Aren't You Glad George Bailey Didn't Give Up?

Every Christmas, millions of people rewatch It’s a Wonderful Life. 

Even the black and white version grabs my attention when I’m flipping channels on the TV.

After he loses everything, George Bailey despairs of life—and wishes he'd never been born.

But all of us watching the movie know the ending.

The tragedy isn’t that George thinks he failed. It’s that he almost quit before seeing what life would be like without him.

And every year, writers like you and me can identify with George in the almost. Almost finished. Almost brave enough. Almost ready to share the thing we’ve spent years creating.

If you’re reading this and your manuscript is 80% done, this post is for you. If your manuscript is sitting in a drawer, a Dropbox folder, or “Version_Final_FINAL_ReallyFINAL.docx,” this post is definitely for you.

Because my Christmas wish list this year isn’t for writers who are just starting out. It’s for writers who are almost done—and somehow stuck right there.

In today’s Power Writers Report, I'm going to share what I would put under the tree for every author who's a..l....most done with their manuscript but can't quite cross the finish line. 

Let’s go!

My Christmas List For You

I deal with the "almost" malady almost every day. How do you know when your manuscript is ready? And even when you subconsciously know it's ready, what do you need to do to move it forward? 

Here's what I wish for you:

🎄 1. The Courage to Finish Ugly

For many of you...

You don’t need more time.
 

You don’t need more research.
 

You don’t need one more revision “just to tighten things up.”

YOU. NEED. COURAGE.

Finishing a book is psychologically different than starting one. Starting feels hopeful. Finishing feels like you're exposed. Naked. Vulnerable. 

When the book is unfinished, it’s still perfect in your imagination. Once it’s done, it becomes real—and open to criticism.

My Christmas wish for you is the courage to finish the draft that makes you slightly uncomfortable. The one that isn’t as profound as you hoped. The one that feels like it reveals a little too much of your soul.

Ugly drafts aren't failures. They're the gateway to the next level.

🎄 2. A Deadline That Actually Matters

Self-imposed deadlines are like New Year’s resolutions: inspiring, optimistic, and often doomed.

“I’ll finish by spring.”

“Once things slow down at work…”

“After the holidays.”

Here’s the truth: if the deadline doesn’t cost you anything, it won’t motivate you.

Most “almost done” writers aren’t lazy. They’re successful people with full lives. The problem is that writing has become optional—something squeezed into the margins instead of anchored in reality.

My Christmas wish is for you to have a deadline that matters because someone else knows about it. A deadline tied to accountability, structure, or a real publishing conversation—not just a promise whispered to yourself late at night.

Progress becomes momentum when the finish line is visible and unavoidable.

🎄 3. Permission to Be Seen

Many writers think they’re stuck because of time, skill, or energy. In my experience, they’re stuck because of visibility.

An unfinished manuscript can’t be judged.

A finished book can.

Being seen as a writer is scarier than being seen as a person who writes. One is a hobby. The other is an identity.

Finishing the book means you’re no longer preparing—you’re declaring. And declaration triggers fear: What if it’s not good enough? What if people I respect read it? What if it changes how they see me? 

What if they think I'm full of shitake mushrooms???

My Christmas wish for you is permission—internal permission—to let the book exist without knowing how it will be received. Publishing is not a verdict on your worth. It’s simply the next honest step.

I say this all the time: You are not your book.

READ. THAT. AGAIN!!

You don’t need universal approval. You need to publish your book.

If you're an Illumify writer and you think I'm talking to you...I AM!!

🎄 4. A Publishing Path That Fits You

One reason “almost done” writers stall is because the publishing world feels overwhelming, outdated, or mismatched with their goals.

Some think, If I can’t get a traditional deal, why bother?

Others think, Self-publishing sounds overwhelming.

Many are caught somewhere in between, unsure which path respects both their work and their time.

The truth is: there has never been more flexibility in publishing—but there has also never been more noise.

My Christmas wish is that you stop trying to force your book into someone else’s definition of success. You don’t need the biggest platform, the loudest launch, or a fantasy outcome borrowed from another writer’s story.

You need a path that fits your season of life, your energy, and your reasons for writing this book in the first place.

Clarity here removes enormous internal friction.

🎄 5. A Guide Who Won’t Let You Drift

This may be the most important item on the list.

Most “almost done” writers don’t need more information. They need someone who will say, kindly but firmly, “No—you’re not circling back again. You’re moving forward.”

Drifting feels productive. Thoughtful. But it’s an illusion that acts as a cover for fear.

My Christmas wish is that you don’t try to finish this book alone out of pride or habit. Writing is solitary. Finishing doesn’t need to be.

The right guide doesn’t rush you—but they also don’t let you disappear. They help you distinguish between necessary patience and subconscious delay.

The Ending Matters

Your book isn't missing isn’t inspiration. It’ lacks the decision to cross the final threshold.

So here’s my real Christmas wish for you: that this is the year your book stops being “almost done” and starts being real.

If you’d like to talk through what finishing—and publishing—could actually look like for you, I invite you to schedule a private conversation with me. No pressure. No hype. Just clarity.

👉Schedule your appointment here:

Let’s make this the year your story gets its happy ending.

What happens when two sisters team together to release a children's picture book?

Snow Day!

Gwen Young (author) and Cheryl West (illustrator) worked together to release a delightful story about a family that wakes one morning to find their world blanketed in three feet of snow. 

What begins as excitement over canceled studies quickly becomes a story of teamwork, kindness, and community. From shoveling driveways together to building snow forts, igloos, and snowmen, this heartwarming tale captures the magic of winter and the joy of helping others.

The perfect Christmas present for every child you know. 

Congratulations, Gwen and Cheryl!!

Let's bring your book to life!