Don't "just start" writing

Don't "just start" writing

"Just start." It's common writing advice, but what if starting is actually the hardest part? We're exploring simple, research-backed ways to reduce friction at the beginning of your writing session. Make those first thirty seconds easier so you can get into the writing zone and build a more consistent writing practice. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com [https://writingwoods.com] 📖 RESOURCES MENTIONED * Deep Work by Cal Newport * Atomic Habits by James Clear * "Pre-Performance Routines in Sport" by Stewart Cotterill - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233125559_Pre-performance_routines_in_sport_Current_understanding_and_future_directions [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233125559_Pre-performance_routines_in_sport_Current_understanding_and_future_directions] * "Context-Dependent Memory in Two Natural Environments" by D. R. Godden and A. D. Baddeley - https://app.nova.edu/toolbox/instructionalproducts/edd8124/fall11/1975GoddenBaddeley.pdf [https://app.nova.edu/toolbox/instructionalproducts/edd8124/fall11/1975GoddenBaddeley.pdf] ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Why "just start" isn't enough 00:58 - Welcome to the Writing Woods 01:28 - Willpower vs. reducing friction 02:56 - How environment shapes behavior 05:11 - Building a digital writing space 07:47 - Writing warm-up routines 09:06 - Habit stacking for writers 11:02 - Build systems, not willpower 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube [https://writingwoods.com/youtube] Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify [https://writingwoods.com/spotify] Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple [https://writingwoods.com/apple] 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com [https://victoriagriffin.com] 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor [https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor] Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor [https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor]

"It's just my voice" (and other lies writers believe)

Some of the beliefs holding your writing back don't sound like excuses at all. As a writer, I've said them. And in my decade as a professional editor, I've watched plenty of authors limit themselves with these simple phrases. Let's explore three common writing myths that keep writers from improving. A simple mindset shift can help you become a stronger storyteller. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com [https://writingwoods.com] 🏕️ The Camp waitlist is open: https://writingwoods.com/camp-waitlist [https://writingwoods.com/camp-waitlist] ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Writing lies holding you back 00:27 - Welcome to the Writing Woods 00:55 - "It's just my voice" 01:47 - "The reader didn't get it" 03:11 - "It's just my process" 05:34 - Comfort vs. growth 06:00 - Stay humble and teachable 📖 VIDEOS MENTIONED Deep Outlining - https://youtu.be/QLYma-lYUcE [https://youtu.be/QLYma-lYUcE] 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube [https://writingwoods.com/youtube] Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify [https://writingwoods.com/spotify] Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple [https://writingwoods.com/apple] 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com [https://victoriagriffin.com] 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor [https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor] Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor [https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor]

Your book editor isn't right

Hiring a book editor can feel like going to a mechanic: "Tell me how to fix my story." But evaluating a novel isn't like diagnosing a blown head gasket. Editors help writers understand reader experience, uncover possibilities, and discover what their story can become. In my decade as a professional book editor, I've learned what the most productive author-editor relationships have in common. And using this approach can not only help you get the most out of your editing experience, but can also make you a stronger writer. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com [https://writingwoods.com] ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Why editors aren't supposed to be right 00:42 - Welcome to the Writing Woods 01:07 - What is developmental editing? 01:37 - Finding the story's potential 03:56 - Understanding an editor's feedback 04:25 - The author-editor collaboration 05:43 - How line editing works 06:40 - Why editors make different choices 07:10 - What an editor's job really is 08:33 - Discovering the story you're meant to tell 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube [https://writingwoods.com/youtube] Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify [https://writingwoods.com/spotify] Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple [https://writingwoods.com/apple] 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com [https://victoriagriffin.com] 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor [https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor] Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor [https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor]

Why readers DNF your book

One of the most common reasons readers abandon books has nothing to do with bad prose, weak characters, or boring plots. Often, writers accidentally push past curiosity and into confusion. And once readers are confused, they stop caring. Let's discuss the difference between curiosity and confusion and simple ways to improve your story's clarity so readers stay emotionally invested and keep turning pages. 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: ⁠https://writingwoods.com [https://writingwoods.com] ⏱️ TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Why readers DNF books 00:29 - Curiosity vs. confusion 01:55 - Orienting readers in opening pages 03:21 - Goals, obstacles, and stakes 05:20 - Common sources of confusion 06:08 - Creating questions, not frustration 07:52 - How to diagnose clarity problems 08:27 - Essential beta reader questions 10:17 - Using emotional context effectively 11:15 - Why clarity keeps readers invested 13:11 - Wonder versus work for readers 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube → https://writingwoods.com/youtube [https://writingwoods.com/youtube] Spotify → https://writingwoods.com/spotify [https://writingwoods.com/spotify] Apple → https://writingwoods.com/apple [https://writingwoods.com/apple] 📚 BOOK EDITING Thoughtful, passionate editing → https://victoriagriffin.com [https://victoriagriffin.com] 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor [https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor] Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor [https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor]

Why readers don't care (and the simple fix)

You can write beautiful prose, create compelling characters, and build an incredible world... But if readers don't care, none of it matters. After critiquing the first ten pages of 80 manuscripts, I noticed the same issue appearing again and again. Let's look at what conflict actually is, why it's essential for reader engagement, and how to use it to strengthen your opening scenes. ✍️ If you'd like feedback on the first ten pages of your manuscript, you can learn more about my critique service here: https://go.victoriagriffin.com/10 [https://go.victoriagriffin.com/10] 🌳 Join our free Writing Woods community: https://writingwoods.com [https://writingwoods.com] ⏱️ CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS 00:00 - Making readers care 00:42 - The most common manuscript problem 01:11 - What conflict really means 02:38 - Curiosity vs. conflict 04:33 - Why openings feel flat 05:58 - Using micro-conflicts 06:25 - Small conflict examples 07:24 - Conflict in quiet literary fiction 07:54 - Writing in hard mode 08:24 - Goal, obstacle, stakes 🎧 WRITING WOODS PODCAST YouTube: https://writingwoods.com/youtube [https://writingwoods.com/youtube] Spotify: https://writingwoods.com/spotify [https://writingwoods.com/spotify] Apple: https://writingwoods.com/apple [https://writingwoods.com/apple] 📌 FOLLOW ME Instagram → https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor [https://instagram.com/vgriffinauthor] Facebook → https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor [https://facebook.com/vgriffinauthor]