​“Do it now,” says Ira. ​ Don’t wait until you have the right support or even the right idea. “Just start making it now.” Shoot the arrows now, Olav Hauge might say.* But one of the reasons I find a lot of would-be authors don’t just do it now is that it’s really, really hard. What exactly is it that’s so hard?

Years of Experience with Bows and Arrows by Olav H. Hauge, translated by Robert Hedin and Robert Bly What you are supposed to hit is the bull’s eye, that black spot, that precise spot, and the arrow is supposed to stand there quivering! But that’s not where the arrow goes.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about mindset. When it comes to struggling with writing, it’s true: mindset is a big factor. Working on my own mindset helped me complete two books over the past 18 months. But also. After working over the past few years with many clients who are first-time authors, I’ve realized that mindset is not the problem.

When I first started helping people write their books, I focused on their ideas. “Your ideas are brilliant! Let’s just get them down,” I’d say. It’s fun to help people articulate their ideas clearly.

The other day, a mentor of mine brought up that as professionals (especially professional women+) when we’re struggling, we tell ourselves and we’re told it’s our “mindset.” We’ve got the wrong energy. We’re not focusing on the right things.

I heard Margaret Atwood (both a novelist and a poet) on the New Yorker’s poetry podcast with Kevin Young. She said: “Novelists look as if they’re working. They are working. Poets, when they’re working, don’t look as if they’re working.

I give a presentation called “The 5 Things You Need to Start (and Finish!) Your Book.” Thing #1: You need an answer to this question: Why does this book need to exist? I do worry that telling people this off the bat will discourage them. It sounds like an intimidating question.