Kent Sanders

Reflections on Writing & Creativity

Podcast: How to Finish Writing Your Book (with Jim Woods)

October 31, 2018 by Kent Sanders | Leave a Comment

Have you ever felt discouraged because you started writing a book but didn’t finish it? If so, you’re not alone. Many writers, myself included, have started writing a book … only to later abandon it. Today’s guest, Jim Woods, helps us understand how to break through procrastination and finally get that book finished.

Jim is an author, editor, writing coach, and storyteller. Jim understands productivity and time management at a deep level. He also has a gift for seeing the weak spots in a story and knowing how to improve them.

On this episode, you’ll learn lots of practical tips for getting your book finished. You’ll also learn why you should beware of story craft books, how to be more productive, and why it’s important to be a creator and not just a consumer.

Listen to the Podcast

To listen to the podcast, click the player below.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Key Takeaways

1. Focus on writing one scene, chapter, section, or paragraph at a time. This simple advice is easy to ignore, but it makes a world of difference in staying focused and writing in the moment. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed because you have a whole project looming in front of you. By focusing on the small section at hand, you can make steady progress until the whole project is done.

2. Write in the “spare moments” of your day. You don’t need to be at your desk in “writing mode” in order to make progress on your book or project. Take 5-10 minutes here and there to get a bit of writing done, and you’ll be amazed at the results. (If you are serious about making the most of your creative time, check out my post on how to track your time.)

3. Use “habit stacking” to get more writing done. As Jim explains, “habit stacking” is the process of linking two habits together. For example, you can use your lunchtime to write. When you link writing to an activity you’re going to do anyway, you are more likely to make it happen.

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