Student Spotlight: Why Overlearning Is Holding You Back: Neroli Lacey’s Journey to Publishing Success
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Have you ever bought a writing craft book convinced this one would finally unlock the secret to finishing your novel? Only to find your manuscript folder still full of false starts, rewrites, and unfinished drafts?
If so, you’re not alone—and you’re definitely not doing anything wrong.
In fact, this is one of the most common reasons writers get stuck writing their novel. Just ask Neroli Lacey.
When Neroli and I started working together in early 2020, she had what looked like every advantage a writer could ask for. A successful journalism career. A deep love for storytelling. Years of studying the craft. She had worked with well-known editors, taken workshops, and read just about every writing book on the market.
But there was one big problem—her novel still wasn’t finished.
Why Do Writers Get Stuck Despite Studying Craft?
Here’s the thing most writing advice won’t tell you: Collecting more knowledge doesn’t always lead to clarity. Sometimes, it leads to overwhelm.
Neroli wasn’t stuck because she didn’t know enough—she was stuck because she knew too much. She was trying to follow multiple systems at once—using one method for scene structure, another for character arcs, and another for plotting.
Each approach had merit. But when layered on top of each other without a cohesive plan, they created confusion and analysis paralysis.
Sound familiar?
If you've been drowning in writing advice, constantly second-guessing your story, or rewriting the same chapters over and over, you’re probably in the same boat Neroli was in.
3 Writing Breakthroughs That Helped Neroli Finish Her Novel
When Neroli and I started working together, we took a completely different approach. Instead of adding more writing tips, we focused on implementation. Here are the three foundational shifts that helped her go from overwhelmed to published:
- Genre clarity gave her a roadmap. We started by identifying the kind of story she was really telling. Her book was layered and complex (like many great novels!), but without a clear genre spine, she didn’t know which plot thread to prioritize. Once we landed on an external genre of crime, a supporting love story subplot, and an internal worldview arc, she finally had a framework that made story decisions easier. No more guessing—just focused, intentional choices.
- A scene-by-scene outline created structure. With genre in place, we outlined the novel scene by scene, aligning the external events with the protagonist’s internal growth. This wasn’t rigid or formulaic—it gave her freedom within structure. Her outline became a compass she could return to anytime the writing got difficult.
- A scene-level framework turned theory into action. Finally, we broke things down to the page level. Using the Story Grid's "Five Commandments of Storytelling," Neroli learned how to build scenes that actually worked. Instead of vague goals like “make the character stronger,” she had a repeatable checklist to guide each writing session. Each scene became a building block. Each chapter moved her story forward.
From Messy Draft to Award-Winning Novel
With these tools in place, Neroli stopped spinning. She moved from scattered studying to focused execution—and her novel, The Perfumer’s Secret, took shape.
That book became a Pulitzer Prize Finalist, an International Book Awards Winner, and a National Indie Excellence Award Winner in Women's Fiction.
But more important than the accolades?
Neroli didn’t go back to collecting more writing advice. She kept moving forward—with confidence. Neroli is now working on her fourth novel, using the same framework.
The Real Secret to Finishing Your Novel
Neroli’s story proves something I’ve seen over and over again as a book coach: Finishing your novel isn’t about learning everything. It’s about applying the right things to your specific story.
As Neroli puts it: “You don’t have to know what you’re doing. You take the first step—and the path appears.”
If you’ve been stuck in “study mode,” reading more books, signing up for more courses, or bouncing between plot methods… let this be your turning point.
You don’t need another craft book. You need a novel writing framework that brings everything together—something that helps you write forward, finish strong, and feel proud of what you’ve created.
Ready to Stop Studying and Start Finishing?
If Neroli’s journey resonates with you—if you’ve been collecting writing advice but struggling to complete your novel—it might be time for a new approach. Join the waitlist for my Notes to Novel course, where you'll learn the same three foundational elements that helped Neroli transform her messy manuscript into an award-winning novel. No more information overload, no more conflicting advice—just the clear, focused framework you need to finally finish your book.
👉 Want more help right now? Check out these free resources:
- Listen to the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast for weekly writing guidance
- Take the Author Success Blueprint Quiz to get personalized next steps for your writing, editing, and publishing journey
- Grab my free guide to see how real writers (like you!) pushed past these roadblocks to finish their novels: 5 Writing Roadblocks Keeping You Stuck & How to Break Through
