#189. Student Spotlight: From First Draft to Published Novel at 72 With Cheryl Arko

Apr 15, 2025

Cheryl Arko, a data scientist and debut author of "The Allegrian Legacy," shares her inspiring journey of publishing her first novel at 72. She discusses overcoming perfectionism and the strategies that finally enabled her to finish her manuscript. Listeners hear about her innovative reverse outlining technique that transformed her writing process, the confidence boost from entering a writing competition, and how evolving her antagonist helped solve long-standing plot issues. Cheryl’s story encourages aspiring writers that it's never too late to chase their dreams.

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ANECDOTE

Writing Contest Boosted Confidence

Cheryl rushed to polish 50 pages for a writing contest deadline within 24 hours.
Despite being unpolished, those pages became a finalist, boosting her confidence.

INSIGHT

Clear Decisions Drive Scenes

Each scene in a story needs a clear-cut decision to drive it forward.
The character's choice shapes what happens next and propels the plot.

ADVICE

Two-Phase Writing Approach

Write your story in two passes: first focus on plot and emotions using simple language.
Then polish word choice and tone in a separate editing pass.

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Discover how a 72-year-old data scientist overcame perfectionism to publish her debut science fiction novel after decades of dreaming about it.

Are you stuck with half-finished manuscripts or endlessly revising the same chapters? Does your story refuse to translate from your imagination to the page the way you envision it?

You're not alone. The very perfectionism that drives you to write can become the biggest obstacle to finishing your novel.

In this episode, Cheryl Arko shares her transformative journey from decades of false starts to published author at 72, revealing the exact strategies that helped her finally complete her science fiction novel after years of struggle.

Tune in to hear:

[14:31] The reverse outlining technique that revealed why Cheryl’s scenes weren't working (and exactly how to fix them)
[17:47] How entering a writing competition boosted her confidence and validated her manuscript's potential (and earned her a finalist spot!)
[20:39] The two-phase writing approach that freed Cheryl from perfectionism paralysis (and helped her make twice the progress in half the time)
[29:35] How developing her antagonist into a more three-dimensional character solved plot problems Cheryl had been stuck on for months
[35:01] The practical reasons Cheryl chose self-publishing at 72 (and how to decide what's right for you based on your timeline and goals)

If you've ever abandoned a manuscript or worried it's too late to realize your writing dreams, this episode proves that with the right approach, you can finally type "The End" on your novel—no matter your age or how long you've been trying.

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