#229. 5 Signs Your Writing Process Is Broken (And How to Fix It)

If you've been working on your novel for months—or even years—without making real progress, this episode will help you understand why. Maybe you've started multiple books but never finished one. Maybe you sit down to write and have no idea what to work on. Or maybe you keep rewriting the same chapters over and over, hoping clarity will finally come. Here's what I want you to know: this isn't a talent problem or a motivation problem. It's a process problem—and process problems are fixable. In this episode, I'm walking you through five signs your writing process is broken, what's really causing all of them, and the one fix that will help you finish your novel. This is what I talk about: [02:13] Why you keep abandoning novels around the 20-30k word mark—and what's really happening when a new idea feels easier than finishing your current draft. [04:30] The real reason you sit down to write and don't know what to work on , even when you've protected the time and eliminated distractions. [06:53] How perfectionism disguises itself as productivity—and why rewriting the same chapters keeps you stuck instead of moving your draft forward. [10:24] The difference between having a story idea and having a story that can support a full-length novel (hint: it comes down to knowing your ending). [12:39] The one root cause behind all five signs—and how building a solid story foundation before you draft changes everything. If you recognized yourself in any of these signs, stop blaming yourself and start looking at your foundation. The fix isn't more willpower or a better story idea—it's building a solid foundation before you draft. 🔗 Links mentioned in this episode: Get on the Notes to Novel waitlist ⭐ Follow & Review If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week! Support the show 👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

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#229. 5 Signs Your Writing Process Is Broken (And How to Fix It) is an episode from Fiction Writing Made Easy by Savannah Gilbo.

This episode is 20:39 long.

This episode was published on Jan 13, 2026.

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