Hi Reader,

I just finished a Zoom call with an author client who was hopelessly stuck in the messiness of writing her book. I got her out of the muck and back on the solid path, then came straight here to share this story in case it helps you.

Writing a book is hard. There's no way to sugar-coat it. It's a big project, with a ton of information to keep track of. You're trying to do so many things at once: convey your messages, help the reader with some sort of transformation or specific problem, explain your process clearly in a way that makes sense, present potentially complex information logically and clearly, AND do all of this using the written word. If you've never written a book before, it can all be overwhelming.

This is my client's first book. She's an accomplished, driven entrepreneur and former Olympic athlete, and used to being able to get results. To her, this messy phase of writing a book is uncomfortable new territory.

She's already written almost 30,000 words, and captured most of what she wants to say in her book. But her writing needs editing, there are information gaps, and some of her chapters don't transition smoothly from one to the next. The pacing is uneven—in spots, she whips from one lesson to the next and in others she feels like she takes too long to make her point.

"First," I told my client, "this is all 100% normal. We call it a "rough" draft for a reason! This first draft is allowed to be messy." She was so relieved to hear this. I've been writing professionally for nearly 20 years, and with every book and article, there's always a stage where the whole thing feels like a mess that'll never be finished. I acknowledge this, give myself grace, and trust the creative process. Everything always falls into place soon after.

Second, writing a book is never truly messy if you take the time to plan it carefully before you start to write. When you are clear on your book's purpose—why you wrote it, who it's for, what you want your book to do for you and your business, and your book's promise to the reader—you are always on solid footing.

When you have a detailed outline, you also have a clear roadmap to guide you as you write your way through unfamiliar territory.

Third, never underestimate the power of the self-edit. This first draft stage is all about getting all your ideas down on paper. It's about refining your message. Capturing new thoughts and ideas that magically appear as you write each chapter for the first time.

See, writing a book is beautiful, creative process, and if you can let go of your need to control, you open yourself up to your own ingenuity.

You never know what your brain will produce if you relax into the process!

Embracing the messy parts of writing is like allowing a child the freedom to experiment with art supplies without worrying about the mess. Just like painting or any other art form, writing is messy.

It's wild. Free. Unpredictable. Surprising. Yes, at times, a little maddening too.

But if you surrender, you can unlock your creative brilliance.

I'm happy to say that my client left our call relaxed, relieved, clear on how to keep going, and full of determination to finish her rough draft in the next few weeks.

I hope her story helps you, too.

Your book partner,

Adrienne

P.S. Are you stuck in the messy middle? Book a call with me and let's get you back on solid footing.