Writing a novel doesn’t follow the calendar. If you’re feeling behind, this post offers reassurance, perspective, and a gentle way to take back control of your writing—without pressure, guilt, or starting over.

These are the books I found most inspiring from a shifting mindset perspective. As writers, a negative attitude can derail any writing project, which is why having coping tools to keep your mindset positive is so important. Arguably, a positive mindset is equally important as having strong writing skills.

Have you heard the terms “alpha” and “beta” readers thrown around and wondered what they meant? Here’s a quick breakdown of both to help you decide which of the two you may be ready for with your own novel.

If you think you’re too old (or too young!) to write a novel, you’re not. There’s no “window of opportunity” to write one. You write a novel when you’re ready to finally commit to writing it. You can commit at any time, but it does take commitment.

When I first began working on my novel way back in 2021, my biggest pain point was not knowing how to start.