Hello, I’m Chris Banks.

The Writer’s Mind is built on the idea that sometimes we struggle to write, not because we lack talent, but because of how we think. And when we change how we think, we can change how writing feels.

Over the last two decades, psychologists and neuroscientists have learned so much about focus, creativity, habits, motivation, and emotional regulation.

But that knowledge hasn’t yet made its way to most writers.

And from what I’ve learned, writers struggle to apply the learnings from more general books on mindset to the messy, vulnerable, and nonlinear process of writing a book.

The Writer’s Mind is my attempt to change that.

It’s a practical, science-backed manual full of simple tools you can use in just four minutes a day to improve your mental agility, break through writing blocks, and make writing feel more enjoyable.

Because writing is hard.

But not writing is harder.

Because I’m also a writer, and I’ve realized that, at a time when writers face more uncertainty than ever, this is the biggest way I can help other writers.

Thirteen years ago, I started ProWritingAid to help writers with the craft of writing. But during that work, I realized that there is something far more important that I can help them with: their minds.

No matter how much craft advice they have or how good the tools they have, writers don’t stop writing because of craft problems. They stop writing because of fear, doubt, and mental burnout.

And I’ve lived that myself.

Before I was an entrepreneur, I was a writer, and over the last 13 years of being both, I’ve come to realize that the emotional arc of writing and entrepreneurship is almost identical. Both start with a clear vision and excitement. But then things get hard. The vision becomes blurry. The initial excitement is replaced by trepidation. And we descend into self-doubt.

This is the messy middle—what I call the swamp of despair.

A place where the only stories you can tell are stories like:

“I’ll never finish this.”

“This has already been said, and said better.”

“If it’s this hard, maybe I’m not meant to do it.”

These are the stories that live deep in our mind.

And until we learn how to rewrite them, no amount of craft advice or editing tools will help.

Because these are the stories that stop writers from writing.

And the thought of so many untold stories breaks my heart.

Although the human mind is wildly powerful, it is also profoundly dysfunctional. I’ve been studying it since 1995, earning a master’s degree in Experimental Psychology, and over the past 30 years, I’ve talked to hundreds, if not thousands, of writers about their struggles. I’ve also been through my own struggles.

I’ve seen how techniques—that are used widely in other disciplines like athletics—have helped me, my team, and other writers. They don’t eliminate the struggle, but they give us tools to make the hard days easier; they help us face the hard tasks that the voices in our heads would have us avoid; and they help us keep going when the work seems impossible.

Today’s writers face more change and uncertainty than ever before. The rise of generative AI. Shifting publishing landscapes. Social media hijacking our focus. Dwindling attention spans.

Change creates fear.

And fear—without the tools to manage it—can become paralyzing.

Now is the time that writers need support more than ever before.

Because writing isn’t just an act of creativity—it’s an act of courage.

And that’s why we’re also evolving ProWritingAid.

We’re not trying to replace writers or automate the work of storytelling. We’re building human tools that support the person behind the words.

Not generative AI that writes for you, but tools that help you write as yourself: behavior and habit tracking, live cowriting sessions, supported writing challenges, and small critique groups.

Because, as I explore in The Writer’s Mind, community is one of the most powerful tools we have to regulate our minds.

But I want to go even further.

My mission for the last 13 years has been to empower writers to share their stories, knowledge, and ideas.

And that’s why I’m writing The Writer’s Mind.

Because the world needs your story. And I want to help you tell it.

For regular mindset insights and updates on the book, follow me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

======

The Writer’s Mind will be published in spring 2027 by Hay House in the US and Ebury in the UK, both imprints of Penguin Random House.