Hi Reader,

The other day I pushed play on a leg workout with Autumn Calabrese’s 21 Day Fix. In this program, she always has an inspirational quote on a chalk board at the back of the room.

On this particularly brutal leg day, the quote was: “If you're tired of starting over, stop quitting.”

As the workout progressed, as my muscles fatigued, I thought, it’s not about “stop quitting.”

As I struggled through the last few split squats, I thought, “Just keep going.”

Even if it meant dropping my weights, or slowing down to focus on form. Just keep going in the way that works in that moment. Whatever that might look like.

In a way that actually works for you.

I think the struggle we face as writers isn’t because we keep stopping and starting again. It’s because we tend to keep trying to write in someone else's way.

We borrow another author's routine. We try a daily word count challenge that’s designed around the life of a retired, independently wealthy, duchess who writes full time 👸

We download the productivity tracker. We decide THIS is the month we’ll finally become the kind of writer who has a perfectly organized outline, a consistent schedule, and apparently no laundry.

And when it doesn't work?

We blame ourselves.

But here's the thing:

You can be perfectly capable of writing a damn good book and still be terrible at following someone else's writing routine.

Those are not the same skill.

Trying to build your writing life around somebody else's brain, schedule, energy, and responsibilities is a little like wearing their shoes and deciding you're bad at walking because your toes are screaming.

Maybe the shoes are great. Maybe they work beautifully for the person who owns them.

But they're still not your shoes.

And every time you try on another system that doesn't fit, you risk walking a little farther away from the story you actually want to tell.

So when I say keep going, I don't mean force yourself to show up the exact same way every day.

I mean stay in touch with your writing.

Treat your story like your dearest friend, not someone you accidentally ghost for three months and then awkwardly text, “Heyyyy, stranger.”

Some days, keeping going might mean writing a scene. Some days, it might mean figuring out what happens next while you're doing the dishes and jotting a couple notes in your notes app. Sometimes, it means recognizing that your current writing practice needs to change because your life has changed.

That's what being a human with a life outside your manuscript looks like.

The goal isn't to create a writing routine you can obey forever.

It's to build a writing practice that keeps you connected to your story, creates momentum without burning you out, and gives you a reason to be excited about coming back.

And that's exactly what I want to help you do.

I present to you: Level Up Your Writing Life.​

This is not just another Novel November challenge, my friend.

The workshop goes live on October 20th (it’s just text in the lessons unless I can get it together to record videos).

Plus, you'll get support inside the Creative Goblin Community throughout November for Novel November as you build a shiny new (or freshly refurbished) writing practice that fits your life, your season, and your brain beyond November.

Not only that, but we’ll check in at the mid-way point, and if things aren’t working as expected, we’ll adjust!

Just like there’s no shame in dropping the heavy weights to opt for lighter ones when your form breaks down, there’s no shame in adjusting your targets so writing keeps being a joyful part of your life.

Not somebody else's ideal writing life. Yours. With room to change it when you need to.

​Join the Level Up Your Writing Life workshop for just $10 here.

Let's make this the November you stop trying to become a different kind of writer and start finding your way forward as the one you already are.

Your story is waiting. Let's go say hi.

Claire 💛

Kira's Korner! We enjoyed a beautiful fall hike. The trail looked like the Yellow Brick Road with all the gorgeous golden leaves!

New here? Forget who I am? I'm Claire! Award-winning horror author, project manager, sourdough maven, amazing wife and dog mom, and your future creative mentor! I help fiction writers ditch the rules, fall in love with writing again, and finally finish their damn (good!) stories! As an Author Accelerator certified fiction book coach I know what it takes to write a great novel. As a Writing from the Top of Your Head certified facilitator I know how to make it fun. Ready to finish your book? ​Heck yeah! Let's do this thang!​

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