Are You Living the Life of a Whole Writer?
It's not just about the craft.
There was a time in my writing life when I thought the only thing that mattered was the book deal.
If I could just land the deal, get the yes, see my title in a bookstore, that would be it. I would’ve made it. And so I chased it with everything I had, shaping my stories around what I thought publishers wanted, pushing myself harder than was healthy, all in pursuit of an ever-moving goal post.
And for a while, I did get the yes. I spoke at fun book events and saw my titles on the shelves of favorite bookstores. I connected with amazing people in the book world.
And yet…
What followed wasn’t ease or satisfaction. It was a quiet tug of misalignment. The book deals were real, but the stories weren’t fully mine anymore. The urgency I’d been living in turned into exhaustion. And the joy of writing (the reason I’d started in the first place) was harder and harder to access.
That’s when everything started to shift.
By the time I reached my fourth novel and felt stuck in a cycle of agent notes, editor feedback, and an exhausting string of almost-yeses, I realized I was drifting further and further from the story I came here to tell. And honestly, if I wasn’t writing that, what was the point? So, I made the choice to step off the Ferris wheel. No matter the outcome, I was going to write this fourth and final (yes, final) book my way.
I returned to building creative relationships that felt grounding and aligned. I began to consider publishing paths not based on prestige or pace, but based on what was right for me in that season of life. And slowly, I started redefining what success even meant.
This is what I want to offer you today:
Being a writer in today’s world means embracing more than just the craft of a novel. It means tending to the whole writer within you. The one who:
🌿 Protects your creativity from urgency and burnout.
🤝 Builds a community that’s supportive, safe, and aligned with your values.
📚 Thinks about your ideal reader, not in terms of numbers, but as someone who truly connects with your words.
💡 Chooses a publishing path that fits your story, your energy, your timing.
The writers I work with are often waiting for permission, for the market to shift, for everything to feel “ready.”
Here’s the truth: now is the time.
Not when someone else says yes.
Not when you have the perfect platform.
Not when you’ve figured it all out.
You don’t need to prove yourself or push harder.
You just need to follow what feels true.
Your writing life—your whole writing path—is valid, important, and already unfolding.
Let it be yours.
Ready to hear more about being a whole writer? Tune into this week’s podcast episode.👇🏻
Every week, The Whole Writer podcast (formerly Steps to Story) creates space for writers to nurture both their craft and themselves, exploring what it means to write from a place of wholeness rather than depletion. You can find episodes:
📍 Here on my Substack
📍 Apple Podcasts
📍 Spotify
Seeking help for your novel manuscript? Here are ways I can support you:
📚1:1 Coaching: This is perfect for writers hoping to shape their story before moving on to edits and revisions.
📚Developmental Edits: This is perfect for writers seeking to strengthen either a partial or full manuscript.
📚Author Platforms & Agent Queries: This is for writers ready to start thinking about getting their stories out into the world.
Great advice!
Whoa. I love this. As an editor, and as a writer, I totally see both ends of this idea of being a "whole writer." You really articulated the everyday struggles of most writers, who, at one point or another stray from their "why." Yes, they can also get their voice drowned out by others. This was a refreshing read for sure. I'm going to give your podcast a listen as well.