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Published by Maddison Michaels | Fiction Writing Coach & Award-Winning Author
Welcome to Write The Darn Book™, a mindset-first, craft-supported, spiritually aligned podcast for fiction writers who feel called to write a novel, but keep getting stuck somewhere between the idea and the finished draft. If writer’s block, procrastination, self-doubt, perfectionism, overthinking, or the everyday chaos of life keeps pulling you away from the page, you’re in the right place. And my friend, you are not broken! You are a writer with a story inside you. And sometimes what you need isn’t more pressure, more hustle, or another generic writing routine. Sometimes what you need is a deeper understanding and awareness of how your mind works, how you are uniquely wired to write, what’s happening within the manuscript itself, and what actually helps you move from stuck… into creative flow. I’m Maddison Michaels, an award-winning, multi-published author of 9 books, certified Life Coach, NLP Practitioner, and creator of the Write The Darn Book™ Method. And I know exactly what it feels like to desperately want to write your book, but still struggle to actually get it to the finish line, because that was me for years. That’s why the work we do here focuses on both sides of finishing: the writer and the manuscript. Each week, we’ll explore the inner work of writing, including writer’s block, procrastination, self-doubt, perfectionism, fear, resistance, creative flow, writer identity, nervous-system safety, confidence, self-trust, NLP tools, intuition, and the deeper patterns that shape how you show up to the page. But we’ll also get practical with the manuscript itself, exploring how to write a novel, story structure, character, dialogue, pacing, first chapters, messy middles, revision, writing routines, publishing pathways, query letters, author life, and the practical steps that help you keep your story moving towards the finish line. Because writing a novel is never just about the manuscript. It’s also about the writer you become while you’re writing it. Each episode will help you: ✨ Break through writer’s block, procrastination, and self-doubt ✨ Develop a stronger writing mindset and deeper creative confidence ✨ Understand your writing personality and unique creative wiring ✨ Build a writing process that works with how you’re uniquely wired to write ✨ Strengthen your craft, story structure, and manuscript momentum ✨ Use NLP, emotional regulation, and neuroscience-supported tools to reconnect with flow ✨ Navigate the practical realities of writing, revising, querying, publishing, and finishing ✨ Trust your voice, honour your story, and finally finish writing your novel Whether you’re writing your first novel, returning to a manuscript you’ve been carrying for years, or you’re already published and trying to find your way through the next one, I’m here to support both you and your manuscript all the way to the finish line. So grab your cup of liquid gold, settle in, and let’s write the darn book together. 💕 And remember... You are the vessel for your story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page. 🌟 Make sure you hit follow so you can binge listen and never miss a new episode every Wednesday! And if you’d love to discover how you’re uniquely wired to write, take the free Writing Personality Quiz at maddisonmichaels.com/quiz For deeper personalised support, you can also book a Writing Personality Blueprint Session at maddisonmichaels.com/blueprint
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Episode 74: Why Can’t I Finish My Book? The Real Reason You Keep Getting Stuck! Why can’t I finish my book? If you’ve been writing the same manuscript for years, that question can start to feel deeply personal. You might wonder whether you lack discipline, whether you’re capable of finishing, or whether you’re simply destined to keep starting and stopping. But the length of time you’ve been working on your book doesn’t tell you why it remains unfinished. In this episode of Write The Darn Book, we’re diagnosing what’s actually keeping your manuscript from moving forward. Because an unfinished book can be caused by very different things. You might have a structural problem inside the manuscript, you might be trying to write in a way that works against your natural creative wiring, or finishing itself might represent something far bigger than typing the final sentence. We’ll also look at how your NLP modality, whether you lean Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic or Auditory Digital, can influence the way you process manuscript problems and find your way forward. Inside this episode: How to tell whether you have a manuscript problem, writing-process problem or finishing problem Why repeatedly rewriting the beginning can keep you safely away from the real structural issue How Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic and Auditory Digital writers can approach an unfinished manuscript differently Why finishing a book can bring up fear around judgement, publishing and being seen The three paths available when you’ve carried a manuscript for years: finish it, rebuild it or consciously release it The question to ask when you open your manuscript today so you can identify what genuinely needs your attention next If you’ve realised you’re ready to finally finish your book but you need personalised support to work through both the manuscript and what’s happening around it, my Write The Darn Book™ 90-Day Transformation Method is designed to do exactly that. You can book a free 15-minute clarity call with me at maddisonmichaels.com/call. We’ll talk about where your manuscript is now, what’s been getting in the way, and whether working together feels like the right next step. Listen next: Episode 73, The Writer’s Odyssey Plan: 3 Possible Futures to Help You Decide What Comes Next. If this episode has helped you recognise that a decision needs to be made about your book, Episode 73 will help you step back and look at the bigger writing future you actually want to create. maddisonmichaels.com
73. What Could Your Writing Future Look Like? Imagine 3 Possible Futures and Start Creating the One You Want! What if the writing life you’re working towards isn’t the only one available to you? Writers can become so focused on the next manuscript, the next deadline, getting published, finding an agent or simply trying to finish the book in front of them that they rarely step back and ask a bigger question: What do I actually want my writing life to look like? In this episode of Write The Darn Book, I’m adapting the Odyssey Planning concept specifically for writers and inviting you to explore three different possible writing futures. You’ll imagine where your current path could take you, what might happen if you made one brave change, and what your writing life could become if money, expectations and other people’s opinions temporarily stopped making the decisions. The goal isn’t to choose one perfect future. It’s to notice what keeps appearing across all three, because those repeated desires can tell you an enormous amount about the writer you’re becoming and what you might be