Bonus: From Overwhelmed to Outlining: How 3 Writers Finally Started Their Novels

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

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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 make 2026 the year you finally finish your novel? Notes to Novel is my signature program that walks you through brainstorming, outlining, and writing a first draft that works—so you always know what to do next. Click here to get on the waitlist →

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