
This one’s kind of a quickie, because I’m probably going to need to go into protective custody once you’re all done reading it, and I really need to pack.
Writers, I love you, I really do, so take this advice in the spirit in which it is intended…
Writing Advice No One Wants to Hear
If you’ve been working on the same book for ten years and it’s still not right… let it go.
Write something else.
For the love of God, finish something else.
The new project will teach you new lessons, and maybe—just maybe—you’ll come back to the first one someday with the tools to fix it. (Spoiler: probably not, and that’s okay.)
The sunk-cost fallacy is garbage. Being emotionally attached to a project that’s kept you stuck isn’t noble, it’s a red flag.
And if you’re on book three of a seven-book series and still can’t get an agent for book one? Please. Write something else. At minimum, if you’re that committed, be willing to self-publish.
But if you’re intent on traditional publishing? Never, ever write a sequel until book one has sold. Trad publishing timelines are long. Even if you sell that first book, it will be 2-3 years before it’s actually published. You will have time to finish the sequel knowing it will be published.
Yes, Naomi Novik wrote her whole Temeraire series before selling it. That was a miracle, not a model. It happened once, and she probably couldn’t do it in the current market.
For those of you committed to trad publishing, repeat after me: Standalone with series potential. Do not end your first book on a cliffhanger.
Now, if you’re willing to go indie — knock yourself out. That’s a valid path these days (and the view is gorgeous over here amidst the abject poverty). But if only trad will do, be strategic.
And honestly, if your writer dream is “I need to be on the endcap in every Barnes & Noble or I am worthless,” go with God, I guess. That’s probably something you should unpack in therapy.
The truth is: every finished book teaches you something. Every abandoned one teaches you something too—if you’re willing to listen. We all start out chasing the dream project that’ll change our lives, but the real magic happens when you learn to let go and move forward.
So, what project have you been clutching like it’s your emotional support manuscript? Maybe it’s time to set it down and pick up something new. The next book might just be the one that sets you free.