Guests on the podcast share valuable insights on finishing a first draft by understanding genre frameworks, battling writer's block, using the 'show, don't tell' writing advice, and testing ideas before writing. They also discuss the importance of having a writing community and embracing the outlining process.

Stefanie Medrek, author of the romantic suspense novel "Into the Fire," shares her bold decision to leave her agent and embrace self-publishing. She discusses the thrill and challenges of maintaining creative control, detailing her journey through the publishing landscape. Stefanie reveals production hiccups, including a cover design redo, and explains how she tackled book marketing with a PR firm. With insights into building reader buzz and navigating unexpected delays, her story is both inspiring and informative for aspiring authors.

Stefanie Medrek shares her journey of writing a novel in 6 months and landing an agent 10 months later. Topics include idea generation, rewriting the first draft, editing process, querying, getting representation, and writing book two. Stefanie also discusses the importance of a fleshed-out outline, feedback from her agent, and her thoughts on coaching vs. online courses.