Maggie Frank-Hsu

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It's not that you suck at writing

When quarantine lifted slightly in April and May 2020, I saw a lot of people outdoors who decided now was the time to get in shape. ‘Member that?

I’m not in great shape myself, but I ride my bike most Saturdays. Around that time, I’d be out riding and I’d see someone running 7 or 8 mph UP A HILL. Keeping up with my bike!

Then, they’d conk out before they reached the top. And I, at my tortoise pace, would just keep climbing, passing a sweaty face tilted toward the heavens, hands pressing on the small of their back.

Why do we approach hard stuff this way?

  • Years where we do nothing.
  • Then a one-time burst of all the energy we can muster.
  • Then, a realization that we have bitten off more than we can chew?

And, finally…

RETREAT!!

By September, I didn’t see those people anymore.

It reminded me of where I see some first-time authors trip up. They’re inspired to start their book. So, they rent an AirBnB and decide they’ll write their book in a week. … Well, maybe not all of it, but certainly A LOT OF IT, right??

No.

I have seen too many people give up on their book before they finish. They don’t quit because they weren’t ready, because their idea is stupid, or because they suck at writing. They quit because they get stuck and don’t know the next step.

So, what is the next step, the one in between enthusiasm and giving up?

It’s to check in with your book idea and test it with 3 simple questions. Want to know what those are? I'll be hosting a live workshop with the answer in Janaury 2022. Click here to join the waitlist.