As a writer, I often wish for a magic wand that will make all the things happen faster.
The drafting.
The revising.
The proofing.
The pitching.
The querying.
The response time.
The submissions.
The wait time again.
The publishing process.
But the fact of the matter is, it takes what it takes. And there is no way around it.
Writing is most definitely a marathon and not a sprint.
You need to pace yourself. Train for it. Be prepared to hate it halfway through the journey. Barely cross the finish line in some cases. Maybe even fail to finish and start again on a new race.
But, I am here to tell you as a book coach, that every little step counts.
First, you start with a word that becomes a sentence that becomes a paragraph then a page. Each page stretches into a scene and then a chapter. Pretty soon you have a whole act, then a second one, and finally a third one.
Then, you go back and analyze it. Revise it. Restructure it. Add to it. Cut from it. Polish it to a high shine.
Each step is its own journey, but if you keep walking, you will eventually reach your destination.
As a book coach, my job is to keep you on the path to finishing. I am the equivalent of your trainer and biggest cheerleader. Some days, you’ll love what I have to say. Others will feel like I’ve assigned the writing equivalent of burpees.
But in all cases, my goal is to help you figure out what’s holding you back and arm you with the tools to keep going. To keep writing. To make your writing stronger. To finish.
Sometimes in our writing journeys we need that. A guide, a plan, a way forward.
It can be hard to stay on track. And not to beat a marathon metaphor into the ground (but I think we all know it’s too late for that), no one wants to add extra miles to their run if they don’t have to. And no writer wants to write ten chapters that end up being unnecessary because they veered after a shiny object that ended up having nothing to do with their protagonist’s character arc.
Just like a coach can’t run the marathon for you, you still have to do the writing work. I am just here to help the process and make you a fitter, more efficient writer so you can cross the finish line.
Featured photo above by Miguel A Amutio on Unsplash
Need Help?
Each week, I reserve time for 20-30 minute discovery calls with writers to discuss where they are in the writing process, what’s holding them back, and how to find the right kind of help. Want to chat?
Schedule a call! You don’t have to run your writing marathon alone.