A writer friend of mine has been bouncing ideas off me for years. Don't get me wrong, I love her writing, love her ideas. But in 3 years, she has written 0 things. I've tried to encourage her, but she always has an excuse. Her process doesn't work that way

You can’t help this friend and you shouldn’t try. I had a friend like this once, and when I tried to help, the results were disastrous to say the least.

Disastrous.

If your friend wants to pace the diving board, let her. Her excuses are silly and wrong, and there are many writers whose experiences would prove it, but there’s a good chance she knows that already. Writing a book is that moment between the diving board and the pool water. And it’s a public pool and some kid probably peed in it....