5 Painful Mistakes I Made Writing My First Book (So You Don’t Have To)

When I started writing my book, I was passionate but painfully unprepared.

No roadmap. No plan. Just vibes.

I had this big, exciting story inside my head...but when I sat down to write it? Chaos.

I was stuck in a cycle of writing disconnected scenes and not knowing how to fix the mess I’d made. I felt like a failure. But I wasn’t. I just didn’t have the tools yet.

So I became obsessed with learning everything I could about story structure. I analyzed novels, devoured books, watched film breakdowns, and filled notebooks with what I learned. Eventually, I even went to film school.

But most of what I know? I taught myself in the trenches, one painful mistake at a time.

Here are five of the biggest writing mistakes I made in my first draft, and what I learned from them. If you’re a writer feeling overwhelmed, I hope this helps you take a deep breath and keep going.

Mistake #1: Writing Without a Plot = Chaos

I thought I could “pants” my way through an entire novel. I ended up with a pile of disconnected, beautiful scenes that didn’t connect or lead anywhere.

Don’t get me wrong, I love discovery writing as much as the next guy. But I realized that if I wanted to take my writing seriously, I needed a structure.

That’s when I started studying frameworks like:

• The Hero’s Journey

• The Three-Act Structure

• Freytag’s Pyramid

And I created templates for each of them. But instead of cookie-cutter "fill in the blanks," I built something better: tools that ask the right questions, so you always know what to write next.

Mistake #2: Writing Pretty Scenes That Did Nothing

My scenes were emotional. Descriptive. Poetic even.

But they didn’t move the story forward.

Because I didn’t know where I was headed, I couldn’t tell what mattered and what needed to go. I was drowning in overwhelm.

Eventually, I learned how to write scenes with purpose.

I created a Scene Planning Worksheet to help me (and now you) figure out:

1. Is this scene necessary?

2. If not, how can I strengthen it instead of cutting it?

This tool saved both my draft and my sanity.

Mistake #3: Losing Control of My Subplots

This one is a bit goofy, but I either completely forgot about my subplots or they hijacked the main story.

I once wrote an entire side plot where my characters were having deep walks in the park while the villain was still out there wrecking cities. Oops.

I learned that subplots should support the main arc, not compete with it.

Now there’s a Subplot Development Worksheet in my toolkit that helps writers weave those “walks in the park” seamlessly into the main story, so nothing gets lost or forgotten.

Mistake #4: Pacing? What’s That?

My pacing was all over the place. Some chapters dragged. Others raced by. And the whole thing felt off.

I didn’t want to read it. Or share it. Or even look at it.

That’s when I dove into studying tension, rhythm, and momentum: aka, how great writers shape a reader’s experience. What I learned became the Pacing Guide that now lives in my toolkit. It will help you keep your readers turning the page and loving the journey.

Mistake #5: I Didn’t Know How to End It

When I finally reached “the end,” I panicked.

There was no plan. No payoff. Just vibes (again).

I rewrote the ending seven times. None of them worked.

I had to learn how to craft endings that feel earned: ones that tie back to the beginning and hit the reader in the heart.

That research turned into the Ending Blueprint. It’s a step-by-step guide to writing powerful, satisfying endings, even if you're stuck or scared.

What I Did With All of This

Every mistake I made, every lesson I learned, and every hour I spent studying story structure, I poured into one thing:

The Ultimate Plotting Toolkit

Inside you’ll find:

• Proven plot templates

• Worksheets that guide your thinking

• Structure made simple

• Tools I wish I had when I started

This toolkit is for the writer who’s passionate but overwhelmed.

Who knows there’s a story to tell—but needs support shaping it.

You don’t need to spend months flailing.

You don’t need to guess or Google your way through the dark.

I’ve already done the heavy lifting—so you don’t have to.

Want to finish your book (without losing your mind)?

Grab your copy of the Ultimate Plotting Toolkit today.

Happy writing,
xo Rachel
Your Writing Coach