Today I’m answering a listener question: How do you know when you’re done? It seems straightforward on the surface—you’re done when the essay is published, when the book comes out, or when the workshop is over. But not every writing project has defined edges. In fact, this episode argues that when we’re wondering if we’re done with something, we’re actually asking the wrong question.
Conversation Starters
“When something is finished, it might mean something is true. It could mean someone will read your words. It means you now need to relate to this part of your life differently. You need to tell a new story about what happened to yourself. None of these things are bad, but when we're habituated to the old narratives, change is always hard.”
Episode Highlights
Understanding completion as a phased experience
Questions to ask yourself to gauge where you are in the process
Examples of finishing—from blogging to Facebook groups
The advice MFK Fisher gave Ruth Reichel that changed the course of her career (and her relationship to finishing)
Linkable Mentions
Episode 26: Cultivating Trust in the Writer’s Life
Episode 50: Make Space, Not Time & Other Insights From the Sacred Pause
Let’s Connect
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Say hi on Instagram: @nicolegulotta.author