The Tightrope Walker’s Secret to Finishing Your Novel
And How to Use It Yourself
About a year ago, I came across a powerful idea that transformed my life in many ways. It comes straight out of a circus act, but trust me, there’s nothing funny about it.
Imagine this, if you will:
A tightrope walker steps onto the rope, high above the ground. Beneath her lies a hungry void. She knows the risks. Her legs tremble.
Where should she direct her stare?
Some people would say, “She should watch her feet.”
But no. That’s the worst thing she could do. Because the moment she pauses to stare at the drop, the moment she looks down, glimpses the abyss, and focuses on the fear—she will wobble, she will freeze, and she will fall.
(Don’t worry, there’s a safety net in this metaphor. She can always climb back up.)
Instead, she should fix her gaze ahead, eyes locked on the platform waiting on the other side. Doing so will give her balance, courage, and the ability to walk the rope to its end.
And what has any of that got to do with you?
From Circus Act to Metaphor
Writing a novel is much like walking a tightrope, if you think about it.
At the start, you might step onto the rope with confidence. You’re excited. The story idea hums with possibility.
But then you glimpse the void below—the risk of failure, self-doubt, frustration and despair—and you wobble.
What if this story is a mess?
What if I never finish?
What if I’m just not good enough?
The longer and harder you stare into your fears, the deeper and hungrier they become.
Instead, you need to look far ahead at the opposite platform. At the things you wish to achieve. At your vision.
The better and brighter your vision, the more it will give you the power to advance, one word at a time, to the end of your novel.
Let’s Write Your Vision
Give it a shot! At the least, it’s a fun writing exercise. At the most, it’s a beautiful beacon that will always guide you forward on your path.
Here’s how to create a powerful vision.
1. Dream Big—or Small
Dare to dream as big as you’d like or as small as you’d like. As long as the vision perfectly resonates with you, it’s perfect.
The following goals are all legitimate:
✅ Becoming a best-selling writer
✅ Becoming a millionaire writer
✅ Leaving your creative mark on an entire genre
✅ Making friends and family appreciate your talent and hard work
✅ Influencing the life of at least one person through your writing
✅ Proving to your English teacher that she was wrong about you
2. Capture Your Future
Describe in detail a day (or more) in your life as a successful writer. What does “success” mean to you? What does it allow you to do with your life? What impact do you have on the world?
Go into the gritty details. Do you keep a website where millions come for inspiration? What pages does the website have? What are your favorite ones? How is it designed?
Do you interact with your fans? Is it in writing or in person? Do they send you gifts or letters? What’s the most meaningful letter a fan has sent you?
Think about every aspect of your success—from the breakfast you eat to the color of the sheets you tuck yourself into at night.
3. Use the Right Words
How you write your vision also makes a difference. Here are five rules of thumb:
👉 On Paper or Keyboard
Save your words on paper or on your hard drive, because only written words endure the test of time.
❌ Keep your vision as a vague thought or even a detailed daydream.
✅ Write down every word of it.
👉 Use the First-Person Point-of-View
As you write your vision, use the first-person POV. Your vision is a story. If you write it in the first-person, your brain automatically accepts that it’s happening to you.
❌ “You are famous.”
✅ “I am famous.”
👉 Use the Present Tense
When you write in the present tense, even if it’s about events that are far into the future, you’re convincing your brain that it’s all happening right now. Which is exactly what we want—to keep the excitement alive.
❌ “Thousands of people will read my stories.”
✅ “Thousands of people are reading my stories.”
👉 Use Positive Wording
Here’s a curious thing about our brains: they don’t process the word “no” very well. In fact, they seem to skip it and bring up all the connotations, associations, and emotions of the concept we are trying to negate.
To take advantage of that, always write your vision using positive wording.
❌ “I never abandon a story halfway there.”
✅ “I see every story through.”
👉 Use All Five Senses and Emotions
Like in writing, you want to engage your brain with a realistic experience that plays on all five senses. The more details, the better.
✅ “I use my smooth, extra-heavy, well-balanced pen to autograph my books.”
✅ “I wear my favorite perfume/cologne for the book convention.”
✅ “I’m so touched by the reader’s email that warm tears flood my eyes.”
That’s it!
Making the Most of Your Vision
Once you have a vision, here are three great things you can do with it:
1. Read it out loud to yourself every morning to charge your day with extra energy.
2. Tired of reading it out loud? Record yourself and hit play every day.
3. Pin it above your workstation and refer to it whenever you need a boost.
Conclusion
Every writer wobbles. Every writer feels fear. There will most likely be setbacks in your writing journey (and we’ll tackle many of them here).
But if you stay locked onto your vision—you will find the willpower to deal with any setback that pops up.
So, eyes forward! Keep putting one word in front of the other until you reach your goal.
See you next week!
Tal Valante Kilim
👉 P.S. What’s the biggest struggle keeping you from finishing your novel? Comment below, and I might cover it in an upcoming post!