Here we go: Day 21!
I hope yesterday went well—not just as a breather, but as practice in trusting your writer instincts. Because this challenge isn’t only about learning structure…it’s sneakily also about learning how to be and think like a writer.
A lot of what makes someone finish a book is not talent. It’s identity. It’s the stubborn willingness to keep showing up. Writing a book is a test of endurance, not a test of being clever.
Over the last few days we did something very intentional:
we audited what was working and what wasn’t
we realigned a couple sticky points
we took a breather day to reset your grip and let your instinct come back online
That sequence (Days 18–20) is where fatigue usually hits hardest. It’s where people stop opening emails because they feel behind and start thinking, “What’s the point?”
So remember: you’re not too far behind. If you miss a couple days and come back, you’re doing it exactly the way real writers do it.
And if you want to compound yesterday’s “I’m still here” momentum: like this post again. Not for me (promise)….for your brain. It’s a quick win, and quick wins help you to keep going.
(It’s like adding ‘clean teeth’ or ‘drink morning tea’ to your to-do list just so that you have something you’ve already done (or will do anyway) to tick off. It gets your momentum going and builds self trust. That compounds to getting more done.
Side note: the blueprint grid
A couple of you have said you’re a bit confused about where things go in the blueprint and how to fill the grid out cleanly.
Totally fair: this is usually something I’d support with more live back-and-forth. In the Academy, we’d have at 3 weekly opportunities to chat live—in groups or 1:1—about your work.
So: I’m going to record a supplemental screen-share walkthrough showing you exactly how to fill the blueprint grid, and I’ll drop that into the email in the next couple of days. It won’t replace the main daily lesson; it’ll be added into the regular lesson as an extra.
If you’re already confident with the grid, you can skip it.
Today: we’re back in the story
Today we move into the next stage of the Hero’s journey: The approach to the innermost cave (aka: the approach).
Up to now, you’ve built the whole set-up:
ordinary world
disruption and resistance (call + refusal)
meeting the mentor
crossing the threshold
tests, allies, and enemies
You’ve been stress-testing the Hero’s belief system. You’ve been watching the tug-of-war between want and need.
Now we hit a shift.
The approach is where the story tightens.
This isn’t the big battle yet. There are no fireworks and no resolution; it’s the moment where the Hero senses—consciously or not—that something serious is coming. The world starts closing in, and the cost of staying the same starts rising fast.
In other words: the Hero is heading toward the central ordeal, and they start preparing for it…while still believing they can get through it using the old tools.
They’re usually wrong.
Where you’ve seen this before
If you want a clean example of tests adding up, watch Finding Nemo. You can literally see the string of trials teaching Marlin something, bit by bit, until the failures start stacking.
And if you want one of the best examples of tension building in an “approach” sequence, watch Argo—the way the film tightens as they try to get to the plane is an A+ lesson in focused, escalating pressure.
How the approach fits into everything you’ve built
Here’s the logic from the beginning to now:
ordinary world: who they were
call + refusal: why change was resisted
mentor: glimpses of another way to live or believe
threshold: the commitment is made (even if they’re shaky)
tests / allies / enemies: the old belief is stress-tested (but not broken yet)
approach: everything converges—allies matter, enemies sharpen, tension devices become more focused, and the Hero braces for what’s coming
If you have a ticking clock or a looming consequence, this is where it starts feeling close enough to touch.
Your task today
I’m going to give you 7 questions.
If you want to answer all of them, gold star.
But your actual task is simple: pick 2 and answer them in the comments. (These are all about the moment after the tests and trials have gotten to be too much. They will have gone through 3-5 tests and/or trials here.)
Here are the 7:
Where is your Hero physically right now?
What literal place are they in? What environment are they moving through?What do they believe they’re preparing for?
What do they think the next challenge is?What plan, strategy, or emotional posture are they adopting?
What “face” are they putting on? What story are they telling themselves?Which ally matters most right now…and why?
Who becomes essential at this stage?What task do they think they understand?
What are they confident about (even if they shouldn’t be)?What risk are they missing?
What danger, consequence, or cost are they underestimating?How is their flaw still in control here?
Where is the want still running the show?
You can bullet-point your answers. You can freewrite. You do not need polished prose. We’re getting the shape of it.
Why this matters
This stage sets you up for what comes next: moving from the approach into the ordeal, where things get very serious.
We’re going to drive the action of the story forward over the next few days, and then we’ll have time at the end to make sure everything is working together.
Reflection question
As you answer your two questions, keep this in mind:
What still needs to fall away for your Hero before they can face the “big boss” of this story?
I’ll open the thread (and if I forget, Clare and Penelope have offered to help…bless them). Either way, the questions will be here in the email so you’re not hunting for them.
Alright. Back into it.
I’m rooting for you, and I’ll see you tomorrow.
Xx Shelly
P.S. The Academy team has been hard at work over the last week refreshing the website. If you had a look before, you might want to take another gander. There’s info there about joining the Academy if you want to check it out…because I know that I’d be curious if I were in a free challenge and wonder, ‘okay, what’s this lady going to try to sell me?’ As always, you are under NO obligation to join. If you do the free challenge and then dip, no judgment here. But…I happen to think that a membership in the Academy (especially at the current rate) is amazing.
