#239. Student Spotlight: How J.J. Henley Finished Her First Draft in 8 Months (With Two Kids and In 15 Minutes at a Time)

#239. Student Spotlight: How J.J. Henley Finished Her First Draft in 8 Months (With Two Kids and In 15 Minutes at a Time)

From Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice by Savannah Gilbo

March 17, 2026 · 50 min · Episode 239

About this episode

J.J. Henley shares her journey of completing her first novel in just 8 months while managing family life.

She wrote her first novel in 15-minute increments—in drive-through lines, at the dance studio, at swim lessons—while raising two kids and walking through one of the hardest seasons of her family's life. And she finished her book. That's Jackie Henley's (pen name J.J. Henley) story, and I wanted to bring her onto the podcast because I know so many of you feel like life keeps getting in the way of writing your novel. Jackie's story is proof that it doesn't have to. Jackie is a mom of two,...

People in this episode

Host: Savannah Gilbo

Guest: J.J. Henley

Topics covered

  • writing process
  • time management
  • parenting and writing
  • overcoming obstacles
  • first draft completion

Keywords

  • first draft
  • writing tips
  • time management
  • parenting
  • creative writing

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