S11 E08 You Like Your Outline but Now You Don't Want to Write the Book
For years I've said the reason I'm not an outliner is that once I've outlined a story, I feel like I've already written it—and it stops being fun. But a writer in the Book Incubator recently brought me a more specific version of this problem: what happens when you love your outline, don't want to change a single thing about it, and you've still lost all your excitement to actually sit down and write it? In this episode: + Why losing interest in your own outline doesn't always mean the story itself needs to change + How to get to the part you're actually excited to write (and what to do with the rest) + The real reason writing while bored hurts both you and the reader Related episode: What to Do with Scenes You Don’t Want to Write but Think You Have to → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOqQkkqhk3A&t=4s Love the show? Share it with a fellow writer or leave a review! For more resources, visit thebookincubator.com. Want to watch the video episodes? Visit https://www.youtube.com/@maryadkins Let's connect! Come say hi on Instagram: @book.incubator Happy writing! — Mary ======================== RESOURCES: + Ready to write your dream book? Apply for The Book Incubator with no obligation to enroll and get my free training HOW TO WRITE AN (ACTUALLY) GOOD BOOK IN 45 MINUTES A DAY: https://www.thebookincubator.com/ + A Novel in 52 Prompts - A scene-by-scene blueprint for writing your novel: https://www.thebookincubator.com/novel-in-52-prompts ======================== Hi, I'm Mary! I'm the author of the novels When You Read This (Indie Next Pick and “Best Book of 2019” by Good Housekeeping), Privilege (Today.com “Best Summer Read”), and Palm Beach (New York Post “Best Book of 2021” and “like a sandy beach, equal parts beautiful and uncomfortable” according to the Associated Press). My memoir, You Might Feel A Little Pressure, was released by Third Rail Press in 2025. My books have been published in 13 countries, and I've written for the New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, and more. I founded an MFA-alternative, The Book Incubator, which has now helped hundreds of writers finish their books over 12 months and continues supporting them through publication (yes, forever!). When I’m not writing, I’m probably building a fort with my 7-year-old son Finn or bathing with an overpriced Lush bath bomb. I live in Dallas, where I spend my free time trying to domesticate a stubborn tabby and shamelessly watching reality TV. ======================== Social: + Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/book.incubator