ready to create next. Inside this episode: How to explore three genuinely different versions of your writing future Why your current writing trajectory is useful information rather than a fixed destination How to imagine a brave alternative without believing you have to change your entire life tomorrow What your unconstrained writing life can reveal about what you genuinely want How to identify the themes, desires and priorities repeating across your three futures Why your Dove, Owl, Peacock or Eagle writing tendencies can influence the future you automatically design How Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic and Auditory Digital writers can approach the exercise differently How to turn what you discover into one small experiment you can begin over the next seven days You don’t need your entire writing career mapped out. You simply need enough curiosity to ask what else might be possible. WANT SUPPORT CREATING THE WRITING LIFE THAT MOVES YOUR BOOK FORWARD? If this episode has shown you a writing future that genuinely lights you up, but you can also see the gap between where you are now and the writer living that life, that’s exactly the kind of work I do inside my one-to-one coaching. The Write The Darn Book™ 90-Day Transformation Method brings together the inner and outer work of writing: identity, resistance, creative wiring and confidence alongside structure, writing rhythm, milestones and the practical plan that moves your actual book forward. You can book a free 15-minute clarity call with me at: maddisonmichaels.com/call It’s simply a chance for us to talk about where you are, where you’d love your writing to go next, and whether working together feels like the right next step. LISTEN NEXT Episode 72: Writing When You Have No Motivation If this episode has helped you see where you want your writing life to go, Episode 72 will help you keep moving when the motivation to get there disappears. Write The Darn Book™ with Maddison Michaels You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Episode 72: Writing When You Have No Motivation: What to Do When the Excitement Is Gone What do you do when you still want to finish your book, but you have absolutely no motivation to write? Maybe the excitement that carried you through the beginning has disappeared. Opening your manuscript feels heavy, the next chapter feels like work, and you keep waiting for that spark of inspiration to come back before you write again. But motivation was never designed to carry you through an entire book. In this episode of Write The Darn Book™, I’m looking at what happens when motivation disappears, particularly through that long middle stretch where the novelty has faded and the finish line still feels a long way away. I’ll also share why losing motivation doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve chosen the wrong book, lost your creativity, or somehow become less of a writer. Instead of trying to manufacture motivation, I’ll take you through my simple Three-Part Motivation Substitution System, using meaning, cues, and a writing minimum to help you keep moving even on the ordinary days. And because the same approach won’t work for every writer, we’ll look at how to personalise each part of the system for your Dove, Owl, Peacock, or Eagle writing tendencies, so you can build a way of returning to the page that actually works with the way you’re wired. Inside this episode: Why motivation is brilliant for beginning a book but unreliable for finishing one The difference between genuinely needing rest and simply having no motivation to write Why waiting until you feel like writing can quietly keep your manuscript stalled How to substitute motivation with meaning, a writing cue, and a realistic minimum What those substitutions might look like for Dove, Owl, Peacock, and Eagle writers Why your smallest writing sessions still matter, even when you never reach creative flow How to create an identity-anchored writing habit that keeps your relationship with your manuscript steady The question you can ask instead of, “Do I feel motivated to write today?” Your next step This week, choose one writing habit that currently depends on motivation and turn it into an identity-anchored habit. Choose a clear cue, decide on a small writing minimum, and connect it to the writer you’re becoming. For example: “When I make my morning coffee, I’ll open my manuscript and write for ten minutes because I’m a writer who returns to my story.” Then test it for one week. You don’t need to feel wildly inspired every time you sit down to write. Your feelings can shift while your relationship with your book stays steady. Listen next If this episode helped you move from waiting for the right feeling to choosing your next action, listen to Episode 64: How to Start Writing Your Book Without Waiting For Permission. It’ll help you take that identity shift even further, from wanting to write your book to becoming the writer who actually acts. You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Episode 71: How Social Media Has Changed What Readers Want From Books (And What That Means for Your Writing) Social media has changed what readers want from books, especially during those crucial first moments when they’re deciding whether to pause, click, buy or keep reading. Online content often has only a few seconds to earn someone’s attention, and those rapid patterns of novelty, anticipation and reward now shape the way many people approach books too. Readers can still become completely absorbed in long, layered and emotionally rich stories. The real change is how quickly they want to understand why a book deserves that deeper attention. In this episode, we explore how social media has influenced reader expectations and what that means for your opening pages, scene structure and storytelling choices. You’ll learn how to engage modern readers while protecting your authentic voice, honouring the natural pace of your story and staying grounded in the kind of book you genuinely want to write. Inside this episode: The difference between capturing attention and sustaining it Why readers increasingly look for a clear story promise earlier How digital reward patterns influence the way people approach books Why changing reader expectations affect both new and established readers How to increase your hook speed without manufacturing drama The difference between a slow-burning story and a stagnant one How stronger scene economy creates meaningful forward movement Why emotional immediacy helps readers connect before receiving backstory How micro-payoffs build curiosity, satisfaction and reader trust After listening, open your first chapter or section and read it through four different lenses: hook speed, economy, emotional immediacy and payoff. Choose one meaningful revision that makes the promise of your book easier for the reader to feel. Listen next: Episode 67, Writing Your Protagonist: How to Build a Main Character Readers Root For From Page One. Enjoying Write The Darn Book? Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode, and share this one with another writer who wants to strengthen their opening pages while remaining true to their voice and story.
