Ep 164: Why Your Manuscript Stalls (and What Actually Helps)

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!If your book has been sitting in a half-finished state for longer than you'd like to admit, this episode is for you. I'm in the middle of writing my seventh book — my first real attempt at fiction — and I'm not even going to pretend it's going smoothly. In this episode, I talk about what keeps stalling the manuscript, what finally got me moving again, and what happened when I locked herself in a hotel room for a weekend to try to power through it (the pool situation was a distraction I did not anticipate).This episode covers the writing retreat reality check. In other words:why booking the coziest hotel might actually work against youwhy having even a loose plan beats having nonewhat it means to "zoom out" and add anchors to your story instead of obsessing over any one scene or chapterI also talk about working with my critique partners (Neely Tubati Alexander and Ann Garvin), why their blunt feedback on a certain Ferris wheel scene was exactly what I needed, and how being too close to your own work is just an unavoidable part of the process.Whether you're writing memoir, nonfiction, or fiction, and whether you've been at it for three months or three years, stalling is not failure. It's writing. And this episode is a reminder that literally every author goes through it.🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINTGet back cover templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint WONDERING EXACTLY HOW TO SELF-PUBLISH SO YOU CAN STOP GUESSING?Grab the action plan and finally feel confident you’re doing this the right way.👉 PublishAProfitableBook.com/actionplan ✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMPYou've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebookSupport the show******Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry.  Available wherever podcasts are available: Apple PodcastsSpotify YouTube Let's Connect! InstagramWebsite Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] comThe podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth