15 Comments
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Jennie Robertson's avatar

Save the Cat was a turning point for me for sure. I had everything but in the wrong order, it was crazy how it fell into place.

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Sara Read's avatar

That’s great that you already had all the pieces!

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Kasia Rachfall's avatar

Ooof #6 made me laugh but in that strangled kind of way because it’s so spot on! 😂

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Izzy | The Sunday Reads's avatar

The word works in mysterious ways. I was scrolling my notes after finishing my draft for Sunday's newsletter. I wrote about how I can't seem to find my words, how the editing process has me feeling like this/I am shit (as per your list, lol). Everything always comes when it's supposed to - thank you!

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Sara Read's avatar

I’m halfway through my first round of structural edits on a new draft and I am definitely in the this is shit/I am shit phase! This too shall pass 🙄

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Izzy | The Sunday Reads's avatar

Same here!! You’ve got this!!

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Lucy's avatar

I've just started writing my first book and I'm currently in the "this is tricky, this is shit" phrase haha. It's so reassuring to know that other writers feel the same way. This was a really helpful post :)

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Sara Read's avatar

I cycled through “I am shit; this might be okay” just last night 😆

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Bruce Landay's avatar

I'm working on my third novel though nothing has been published yet. You have a good list and knowing what I know today, I'd add a couple more, starting with just keep writing. Learning to write novels at a professional (publishable) level is really hard! There's an incredibly long learning curve. There's also a lot of reality checks along the way. I started off wanting a literary agent and to publish with one of the big 5. Today, when my third novel is truly ready I'll be looking for a small press. I'm also open to self publishing or Indie publishing. Your recommendation to find writer friends is a great one. Mostly, just keep learning by reading books, reading blogs, and attending conferences. Thanks for creating this newsletter!

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Kat Lewis's avatar

Excellent advice here. Thanks for sharing!

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Jennifer Louden's avatar

Completely agree!!

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Alanna Duffield's avatar

This is great!

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J.T. Ellison's avatar

Great advice!

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Craig Slater's avatar

Love this. Also, no one has ever even remotely referred to me as a beautiful genius!

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Marni Penning's avatar

Thanks for this! BTW, Marcus Romer claims he wrote it: https://x.com/MarcusRomer/status/393094184652902402

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