Episode 70: How to Write When Your Inner Critic Says You Can’t Does your inner critic start editing before you’ve even finished the sentence? It might tell you the scene is boring, the writing isn’t good enough, or a real writer would know how to do this properly. Because that criticism arrives in your own voice, it can sound less like fear and more like the truth. But you don’t have to silence your inner critic before you can write. In this episode of Write The Darn Book, Maddison explores why the inner critic is often a protective response rather than an enemy, and why arguing with it can sometimes make it even louder. You’ll learn how to separate its commentary from your identity, uncover what it’s trying to protect you from, and give it a more useful role in your writing process. You’ll also discover how the inner critic might show up differently depending on your Dove, Owl, Peacock or Eagle Writing Personality, and whether you process your writing experience through a Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic or Auditory Digital modality. By the end of the episode, you’ll have a practical three-part negotiation you can use to keep drafting, even when self-doubt and negative self-talk are still muttering in the background. Inside this episode: The difference between useful editing and identity-based criticism Why your inner critic might be trying to protect you from judgement, rejection or disappointment How to recognise the critic’s voice without treating its opinion as a fact How Bird Writing Personalities and NLP modalities influence the way self-criticism appears A three-part process for hearing the concern, setting a boundary and returning to the manuscript Why keeping a simple “For Revision” list can help you stay in creative flow while drafting Your inner critic can have an opinion. It simply doesn’t get control of the keyboard. Ready for deeper writing support? If your inner critic, perfectionism or self-doubt keeps pulling you away from the page, you don’t have to work through it alone. Book a free 15-minute clarity call with Maddison at maddisonmichaels.com/call. It’s a relaxed mutual-fit conversation where you can explore what’s keeping you stuck and whether one of the Write The Darn Book™ coaching pathways feels like the right next step. Listen next: Episode 68: Missed Your Writing Plan? How to Reset, Rebuild Self-Trust and Keep Writing Listen next if your inner critic becomes especially loud after you’ve fallen behind, missed a writing goal or struggled to follow the plan you created.
Episode 69: Stuck on Your Plot? How Scene Cards Can Help You Find What Happens Next Is your plot stuck, even though you’ve already written plenty of scenes? Sometimes a novel loses momentum because it needs a stronger idea. But often, the scenes you need are already there. They’re simply appearing in an order that weakens the connection between action, choice, and consequence. In this episode of Write The Darn Book, Maddison shares a practical scene card shuffle to help you step back from the pages of your manuscript and see the shape of your plot more clearly. You’ll learn how to place every scene onto a separate card, diagnose the points where your story’s momentum drops, and experiment with a new sequence without committing to a major rewrite. You’ll also discover how one carefully moved scene can strengthen several chapters, close a plot gap, or give your messy middle the momentum it’s been missing. Because a stuck plot doesn’t automatically mean your story is broken. Sometimes, it means the right scene is standing in the wrong place. Inside this episode: Why plot problems are often sequence problems rather than idea problems How to identify what changes by the end of every scene The difference between a causal story chain and a series of disconnected events Four common structural issues hidden inside a draft How to test a new scene order without dismantling your manuscript Ways Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Auditory Digital writers can adapt the card method to their creative wiring How to turn your completed shuffle into a clear and manageable revision plan Your next step Write every current scene on a separate card and lay them out in manuscript order. Choose the section where your plot feels weakest, then move one card. Test what happens when a discovery comes earlier, a consequence moves closer, or an emotional scene lands after a more powerful trigger. You’re not trying to repair the entire book in one sitting. You’re looking for one change that creates a stronger chain of cause, choice, and consequence. Listen next If your plot is moving but your protagonist’s choices still need greater emotional weight, listen to Episode 67: Writing Your Protagonist: How to Build a Main Character Readers Root For From Page One. Follow Write The Darn Book so you never miss an episode, and share this one with a writer whose messy middle might need a scene card shuffle. 🌟 Want Maddison as your writing coach to help support you on your writing journey? Head to www.maddisonmichaels.com/call and book in a FREE 15min clarity call to see if one of Maddison's coaching pathways would be a good fit.
