Hanna Etu: Writer and Book Coach

Current read: "Prophesy" by Carissa Véliz. I'm about seventy pages into this nonfiction book on philosophy, prediction, and AI. It's admittedly a dry read so far, but nevertheless an important one. The author is arguing that AI and the algorithm is centered around the business of prediction, and how people take prediction as fact and as a result, becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. I'll provide a more in-depth discussion once I finish the book and I've digested the book's analysis and ideas. But I'm reading it because I believe it's important to remain informed and continually thinking about a major force that is rapidly changing faster than we can keep up with it.

If you're ready to talk about your book, get in touch at hannaetu.com/contact.

If you're looking for some body doubling to get working on your writing, join us next week, August 12 at 7pm ET.

For access to co-writing sessions, sign up for my Substack here: https://hannaetu.substack.com/.

******WRITING TIP WEDNESDAY******

3 Reasons NOT to Hire Me as Your Book Coach:

1. To "get" you an agent. I will help you write and position your book so it's in the best shape possible for pitching and I'll even help you find agents. However, I can in no way guarantee I will "get" you an agent. That is entirely on you and the work you're willing to put in.

2. If you want someone to write your book for you. I spark questions to pull the meaning out of your story, to dig your vulnerability out of too much "telling." But I am NOT going to tell you what to write. That's what ghostwriters are for (and don't even think about using AI).

3. To tell you that your book is perfect. There are much cheaper (albeit unhelpful) ways to get quick validation about how good your book is than hiring a professional. I'm here to help you improve for the sake of yourself, your reader, and the market.

If these objections don't deter you, get in touch at hannaetu.com/contact

Do you need to have written a certain amount of your book before working with a book coach? Let's talk about it! Check out this week's Substack:

https://hannaetu.substack.com/p/d8239205-71e2-4551-8943-024473fc41d2?postPreview=free&updated=2026-07-31T23%3A02%3A44.379Z&audience=everyone&free_preview=false&freemail=true

******MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY******

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”
~Shannon Hale

We're talking this month about first drafts and why they're called FIRST, not final drafts. They're the material you use to shape what eventually becomes your book. The first draft won't be perfect, it just needs to exist. The magic happens when you take it and strengthen it into something someone would want to read. So don't be afraid to make some mistakes.

If you're ready to strengthen your own work, get in touch at hannaetu.com/contact.

Happy bean update! I've bought a trellis for the happy bean, so it can start growing upward, rather than outward. The happy bean is an indoor plant, so the more it grows outward, the more likely we are to clip it on our way by in our modestly-sized apartment. I've researched how to care for a happy bean plant and seen many folks utilize an upward climbing trellis to help the plant continue to thrive. I'm going to see how the plant adjusts to the trellis, and likely re-pot the plant in a few weeks.

Are you carefully curating your writing? Reach out at hannaetu.com/contact to chat now.

The next monthly co-writing session for Substack subscribers is coming up on August 12 at 7pm ET. Please feel free to join for some body doubling and to get some work done!

For access to co-writing sessions, sign up for my Substack here: https://hannaetu.substack.com/.

This week in my Substack, I'm writing about a moment of reflection I had recently, and why we should all be proud of even the smallest moments of growth. You can subscribe to my Substack here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/hannaetu/p/the-floor-of-my-passenger-seat?r=7aueqa&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

****MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY****

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”
~Terry Pratchett

Try not to put too much pressure on your first draft. A good book goes through several rewrites. The first draft is for you. Enjoy the story you're telling yourself.

If you're struggling with your first draft (finished or not), get in touch at hannaetu.com/contact.

Lately I've been reading this collection of essays called "Divergent Writers." It's been an illuminating read into the various ways neurodivergent brains can impact our writing, and how writers have navigated writing and publishing because of their differences. I hope to collect new insights that aid in coaching writers in the future. I'll be collecting various strategies as well as noting challenges that wouldn't have occurred to me, in order to serve neurodivergent writers better as a book coach.

If you're ready to be coached on your memoir, get in touch at hannaetu.com/contact.