Writing Hacks and Red Flags: Fast Laps and Pit Lane Problems

January 19, 2026

Featured Guest:

Crystal Leigh

Crystal Leigh is a tech worker by day and a writer of contemporary romances with social agendas by night (and weekends). She’s on the board of Romance Writers of the Rockies and is RWR’s 2025 Volunteer of the Year. A member of the 2027 cohort of Stanford’s Novel Writing Certificate Program, she’s currently querying her sapphic, feminist, Formula 1 romance. 

📸 Instagram: crystal.writes

Writing advice is everywhere—but not all of it is good.

In this episode, we break down the difference between writing “hacks” that actually help you grow and the red flags that might be holding you back. From drafting shortcuts to mindset shifts, we talk about what speeds up your process (the fast laps) versus what quietly derails it (the pit lane problems). Because let’s be honest—there’s a fine line between working smarter and just avoiding the work.

We also dig into the habits, beliefs, and trends in the writing space that deserve a little side-eye. Whether it’s over-editing, chasing perfection, or relying too heavily on “rules,” this episode is about figuring out what actually works for you—and what you might need to leave behind to keep moving forward.

In This Episode

• Writing “hacks” that actually improve your process

• The difference between efficiency and avoidance

• Common writing red flags that slow you down

• Over-editing vs letting a draft be messy

• Perfectionism and how it shows up in your writing

• Writing advice that sounds good—but doesn’t actually help

• Finding your own process vs copying someone else’s

• Mindset shifts that make writing easier (and more consistent)

• When to push through vs when to pivot

• The balance between structure and creative freedom

• Why not all productivity is actually productive

• Letting go of “rules” that don’t serve your story