What if the biggest obstacle between you and a finished novel isn’t your plot, your characters, or your writing skills—but your own mindset?
In this episode of The Author’s Mind, I’m talking with award-winning suspense author S.R. Fabrico about the real inner game of writing fiction. Stacey went from secretly printing her first 80,000-word manuscript on a copy machine as a Christmas gift for her husband… to becoming a multi-published author. She’s sharing the mindset shifts, habits, and hard-won truths that helped her keep writing when fear, doubt, and perfectionism told her to stop.
In this conversation, you’ll discover:
· The counterintuitive secret to finishing your first draft (why your first draft is supposed to be “crap”)
· How to write suspense and build tension that keeps readers turning pages
· Why even experienced authors still struggle with perfectionism—and practical ways to push through it
· How to separate your self-worth from your writing so critiques don’t destroy your confidence
· What to do when you feel like quitting your novel, and how to give yourself a real chance to succeed
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
02:30 – How S.R. Fabrico accidentally became a novelist
08:45 – “Your first product is going to be crap”: the truth about first drafts
15:20 – Using dance and choreography principles to build suspense on the page
22:10 – Perfectionism, failure, and why not finishing is the only guaranteed loss
28:00 – “What you do is what you do. It’s not who you are”: protecting your self-worth
32:45 – Practical mindset tools to keep writing when you’re scared
38:00 – Final advice for writers who are afraid to start—or finish—their book
If you’re a fiction writer who wants to finish your novel, grow your confidence, and develop a resilient author mindset, this episode is for you.
Connect with S.R. Fabrico:
Website: SRFabrico.com
Social: @SRFabrico_author
Subscribe to The Author’s Mind for more real conversations with working authors about author mindset, novel writing, fiction writing tips, suspense writing, and the craft of telling powerful stories.
#AuthorMindset #NovelWriting #FictionWritingTips #FinishYourNovel #WritingTips #SuspenseWriting #OvercomingPerfectionism #WritingMindset #FirstDraft #WritingCommunity
Find Shilo's books here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFV59FRQ?binding=kindle_edition&qid=1771886025&sr=1-1&ref
Looking for her other pen names? Check them out!
Elysian Hunt ~ Clean Rom Coms
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFZ4P281?binding=kindle_edition&ref
Quinn Knightly ~ Medieval action adventure
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT4YMGZL?binding=kindle_edition&qid=1771885958&sr=8-1&ref
C.R. Fulton ~ Middle grade chapter books that are wholesome:
https://bakkenbooks.com/collections/the-campground-kids-collection