Episode 68: Fallen Behind With Your Writing? How to Get Back on Track Without Giving Up You made a writing plan. You chose your sessions, set your goals, and genuinely intended to show up. Then the week unfolded differently. Perhaps life became busier than expected. Perhaps you opened the manuscript and resistance took over. Or perhaps the sessions came and went, leaving you with that familiar voice saying, “See? You never follow through.” Missing a writing goal can quickly become more than disappointment about the words you didn’t write. It can trigger guilt, self-criticism, and doubt about whether you can trust yourself to ever finish your book. In this follow-up to Episode 66, The Sunday Reset, Maddison explores what a missed writing plan actually means and why turning it into a judgement about who you are makes returning to the page even harder. You’ll learn a simple three-part reset to help you separate the missed result from your identity, understand what disrupted the plan, and rebuild self-trust through one small writing promise you can genuinely keep. Because self-trust isn’t built by following every plan perfectly. It’s built by knowing how to return to yourself and your book when the week goes differently than you intended. Inside this episode: Why one missed writing week can trigger a cycle of shame and avoidance How to separate what happened from what you believe it says about you The difference between capacity, clarity, and resistance Why a stricter plan is rarely the best response to a missed goal How one small writing promise can begin rebuilding self-trust How Dove, Owl, Peacock, and Eagle writers may respond differently when a plan falls apart How to create your next Sunday Reset using better information about yourself and your writing Dove writers may need to release guilt and protect one writing session from other demands. Owl writers may need to make one practical adjustment rather than creating a more complicated planning system. Peacock writers may need to reduce an overly ambitious plan and make their return to the manuscript feel enjoyable. Eagle writers may need to resist compensating with a harsher target and choose a smaller result that restores momentum. The Bird Writing Personalities are tendencies rather than fixed labels, and many writers recognise themselves in more than one type. Choose the recovery approach that supports the pattern showing up for you right now. 🌟Ready to discover more about how you’re naturally wired to write? Take the free Writing Personality Quiz at: maddisonmichaels.com/quiz ❤️ And if you keep creating plans but find yourself caught in the same cycle of avoidance, guilt, and self-doubt, you can book a free 15-minute clarity call with Maddison at: maddisonmichaels.com/call If this episode helped you, please follow the podcast, leave a quick review, and share it with another writer who needs to hear that a missed writing plan is information, not a verdict on who they are. You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Episode 67: Writing Your Protagonist: How to Build a Main Character Readers Root For From Page One Your protagonist is the emotional doorway into your story. They’re the character asking your reader to follow them into the unknown, care about what they want, and stay beside them through every mistake, setback, and transformation. But readers rarely connect with a main character simply because they’re clever, capable, charming, or heroic. They connect when they can feel the longing, fear, wound, or contradiction beneath the character’s behaviour. In this episode, Maddison explores how to create a protagonist who feels emotionally real from page one. You’ll learn how your character’s external want, deeper wound, protective flaw, and emotional need work together to create a powerful character arc. Maddison also introduces a fresh way to use the Dove, Owl, Peacock, and Eagle personality tendencies as a character-development lens. Your protagonist may be a blend of several types, and their behaviour may shift when pressure rises. These tendencies can help you uncover what your character values, what they fear, and how their greatest strength may also create their biggest challenge. Inside this episode: Why your protagonist needs emotional logic more than universal likeability How to identify what your character wants in each scene The connection between a character’s wound, belief, and protective behaviour Why a protagonist’s greatest strength and central flaw often share the same emotional root How Dove, Owl, Peacock, and Eagle tendencies can deepen your character development How small choices and moments of exposed humanity help readers connect from page one Three questions you can use to audit your protagonist’s opening scene For personalised support with your characters, story structure, manuscript direction, or the patterns making it harder to move your book forward, book a free 15-minute clarity call with Maddison: maddisonmichaels.com/call This is a mutual fit conversation where you can explore what your book needs and whether one of Maddison’s coaching pathways feels like the right next step. If this episode helped you understand your protagonist more clearly, share it with another writer and leave a review. Your review helps more writers discover the podcast and find the support they need to write and finish their books.
Episode 66: How to Plan Your Writing Week So You Actually Make Time to Write Mindset Monday episodes explore the inner work of writing: blocks, beliefs, identity, resistance, procrastination, perfectionism, and creative flow. Do you begin each week hoping you’ll find time to write, only to reach the weekend wondering where the days went and why your manuscript barely moved? The problem usually isn’t that you’ve lost your motivation or suddenly become less committed to your book. It’s that your writing was left to compete with every other demand in your week without being given a clear place to land. In this episode, Maddison walks you through a simple 15-minute Sunday Reset to help you create a realistic weekly writing plan around the life you actually have. You’ll learn how to choose specific writing sessions, decide exactly what you’ll work on before you sit down, and create a small writing minimum that keeps you connected to your manuscript even during a busy week. You’ll also discover how to customise the reset for your Bird Writing Personality. A Dove may need to protect their writing session when other people need them. An Owl may need to finish planning before planning becomes another form of procrastination. A Peacock may need variety without creating a week that’s too ambitious. And an Eagle may need a meaningful target that creates progress without turning the week into another test. Because a good writing plan isn’t about controlling every hour. It’s about creating enough clarity and structure that showing up becomes easier. Inside this episode: Why “I’ll write when I can” leaves too much room for resistance The simple 15-minute Sunday Reset for planning your writing week How to choose realistic writing sessions based on your energy and capacity Why every session needs a clear manuscript task and a small writing minimum How Dove, Owl, Peacock, and Eagle writers can personalise their weekly plan How a weekly reset strengthens your writing rhythm and writer identity The Bird Writing Personalities are tendencies rather than fixed labels, and many writers recognise themselves in a blend of types. Choose the adjustments that support the way you’re writing and living right now. 