22. Finishing the first draft

Getting back into writing as a parent can be difficult. Add the fact that only 5% of writers finish their first draft, and things can feel a bit dire.
Although this statistic may look scary, it’s not all doom and gloom! There is hope; as long as we can pinpoint what is getting in our way, there is a path to a solution.
In today’s episode, your host, Erin P.T. Canning, wants to share her journey in battling with finishing her first draft and what she learned along the way. Fear, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, losing confidence in herself and her abilities were all common themes in her journey. But she found a way to combat these heavy obstacles, and she wants to share how she did it with you!
Tune in to hear how to take the pressure off of yourself by making things easy and uncomplicated with straightforward steps you can implement today, such as setting parameters in your writing, knowing when to write and when to daydream, remembering to celebrate your wins along the way, and much more.
This episode is filled with actionable tips that can help any parent finish the first draft, so be sure to tune in today!
Topics discussed in this episode:

• Erin’s journey getting back into writing and finishing her first draft
• Removing the pressure of perfectionism: Tell, don’t show in your first draft
• Identifying goals and learning average stats for your genre
• Benefits of using a tracker
• Use placeholders to keep moving forward
• Getting passed the first chapter
• Setting up rewards for yourself along the way
• Exciting announcement!

About Erin:
For 15 years, Erin has worked as a magazine and book editor, encouraging each writer’s individual voice and strengthening their writing goals. When she became a parent, she set aside her own writing aspirations to focus on her family. As the years passed, she grew increasingly anxious, depressed, and angry until she realized that she had forgotten who she was beyond being a parent.
Despite fearing her skills had atrophied, Erin started writing again. She first created her blog, Life Beyond Parenting, and then created the Parents Who Write podcast. Erin’s current role as a podcaster and writing coach enables her to help parents pursue their writing dreams.
She earned her MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University, and she has finished the first draft of a fantasy-romance novel. She lives with her husband and their two young boys in Maryland.
Connect with Erin:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinptcanning
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/erinptcanning
• Facebook group: https://facebook.com/groups/parentswhowrite
• Book a free 30-minute consultation call:

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Looking for an editor or book coach?
As an indie author, editor, and book coach, I teach authors how to untangle their jumbled ideas and tackle each writing stage one at a time.
With my 20 years’ experience and my master’s in writing, I have a 4-stage process that takes authors from struggling with overwhelm to finishing their manuscripts with confidence and direction in 6 months.
As such, I love spending time with my clients and watching them grow into strong, knowledgeable authors. Read more here, and schedule a call to see if we're a good fit: https://calendly.com/erinptcanning/30min-meeting.