286. 3 Reasons You Want to Quit Mid-Draft (and Why You Shouldn’t)

2026-07-28

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Ever thought about quitting your draft and starting something new? You're not alone - lots of writers do. But before you abandon your story, listen to this episode first. Most of the time, the urge to start over isn't really about the story at all. It's one of three specific things, and each one has a way forward that doesn't involve throwing out everything you've built. In this episode, I walk through all three, along with examples, so you can figure out exactly what's going on with your ...

Ever thought about quitting your draft and starting something new? You're not alone - lots of writers do. But before you abandon your story, listen to this episode first.

Most of the time, the urge to start over isn't really about the story at all. It's one of three specific things, and each one has a way forward that doesn't involve throwing out everything you've built. In this episode, I walk through all three, along with examples, so you can figure out exactly what's going on with your draft, and what to do next.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy

Structure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Grab your FREE Worksheet here.

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