EPISODE 1: INTRODUCTION: YOUR BOOK ISN’T GOING TO WRITE ITSELF

EPISODE 1: INTRODUCTION: YOUR BOOK ISN’T GOING TO WRITE ITSELF

If you've ever said, "I'm going to write a book someday," this episode is your wake-up call. 

Welcome! I'm Pamela Samuels Young, and I'm so glad you're here. Let's get started!

Everybody has a story to tell. At least that's what they say. I meet people all the time who are eager to tell me the plot of their novel. Or they’ll go on and on about the memoir they plan to write or the business idea that would make a great book. I can see it in their eyes. They can’t wait to see their name on the cover of a book someday.

Then something interesting happens. Nothing.

Life gets busy. Family and work demand their attention. And suddenly, months become years. The book remains exactly where it started, sitting quietly inside their head.

I’ve walked that walk. I thought about writing a legal thriller for quite a while—I’m talking years—before finally sitting down to give it a try. Finishing my first book took time, patience, and a great many missteps. But I didn’t give up. And today, I'm the author of several novels—both traditionally published and independently published—and even a few published short stories. And I wrote most of them while working full-time.

I created this audio series, Stop Waiting, Start Writing: The No-Excuses Guide to Finally Finishing Your Book, for aspiring authors who are tired of thinking about writing and are ready to begin creating something real.

Here's what we're going to cover.

First, we'll tackle an excuse that stops many writers before they even begin—time. I'll show you how to carve out writing time and build a schedule that actually works for your life.

Then we'll talk about where you write, because your environment matters more than you might think. Whether you need complete silence or the hum of a coffee shop, finding your writing sanctuary can make all the difference.

From there, we'll dig into the writing craft itself. We'll talk about why understanding your genre is essential before you write a single word, and why knowing the rules of your genre is so important.

We'll explore the different ways writers work. Some people are plotters, who outline every scene. Others are called pantsers, because they write by the seat of their pants. You might find yourself staunchly in one camp, or perhaps you're a little bit of both. The point is, you have to discover the process that works best for you.

We'll also talk about something many first-time writers don't think about: community. Writing a novel is a lonely venture. Having the right people in your corner can mean the difference between finishing your book and abandoning it. I'll also talk about how to find your writing tribe and the benefits of not going it alone.

Then we'll get into the writing itself. I'll give you permission to write a messy first draft and explain why getting words on the page is the only goal that matters at that stage…

We'll talk about rewriting, because the real writing, as any experienced author will tell you, is in the rewriting.

And we'll cover feedback, because no matter how close you are to your book, outside perspectives can help make it better.

I'll close out the series with something I call Lessons from the Trenches, the things I wish someone had told me before I started writing. I'll discuss some of the mistakes I made, the shortcuts I missed, and the hard-won wisdom I picked up along the way, so you can avoid making some of the same mistakes I made.

For your convenience, I've included a downloadable Resources Guide on the Show Notes page, listing every resource I've referenced throughout this audio series.

And finally, each episode ends with a challenge.

Here's Your No-Excuses Challenge for Episode 1.

Write a short paragraph that describes what your book is about. Just three or four sentences, at most. That's your starting point. You've just taken the first step!