🌟 Ready to understand more about how you’re uniquely wired to write? Take the free Writing Personality Quiz at: maddisonmichaels.com/quiz 🖋️ And if you’d love personalised support to create a writing rhythm that fits your life, your manuscript, and the way you naturally work, book a free 15-minute clarity call with Maddison at: maddisonmichaels.com/call OR consider a personalized Writing Personality Blueprint Session at maddisonmichaels.com/blueprint ❤️ If this episode helped you, please follow the podcast and leave a quick review. You can also share it with another writer who keeps hoping they’ll find time to write but needs a clearer place to begin. You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Episode 65: Is Your Writing Setup Making Writing Harder? Simple Changes for Comfort, Focus and Flow Writing Wednesday episodes explore the outer work of writing: craft, structure, revision, publishing, process, and the practical steps that help you finish your book. Have you ever opened your manuscript with every intention of writing, only to find yourself rubbing your neck, shifting in your chair, squinting at the screen, or struggling to focus because your body already feels uncomfortable? Sometimes it isn’t the writing that’s making the session feel hard. It’s the space you’re trying to write in. In this episode, Maddison explores how your chair, keyboard, screens, lighting, sound environment, and physical comfort can either support your attention or quietly pull it away from the page. She also takes you inside her own writing “command centre”, complete with three screens, a split ergonomic keyboard, sit-stand equipment, a walking treadmill, a microphone, an exercise ball, and a few other tools she keeps ready for whenever she needs them. But this episode isn’t about copying somebody else’s desk or buying expensive equipment. It’s about understanding what would best support the way you’re uniquely wired to write. Inside this episode, you’ll discover: How physical discomfort can quietly reduce your writing focus and momentum Why Maddison’s setup suits her Owl, Eagle, Auditory Digital and Visual tendencies How your Bird Writing Personality and NLP modality may influence your ideal writing environment Why dictation, multiple screens, music, movement or a minimalist desk will suit different writers Simple, low-cost changes you can test using items you already have The Tiny Setup Check to help you identify one point of friction and make writing feel easier Your writing space never needs to look perfect. It simply needs to support your body, your attention, your creative wiring, and the book you’re here to write. 🌟 For personalised support with your writing patterns, creative wiring and manuscript momentum, book a free 15-minute clarity call with Maddison at: maddisonmichaels.com/call ❤️ If this episode helped you, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another writer whose desk might be making writing harder than it needs to be.
Ep 64 - Mindset Monday episodes explore the inner work of writing: blocks, beliefs, identity, resistance, procrastination, perfectionism, and creative flow. There may be a book calling to you deep in your heart and soul, but part of you is still waiting for a green light. Perhaps you’re waiting until you feel more confident. Until your writing skills are stronger. Or until someone with more experience tells you that your idea is good enough and you truly should write it. But while you wait for that reassurance, you may be quietly handing control of your creative life to someone else. In this episode of Write The Darn Book, Maddison explores the invisible permission structures that keep writers circling their books instead of writing them. She shares the personal moment on a footpath outside a writers conference when she realised that nobody else could decide whether she was ready to become an author. She had to choose the book, finish it, and begin behaving like the writer she wanted to become. You’ll also discover the three permission blocks that commonly keep writers waiting: Waiting for someone else to say yes Waiting until you feel good enough Waiting for the perfect circumstances Maddison will then guide you through creating your own Writer’s Declaration, a personal statement that helps you reclaim control of your writing life and reconnect with the deeper reason your book needs to exist. Because confidence rarely arrives before you begin. It grows through writing the pages, learning the craft, and keeping the promises you make to yourself. Your Writer’s Declaration Take out your journal and complete these three statements: I am the writer of… This book matters because… From today, I give myself permission to… Then place your declaration somewhere visible and choose one action that brings those words to life. Open the manuscript. Write the scene that keeps calling to you. Or protect your next writing session and honour the time you’ve set aside. This is your story. You are the only person who can write it the way it needs to be written. You are the vessel for your story, and if you want to share it with the world, you have to begin. Ready for deeper writing support? If you know you want to write this book but permission, confidence, resistance, or a lack of clear structure keeps pulling you away from the page, you’re welcome to book a free 15-minute clarity call with Maddison. This is a chance to talk about your book, explore what has been keeping you stuck, and see whether one of Maddison’s coaching pathways is the right next step for you. Book your free clarity call: maddisonmichaels.com/call Connect with Maddison: www.maddisonmichaels.com Instagram: @maddisonmichaelsauthor If this episode spoke to you, follow Write The Darn Book and share it with another writer who may still be waiting for permission to begin. You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Welcome to the final part of this special three-part workshop series exploring NLP modalities and how they influence the way you write. Over the past week we've explored how understanding your unique creative wiring can help you move away from one-size-fits-all writing advice and towards a writing process that genuinely works for you. In this final workshop session, we bring everything together so you can begin applying what you've learned to your own writing practice with greater clarity, confidence, and self-trust. If this is your first episode in the series, I'd encourage you to head back and begin with Part 1 before continuing. ✨ Discover your Writing Personality: https://maddisonmichaels.com/quiz 🌐 Learn more: https://maddisonmichaels.com You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Welcome to Part 2 of this special three-part workshop series on NLP modalities and writing. In this episode, we continue exploring how your natural creative wiring influences the way you write, think, create, and experience the writing process. As the workshop unfolds, you'll begin recognising why certain writing approaches have always felt natural to you, while others may have created unnecessary frustration. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, I'd recommend heading back and starting there first, as each episode builds on the one before it. The final part of this workshop will be released as a special bonus episode this Friday. ✨ Discover your Writing Personality: https://maddisonmichaels.com/quiz 🌐 Learn more: https://maddisonmichaels.com You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
