When Your Book Outgrows Solo, Thrive like a Jumping Cholla
If you’ve ever had a spiny cholla cactus latch onto your ankle, you know the exquisite agony. But there’s genius in its prickliness. Each fierce little spine is actually composed of many smaller, shingled barbs. This makes them remarkably effective at latching onto passing creatures—so effective that a single spine can anchor itself in a half-pound slab of meat and lift it. That’s not just defensive; it’s a brilliant reproductive strategy. Those detached segments hitch rides to new locations where they’ll grow into entirely new plants.
Last month, during a phone call with a potential client, I was taking notes about where he was in his book process and where he wanted to go. My next question in those calls—which I frame in various ways—is always delicate: What do you feel is keeping you from that goal? I'm careful how I ask because more often than not, authors feel they’re at fault—that something in them is holding their hopes and dreams back.
As Queen of Everything, I have learned to see the tender heart of the cactus beneath the defensive spines. This is never writer’s block or a discipline problem. This is about an accomplished author who’s simply outgrown going solo—and just feels terrible about it.
I have a regal rule that no one shall ever feel terrible about their book experience, EVER. It just might mean that you’ve officially outgrown your project. Like the cholla that looks problematic but is actually executing a sophisticated reproductive strategy, your “need for help” isn’t mushy cactus pulp—it’s evolutionary wisdom. You’ve reached the point where a creative or editorial partner might be what separates the published from the perpetually polishing.
Four Signals You’ve Outgrown Solo Writing
I’ve learned that successful authors recognize when their book idea has evolved beyond what their effort can accomplish within a given timeframe or bandwidth. This is different for everyone—you might relish the solo challenge, for example.
But for many others, the shift from solo to collaborative work is about permitting your project to grow beyond what any single person can optimize alone—even someone as capable as you.
Recognize any of these moments?
- You’ve stopped trusting your own judgment about what works.
You find yourself endlessly second-guessing decisions that used to feel instinctive. Should this chapter come earlier? Does this story serve the larger message? You make the change, you doubt, you hit control-Z, you ask again. When will it ever end???
QOE reframe: Trust that your judgment knows when it needs a break. You’ve simply reached the limits of self-evaluation. When you’re this close to your material, you may need a long break, or just someone who can see both the forest and the Joshua trees. Book a strategy call, seek out a developmental analysis, or find a long-term writer/editor collaborator.
2. Your expertise feels like a burden rather than an asset.
You who know so much about your topic can no longer figure out what readers need to know versus what you want to tell them. Would you believe me when I say that your abundance of expertise is a luxury to celebrate, especially in these frustrating moments?
QOE reframe: Think of yourself as a desert hiker with too many fascinating trails to explore. A collaborative partner is also a guide who can help you find the path that serves your readers’ journey, not just your encyclopedic knowledge.
3. You’re managing the work instead of doing the work.
You’re spending more mental energy on tracking changes, organizing chapters, and fact-checking than on the creative decisions that will move your book idea closer to your goal. In a word: timesuck.
QOE reframe: Huzzah! Your project has achieved magnificent complexity—like my desert maison renovation that needed permits and specialists and an actual septic tank. A collaborative partner becomes your general contractor for words, handling the project management infrastructure and adapting to your creative process, freeing you to do the thinking that makes your book thrive.
4. You’re craving intellectual partnership that goes beyond encouragement.
Your friends and family are wonderfully supportive, but you’re hungry for someone who can engage with your ideas at their full complexity. You want more than “this is great.” You know that satisfying feeling when you feel the tug of creative tension that challenges your assumptions, suggests alternative approaches, and pushes you toward ideas you wouldn’t reach alone? Me too. It’s sublime.
QOE reframe: You’re ready for a creative partnership that transforms competent work into compelling work. Find that person who “gets” you. Explore possibilities, debate structure, dive deep into the work itself.
From Prickly to Purposeful
The most successful collaborative relationships I’ve facilitated as a ghostwriter and editor happen with authors who see the signals above as indicators of next-level readiness.
Like the cholla’s seemingly problematic spines that are survival/thrival strategy, your readiness for collaboration isn’t a flaw in your creative process—it’s evolution in action. But if you’re able to reach the next level solo—tell me! I want to learn what you did to get there. (Maybe your successful solo journey is the subject of your next book!)
For others whose schedule, bandwidth, or even just limited technical skills feel like heavy millstones, find the people who can be the bridge between your brilliant ideas and the clean, compelling book waiting inside them.
You’ve already proven you can create meaningful work on your own. Now let’s discover what becomes possible when you don’t have to. Contact me to discuss how we can design a collaborative process around your unique style, goals, and the amazingly ambitious work you’re ready to create together.
Elizabeth Smith is a ghostwriter, developmental editor, and book strategist with two decades of publishing experience—and a southpaw with a mean right hook. Between a NYC boxing gym and her Mojave Desert maison, she helps thinkers, creatives, and organizations articulate their ideas through books that resonate deeply. Ready to transform your vision into a book with impact? Let’s connect!
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