55: What Does Your Draft Need From You?
In this episode, we explore the subtle, often-justified reasons writers wait to start or finish their work—and why that waiting carries a significant relational cost. We dive into the difference between true writing resistance and the need to simply honor the work by giving it a proper container, rather than forcing it with pressure and deadlines.
Key Takeaways:
Waiting is a Decision: The decision to wait, even if it feels like the responsible thing to do, is still a choice that can accumulate a quiet cost over time.
The Real Cost is Relational: The cost of waiting isn't just fewer pages — it's the fading relationship you have with your own writing.
Resistance is Often Mislabelled: What's often called "resistance" is frequently grief, fear, or a nervous system signaling that the work cannot be rushed but also cannot be ignored.
Writers Need a Creative Container, Not Pressure: Pushing through ("Be more disciplined!") often backfires. Instead of deadlines, writers need to honor the work with a container, where a draft can take its time to become what it needs to be with attention and flow.
Start Something, Anything: I share a quick personal story to illustrate that starting something (a food blog) led to something else (stories about working motherhood and life lessons, then books) that was truly calling.
Meet Your Draft: The path forward involves greeting your drafts without judgment, asking them, "What do you need from me?" and then listening.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to How Women Write
00:30 The Quiet Cost of Waiting
01:27 Personal Journey and Realizations
03:15 The Subtlety of Waiting
03:46 The Real Cost of Unfinished Work
05:20 Honoring the Writing Process
06:04 Conclusion and Call to Action