This week I'm doing something a little different! I'm sharing a special three-part workshop all about NLP modalities and how the way your brain naturally processes information shapes the way you write. If you've ever wondered why some writing advice feels effortless for other writers but leaves you feeling frustrated, this workshop is for you. In Part 1, we'll explore: • What NLP modalities are • We'll start diving into the four different ways writers naturally process information • Why there is no one "right" way to write • How understanding your natural wiring can transform your writing process Whether you're writing fiction, non-fiction, or your very first book, understanding how you're naturally wired to create can help you stop fighting yourself and start working with your brain instead of against it. This is Part 1 of a special three-part workshop series. Part 2 continues this Wednesday, with the final bonus episode releasing on Friday. ✨ Discover your Writing Personality: https://maddisonmichaels.com/quiz 🌐 Learn more: https://maddisonmichaels.com You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Episode 61: How to Build a Chapter Roadmap Without Boxing Yourself or Your Writing In! Writing Wednesday episodes explore the outer work of writing: craft, structure, revision, publishing, process, and the practical steps that help you finish your book. Episode Summary If chapter planning makes you feel either beautifully supported or completely boxed in, this episode is for you. In today’s Writing Wednesday episode, Maddison explores how to build a flexible chapter roadmap that gives your manuscript direction without suffocating your creativity. Because structure should support the writing, not control it. Whether you’re an Owl who loves a clear plan, a Peacock who resists anything that feels too rigid, a Dove who needs emotional safety around the process, or an Eagle who wants to keep moving with purpose, this episode will help you create a roadmap that works with your wiring rather than against it. You’ll learn how to give each chapter a clear purpose, identify the shift that happens by the end, and leave enough space for discovery as the book reveals itself on the page. Because a chapter roadmap is not a cage. It’s a walking track. Inside This Episode In this episode, you’ll learn: Why chapter planning feels freeing for some writers and suffocating for others The difference between useful structure and rigid over-planning How to create a flexible chapter roadmap using purpose, movement, and discovery Maddison also walks you through a simple next-three-chapters exercise you can use immediately, whether you’re writing fiction, non-fiction, memoir, or a book for your business. You’ll learn how to ask: What is this chapter here to do? What changes by the end? What possible ingredients could I use without locking myself into every detail? This episode is especially useful if you’ve been avoiding your outline because you don’t want to box yourself in, or if you’ve been over-planning because you’re scared to write until the whole manuscript feels perfectly mapped. Free Clarity Call If today’s episode helped you realise your manuscript needs more structure, but you’re worried structure will kill the flow, this is exactly the kind of work Maddison does with writers inside her coaching. You can start applying today’s process on your own. But if you’d love personalised support to see the shape of your book more clearly, identify where the structure is too loose or too tight, and build a roadmap that fits the way you naturally create, you can book a free 15-minute clarity call. This is a mutual fit conversation, not a coaching session and not a pushy sales call. It’s a chance for both of you to explore where you are with your book, what’s getting in the way, and whether one of Maddison’s coaching pathways is the right next step. Book your free clarity call at: maddisonmichaels.com/call Support The Podcast If this episode gave you a clearer way to think about your manuscript, please take a moment to follow the podcast, leave a review, or share it with another writer who’s feeling boxed in by planning or lost without structure. Your book does not need a perfect plan before you begin. But it does need a path. And sometimes that path is closer than you think! You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
THE JOY OF WRITING: HOW TO FALL BACK IN LOVE WITH YOUR STORY Mindset Monday episodes explore the inner work of writing: blocks, beliefs, identity, resistance, procrastination, perfectionism, and creative flow. EPISODE SUMMARY Have you ever opened your manuscript and realised the spark has gone quiet? You still care about the book. You still want to finish it. But the joy that brought you to the story in the beginning feels harder to reach. And when that happens, it is so easy to make it mean something terrible. Maybe this book is wrong. Maybe you have lost your passion. Maybe you are forcing something that should feel easier. But what if the loss of joy is not a sign the story has abandoned you? What if it is a signal that pressure has started speaking louder than pleasure? In this episode, Maddison explores why joy can fade during the writing process, especially when your manuscript moves from discovery into performance, judgement, pressure, or the messy middle. She also shares how she lost the joy halfway through her latest manuscript, what her own Owl, Eagle, and Auditory Digital wiring taught her, and how listening to the story instead of forcing it helped her reconnect with the book. This episode will help you stop seeing lost joy as failure and start seeing it as information. Sometimes the way back to the page is not more pressure. Sometimes it is clarity, space, play, intuition, and the willingness to ask your story what it actually needs from you. INSIDE THIS EPISODE In this episode, you’ll explore: Why losing joy in your writing rarely means you have chosen the wrong book How pressure, comparison, feedback, and perfectionism can crowd out creative pleasure The difference between ordinary resistance and your deeper writer’s