One Way to Get Unstuck When Writing the Messy Middle of Your Book

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You’re finally doing it. You’re writing your book.

Despite everyone’s warning about how hard it would be, you’ve found momentum pretty quickly and feel good about what’s showing up on the pages. Recipes are coming together, and you’re working with your book proposal or outline to keep you on track. You have a writing routine that’s jamming with the rest of your schedule, and you don’t know what the mess people are talking about when they say writing a book is hard.

Until, one day you get up later than usual and there’s a firestorm of emails in your inbox. Instead of writing, you handle your ish and know you can come back to it the next day. 

One day won’t hurt.

But then you hit a few days, and when you come back to your book, you’re staring at the pages and wondering what the heck you were writing about in the first place? And what are you supposed to write next? 

The first step is to know what to call the “wall” you’ve just hit.

The Messy Middle Roadblock

People will tell you that the hardest part of writing a book is getting started. They’re not entirely wrong, but I would argue that the middle is a beast few people talk about. Especially when you’re talking about a cookbook or food memoir. 

It’s the speed bump that comes up for every author, and it’s called life. The beginning of the book writing process is energizing, and you’re certain that you can carry that dedication with you throughout the project.

But when things throw you off-balance outside of writing, your work also gets reevaluated. This is when you’re doubting if the book is even what you should be writing. You’ll probably pull up a million different scratch pads of story ideas that have nothing to do with what you’re writing about because it feels easier.

There’s only one thing though that you should do.

Revisit Why You’re Writing Your Book in the First Place

Sounds simple, right?

You began with a clear vision of why this was the book you had to write. Over time, it began a sparkling water vision, and in no time; it was a full stop. 

There are so many pages and ideas, you don’t know what you have and what you still need. 

It’s not just your doubts, but the questions and comments your friends, fans, and even fellow authors have. Writing a book is intimidating, especially because you can’t take it back once it’s published. That middle part is where you really see what you’re made of — it’s the work people don’t want to do.

If you need a reminder of your why, Simon Sinek has a stellar exercise from his book Find Your Why, where you ask a close friend why they’re friends with you. They’ll start with generic comments, and you’ll then ask them what it is about you that they like. Eventually, they’ll get to statements about themselves, and there’s a feeling that comes up from your presence in their lives. That’s when you’ve found it.

You can also flip it for why this book now. Start with why, move to what and once you move to the “I” statements, you’ll know you’ve reconnected with it. Sinek says that the feeling part of your brain will trigger the “knowing”. Goosebumps not guaranteed, but anticipated.

Reconnecting to your why will allow you to cut through any pages not serving you and give you the clarity of what the best next step is.

Going back to your why also gives you:

• Boundaries of what your book is and what it’s not

• Freedom to write within those boundaries

• A renewed sense of purpose because people are waiting for the story you have to tell

Every project needs a realignment. So, when you feel like you’re totally lost on how to move forward with your book, go back to the beginning. Remind yourself why you started.

If you still can’t move forward, grab your spot on my coaching waitlist, so we can get you to a completed manuscript you’re proud of.