Send us a text

Ever feel like your topic is taken, your niche is crowded, and your draft adds nothing new? Let’s flip that script. We walk through five clear reasons your words matter now—starting with a reframing that changes everything: writing is a conversation, not a competition. When you see books and essays as flavors, not trophies, the goal shifts from being the only voice to bringing your unique taste to the table. That shift opens the door to momentum, courage, and better work.

We dig into how individual experience and style shape meaning for different readers. Crowded genres signal demand, not futility. Some people will learn from you because of your cadence, stories, and lens—and not from the biggest names in the field. We also talk about the cultural role of writers as torchbearers who keep ideas alive by renewing them for the present. Retellings, reframings, and updates aren’t duplicates; they are bridges that carry wisdom forward.

Then we get tactical. You’ll hear a practical system for starting small and iterating with less fear: test chapters, micro-shares, talks, proposals, and structured feedback loops. We cover “fail early, fail often” as a learning engine, plus the mindset tools that sustain you—resilience for the tough comments and a growth mindset that treats every draft as a step toward a clearer voice. By the end, you’ll have both the why and the how to publish with purpose, find your readers, and keep going when the noise gets loud.

If this resonates, follow the show, leave a quick review to help other writers find it, and share this episode with a friend who needs a nudge to hit publish.

We're excited to announce the launch of our new website: 12weekyearforwriters.com

To celebrate, you can join the 12 Week Year Writers membership for 50% off the first three months.

ABOUT TREVOR THRALL & THE 12 WEEK YEAR FOR WRITERS

• Subscribe to get our free Quick Start Guide at 12weekyearforwriters.com
• Join our community at 12weekyearforwriters.com/membership
• Register for a live workshop at 12weekyearforwriters.com/events
• Connect with Trevor on Linked In

My team and I help writers get their writing done. If you're stuck, it's not a knowledge problem. It's not a skill issue. And it's not a motivation or willpower thing. You know what you need to do and how to do it. The problem is consistent execution: getting the writing done week in and week out.

With the 12 Week Year for Writers system, you'll create a routine that helps you write more, and more happily, than ever before.

Thanks for listening!

Send us a text

Check out the Embracing Uncertainty Workshop, October 20, 2025!

The draft feels stuck, the notes aren’t talking, and your outline suddenly looks like wishful thinking. We’ve all been there. Trevor sits down with writing coach and historian-turned-book coach Christina Larocco to unpack a calm, repeatable way to turn uncertainty into momentum—without waiting for a muse or getting lost in another stack of sources.

Christina shares the simple two-column exercise that changes everything: list what you know on one side and what you don’t know on the other. Those unknowns become concrete questions, and questions become small, focused experiments you can run in a single session. We dig into structured freewriting, constraint-based prompts, and playful methods—from writing a paragraph three ways to sketching a three-panel comic—that coax clarity when the page feels hostile. You’ll hear how to stop the common avoidance loops: surface-level tinkering, endless research, and premature abandonment of promising drafts.

Together we challenge the plotter vs. pantser binary and show how both camps can cross-train. Plotters plan for discovery so surprises strengthen structure instead of derailing it. Pantsers add light scaffolds to restart momentum when instinct stalls. Then we map these tools to the 12-week year framework: breaking a chapter into solvable questions, scheduling micro-experiments, and measuring progress by decisions made, not hours suffered. Whether you’re shaping an academic article, a business book, or a novel’s messy middle, you’ll leave with practical moves to reduce panic, invite curiosity, and make the unknown do the work.

If this conversation helps, share it with a writer who’s stuck, subscribe for more craft and process insights, and leave a quick review—it helps others find the show and join the work-in-progress.

We're excited to announce the launch of our new website: 12weekyearforwriters.com

To celebrate, you can join the 12 Week Year Writers membership for 50% off the first three months.

ABOUT TREVOR THRALL & THE 12 WEEK YEAR FOR WRITERS

• Subscribe to get our free Quick Start Guide at 12weekyearforwriters.com
• Join our community at 12weekyearforwriters.com/membership
• Register for a live workshop at 12weekyearforwriters.com/events
• Connect with Trevor on Linked In

My team and I help writers get their writing done. If you're stuck, it's not a knowledge problem. It's not a skill issue. And it's not a motivation or willpower thing. You know what you need to do and how to do it. The problem is consistent execution: getting the writing done week in and week out.

With the 12 Week Year for Writers system, you'll create a routine that helps you write more, and more happily, than ever before.

Thanks for listening!

Send us a text

The biggest challenge for most writers isn't talent or ideas—it's simply showing up. Ever meant to write but somehow the coffee, inbox, or laundry won instead? You're not alone.

In this deep dive into the psychology of writing consistency, I explore the three major obstacles that keep us from getting our butts in the chair: fear, energy depletion, and what I call the "lizard brain." Rather than beating ourselves up for lacking willpower or discipline, I offer practical, proven strategies to make your writing sessions nearly inevitable.

Fear keeps many writers perpetually stuck in "research mode," avoiding the terrifying blank page. The solution isn't to "man up" but to break projects into baby steps small enough they no longer trigger fear. Finding community—whether through writing groups or mentors—normalizes your experience and provides both emotional support and practical strategies.

For energy struggles, I suggest examining whether your current project truly excites you and scheduling writing sessions as non-negotiable appointments at your peak creative times. As for the lizard brain's constant search for instant gratification over hard work? Develop a personal "showing up ritual" that bridges the gap between intention and action.

My own ritual involved bagels, coffee, and the New York Times before transitioning to writing. Yours might include meditation, journaling, or finding the perfect environment. Whatever works for you becomes your personal strategy for winning that crucial moment of decision when you're on the knife edge between showing up and doing something else.

The magic happens when you combine these strategies into a personalized weekly writing routine. Remember to be kind to yourself—the goal isn't perfection but a sustainable level of happy productivity.

Ready to transform your relationship with writing? Pick one strategy from this episode to test this week. Your future self (and manuscript) will thank you.

We're excited to announce the launch of our new website: 12weekyearforwriters.com

To celebrate, you can join the 12 Week Year Writers membership for 50% off the first three months.

ABOUT TREVOR THRALL & THE 12 WEEK YEAR FOR WRITERS

• Subscribe to get our free Quick Start Guide at 12weekyearforwriters.com
• Join our community at 12weekyearforwriters.com/membership
• Register for a live workshop at 12weekyearforwriters.com/events
• Connect with Trevor on Linked In

My team and I help writers get their writing done. If you're stuck, it's not a knowledge problem. It's not a skill issue. And it's not a motivation or willpower thing. You know what you need to do and how to do it. The problem is consistent execution: getting the writing done week in and week out.

With the 12 Week Year for Writers system, you'll create a routine that helps you write more, and more happily, than ever before.

Thanks for listening!