intuition asking you to pause How your Bird Writing Personality and NLP modality can shape what joy feels like for you Why discovery writing can feel freeing at first, then unsettling when your structure disappears How Maddison’s own manuscript joy returned when the villain’s motivation finally clicked into place The three-part Joy Reset practice to help you reconnect with your story THE JOY RESET PRACTICE This week’s gentle writing invitation is simple: Spend ten minutes writing something purely for fun. No pressure to use it. No pressure to polish it. No pressure to make it part of the manuscript. You might write a secret scene, a letter from your character, or one tiny moment in the most vivid, indulgent, playful way you can. This is not wasted writing. This is relationship repair between you and the story. FREE CLARITY CALL INVITATION If this episode stirred something in you, and you are tired of looking at the same manuscript, the same notes, and the same unfinished chapters while wondering why you are not making the progress you wanted to make this year, this is your gentle but direct nudge. Awareness is beautiful. Awareness matters. But awareness without action is still just knowledge sitting on the shelf. If you would love support, structure, accountability, and personalised tools to help you understand what is actually getting in the way of your book, you can book a free 15-minute clarity call with Maddison. This is a mutual fit conversation. It is a chance for both of you to look at where you are, what has been getting in the way, and whether one of Maddison’s coaching pathways is the right support to help you finally get this book written. Book your free clarity call at: maddisonmichaels.com/call SUPPORT THE PODCAST If this episode gave you exactly what you needed, please take a moment to follow Write The Darn Book, leave a review, or share it with another writer who needs help coming back to the page. And remember, you are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Traditional, Indie, or Hybrid? How to Choose the Publishing Path That Fits You Writing Wednesday episodes explore the outer work of writing: craft, structure, revision, publishing, process, and the practical steps that help you finish your book. Episode Summary How do you know whether traditional publishing, independent publishing, or hybrid publishing is the right path for your book? In this episode of Write The Darn Book, Maddison Michaels explores the publishing pathway decision through the lens of fit, self-trust, creative wiring, and the kind of author career you actually want to build. Rather than treating one publishing route as better than another, this episode helps you look at what your book needs, what you’re willing to carry, and what kind of publishing experience will best support you. Why This Decision Can Feel So Overwhelming Choosing a publishing path can bring up more than practical questions about agents, covers, royalties, timelines, edits, and distribution. For many writers, it also touches questions of validation, control, credibility, creative freedom, patience, support, and whether they feel like a “real” author. This episode helps you take the pressure out of the decision and come back to the path that fits your book, your temperament, your current life season, and your long-term author goals. Key Takeaways There is no one “right” publishing path. There is only the path that best fits your book, your temperament, your goals, and your current life season. Traditional publishing can offer validation, professional support, industry credibility, and more space to focus on the writing, but it also asks for patience, resilience, and a willingness to work within a gatekeeper system. Independent publishing can offer freedom, control, speed, ownership, and direct decision-making, but it also asks the author to carry more responsibility for production, investment, and marketing. Hybrid publishing can offer support and flexibility when the company is reputable, but it requires careful research, clear contracts, and strong discernment. Your creative wiring matters. Your Bird Writing Personality does not choose your publishing path for you, but it can show you where you may need more support, structure, patience, or self-trust. The best publishing path is not the one that looks most impressive from the outside. It is the one that helps your book reach the right readers while allowing you to keep becoming the writer you are here to be. Inside This Episode You’ll hear about: Why publishing decisions can feel so emotionally loaded The trade-offs between traditional, independent, and hybrid publishing How your creative wiring, goals, capacity, and current life season can shape the right pathway for you Questions To Help You Choose Your Publishing Path Inside the episode, Maddison invites you to ask: What does this book need? What kind of publishing experience will help me stay steady and connected to the work? What does my long-term author career need next? These questions can help you move away from comparison and make a more grounded, conscious decision about the publishing path that fits you. Writing Personality Blueprint Session If this episode has brought up questions about your writing path, your creative wiring, or the kind of support you need to move your book forward, you’re invited to book a Writing Personality Blueprint Session with Maddison. This personalised session helps you understand your DOPE Bird Writing Personality, your NLP Writer’s Mind Modality, your resistance patterns, and the kind of writing process that will actually support you. Book your Writing Personality Blueprint Session here: https://maddisonmichaels.com/blueprint Support The Podcast If this episode helped you, please share it with another writer who is trying to choose the right publishing path for their book. And if you’re enjoying Write The Darn Book, I’d be so grateful if you left a quick review. It helps more writers find the show and get the support they need to finally write the darn book. Remember, you are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Episode 58 Show Notes Why Resistance Spikes Right Before a Breakthrough Mindset Monday episodes explore the inner work of writing: blocks, beliefs, identity, resistance, procrastination, perfectionism, and creative flow. Episode Summary Have you ever noticed your resistance gets louder right before your writing asks more of you? Maybe you’re close to a breakthrough scene. Maybe the end of your manuscript is finally in sight. Or maybe you’re starting a brand-new book, with ideas in your head and a deadline on the calendar, but somehow opening that blank document feels impossible. In this episode, Maddison explores why resistance often spikes right before an important shift in your writing. You’ll learn how to stop treating resistance as proof that something is wrong with you, and instead begin reading it as information that can help you understand what your writing is really asking from you. Inside This Episode You’ll explore: Why resistance