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On writing where you feel like you

I coach writers who are stuck. Yesterday, the writer I coached was…me.

As you may remember from my post about it back in December, I’m writing my first book. It’s a short, friendly guide for nonfiction authors on what editors do, how to find a good one, and how to get the most out of working with one.

But in January I was stuck. I have a few sections left to write based on y’all’s suggestions and questions, and I just wasn’t doing it. So I pretended I was one of my clients, listened for why I was stuck, and suggested to myself that changing my surroundings might help—specifically going to a place where I feel like Hannah first and foremost, rather than a parent or a worker or a partner.

So last night, after a lovely dance class at a local studio, I brought my laptop to a quiet bar, enjoyed a glass of wine, and wrote wrote wrote. The dim light, the hum of conversation, the 90s music, and the wine all helped the ideas get out of my head and onto the page. (Wine’s not an option for or a choice for many, I know. No pressure. I’m just being me.) Today it’s easier to write because I’ve already gotten into the swing of it.

A glass of red wine over a small white paper napkin, next to the edge of a laptop, on a dark wood bar. Wine bottles and lights are out of focus in the background.

Welcome back to the process, pleasure and confidence. It’s nice to see you again.

I may not be able to take regular nights out of the house, away from my family. But now that I know this helps me so much, I’ll push myself (and ask for help from my partner as needed) to work from coffee shops and bars more often in the next couple of weeks.

If you’re ready for a partner in your writing process—someone to help you uncover the whys behind being stuck or overwhelmed and devise ways forward that work for you and your particular busy life—book a free discovery call and we’ll listen together for the first step.

Where do you go when you need to change your working environment?

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