19: The Step Most Writers Skip (That Makes Everything Harder)

19: The Step Most Writers Skip (That Makes Everything Harder)

From For Women who Write by Mikaela Mathews

March 30, 2026 · 25 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the importance of outlining in the writing process and how skipping this step can lead to frustration for writers.

Let’s talk about something most writers completely miss. You start researching how to write a book and suddenly you’re flooded with advice on writing, publishing, marketing. But there’s a step that quietly gets skipped. And it’s usually the reason you feel stuck. In this episode, I’m walking you through why outlining isn’t optional, and why trying to “figure it out while you write” is what creates so much frustration in the first place. Here’s the truth: Good writing is clear thinking. And if...

People in this episode

Host: Mikaela Mathews

Topics covered

  • writing
  • outlining
  • book research
  • frustration in writing
  • clear thinking

Keywords

  • writing advice
  • publishing
  • marketing
  • outlining
  • clear thinking

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