often gathers around the parts of your writing that matter most How resistance can show up when you’re starting, finishing, or facing a chapter you’ve been avoiding A simple way to identify what your resistance is protecting and choose one small next step through it Whether you’re writing your first book, returning to a manuscript, or beginning again as a published author, this episode will help you meet resistance with more clarity, compassion, and self-trust. Free Masterclass Invitation Tomorrow, Tuesday 30 June at 10:00am Sydney time, Maddison is running her free writing masterclass: Write To Your Wiring: Discover your NLP writing modality and build a process that works with your mind Inside the masterclass, you’ll discover the four NLP writing modalities: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Auditory Digital. You’ll begin to see why some parts of writing come naturally, why other parts feel harder, and how to build a writing process that works with your unique wiring. Save your free spot here: maddisonmichaels.com/masterclass Can’t attend at 10:00am? Register anyway and you’ll receive the replay. Support The Podcast If this episode helped you understand your resistance in a new way, please follow Write The Darn Book and leave a quick review. It helps more writers find the show and reminds them they’re not broken. They just need the right support, structure, and self-trust to keep going. And remember, you are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Episode 57: Mind Maps For Writers: How To Untangle Your Story When Your Brain Feels Full Writing Wednesday episodes explore the outer work of writing: craft, structure, revision, publishing, process, and the practical steps that help you finish your book. Have you ever opened your manuscript and realised your brain feels so full of ideas that you can’t find the actual scene inside them? In this episode of Write The Darn Book, we’re talking about mind maps for writers and how they can help you untangle plot problems, character motives, chapter planning, theme development and non-fiction structure when your brain feels crowded. Sometimes you’re not stuck because you have no ideas. You’re stuck because you’re holding too many ideas at once. A story mind map gives those thoughts somewhere to land so you can see what’s connected, what’s missing and what needs to happen next. Inside This Episode In this episode, you’ll learn how to use a simple Question, Branch and Connect Mind Map to move from scattered thoughts to one clear writing decision. We explore: Why a full brain often needs a visual release before it can write. The difference between thinking in circles and actually mapping an idea. How to create three simple branches from one clear story question. How to use mind maps when you don’t yet know what the next scene is about. How to turn your map into one practical next writing step. Try This With Your Manuscript Take one scene, chapter or section that feels crowded, flat or unclear. Write this question in the centre of a page: What is this scene really about? Then create three branches: What does the character or reader want? What is creating tension or confusion? What needs to change by the end? Circle the strongest discovery and turn it into one sentence: In my next writing session, I will... That sentence becomes your bridge back to the manuscript. Visual Mind Map Resources I’ve also created visual resources to go with this episode, including an example story mind map using The Devilish Duke, a practical How To Create A Story Mind Map infographic, and a simple scene-planning mind map based on the example from the episode. You’ll find those linked below. Devilish Duke example Mind Map Example How to Create a Mind Map Free Masterclass Invitation If today’s episode made you curious about why certain writing tools work beautifully for you while others feel awkward or frustrating, join me for my free masterclass, Write To Your Wiring, on Tuesday 30 June at 10:00am Sydney Time. You’ll learn how your natural processing style shapes the way you write, what you notice on the page, and what helps you move back into flow. Save your free spot here: maddisonmichaels.com/masterclass If you can’t attend at that time, register anyway and you’ll receive access to the replay. Support The Podcast If this episode helped you, please share it with another writer who might need it. And if you’re loving Write The Darn Book, please follow the show and leave a review. It helps more writers find the podcast and means so much to me. You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
Episode 56: Writing From Imagination: How to Access Your Creative Subconscious Mindset Monday episodes explore the inner work of writing: blocks, beliefs, identity, resistance, procrastination, perfectionism, and creative flow. Episode Summary Have you ever written something and afterwards thought, I have no idea where that came from? In this Mindset Monday episode, Maddison explores the difference between writing from mental pressure and writing from imagination. This is the deeper creative place where the story begins to feel alive, where characters surprise you, and where the words feel like they are flowing through you rather than being forced onto the page. This episode speaks directly to the Write The Darn Book belief that you are the vessel for the story. Whether you call that God, intuition, consciousness, creative energy, or the creative subconscious, the heart of this conversation is learning how to quiet the analytical mind, listen more deeply, and allow the story to come through with greater trust. Inside This Episode Inside this episode, you’ll learn: • The difference between writing from your head and writing from your imagination • Why the creative subconscious matters so much for writers • How your NLP writing modality shapes the way you access story • Why your Bird Writing Personality can affect how safe imagination feels • A simple Imagination Doorway Practice to use before your next writing session You’ll also be invited to try one imagination-led writing session this week, using one doorway question, one breath, and ten minutes of writing before judging what comes through. Free Masterclass Invitation If this episode made you curious about the way your mind naturally accesses story, imagination, and creative momentum, Maddison would love to invite you to her free masterclass, Write To Your Wiring. It’s happening on Tuesday 30 June at 10:00am Sydney Time, and everyone who registers will receive the replay. Save your free spot here: maddisonmichaels.com/masterclass Support The Podcast If this episode supported you, please take a moment to follow the show, leave a review, or share it with another writer who needs a gentler way back into the page. Your support helps more writers find Write The Darn Book and remember that they are not broken, they are not behind, and their story still matters. You are the vessel for the story. Let the words flow through you and onto the page.
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