Starting a novel is easy. Finishing is hard. Finishing is what distinguishes wannabe writers from professionals. It is an essential skill and yet finishing is often overlooked—or even omitted entirely—from the checklist of elements a writer must master if they wish to be successful. There is nothing mystical about finishing. It is a discipline that can be developed, a habit that can be ingrained into one’s writing practice if approached with a clear and thoughtful mindset. In this seminar, we’ll break down the stages of writing a novel, pinpoint where writers and stories often fall by the wayside and explore practical ways to overcome these traps and push through to the promised land.