelmed or unsure of where to start.

Here's what we talk about: 

[03:00] Learn how dynamic verbs instantly energize your prose and why swapping out static wording is one of the fastest line editing wins.

[07:14] See how a simple clarity–flow–refinement order keeps your line edits focused and prevents the overwhelm that stops many writers in revision.

[11:40] Learn why understanding the true purpose of your scenes helps you make clearer sentence-level decisions.

[15:41] Explore how short, long, and mixed-length sentences shape pacing, emotion, and rhythm so your prose feels intentional instead of flat or repetitive.

[19:28] Five practical line editing tools, from reading aloud to spotting junk words, that help you tighten and strengthen your manuscript.

Whether you're revising a first draft or doing late-stage editing, these five tips will help you make intentional, powerful choices on every page.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Karyn Fischer Website
• Alice Sudlow Website
• Julie Artz Website

⭐ 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 stop overthinking and start writing? Join my LIVE 3-Day Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp, and you'll walk away with a realistic finish date, clarity on your story's deeper purpose, and a logline that proves your idea works. Click here to save your spot for just $27!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.