S3: BTS of Book 8: First Draft Fun and Games

Ever wondered what the real, unfiltered journey of writing a book looks like—even for an experienced author? In this episode, I pull back the curtain on my recent six-month first draft process, revealing the ups, downs, and unexpected lessons learned while rediscovering my love for writing. Discover why I made the difficult decision to pivot from my cozy crime novel to non-fiction after nine months of creative burnout Find out how this impatient Annie learned to embrace a slower, six-month writing process  Get a behind-the-scenes look at my exact editing process—from first draft to editor-ready manuscript Learn my strategy for handling research without falling down endless rabbit holes during a first draft Hear the truth about why sometimes even experienced authors need to break their own rules (and when you absolutely shouldn't) Whether you're struggling with your first draft or preparing to send your manuscript to an editor, this episode offers reassurance that the creative journey is rarely linear. Your first draft is just a starting point—trust the process, be kind to yourself, and keep going!I hope you enjoy listening.Further resources from me Episode with Jessica Brown (editor) is here Sign up for the FREE Write Stuff newsletter here. Book Strategy Hour - all info and link to book is here Happy Writers Hub - The Happy Writers Hub - all info and link to join is here My book, ‘Dare to Write: How to Write a Nonfiction Book to Grow Your Business,’ is available now on Amazon and on my website. Connect with Steph:Website: https://stephcaswell.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephcaswellauthor/?hl=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephcaswell/If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review on your favourite podcast platform!