10 Ways to Trim Word Count
It’s always a good idea to self-edit, tighten things up, and make every word earn its place in the story. It isn’t just about conforming to industry standards—it’s about clarity, pace, and making sure we’re staying focused.
Writing Update: One Goal Reached!
We did it! Seen & Unseen is now under 100k words and ready to be sent off for what will hopefully be the final manuscript critique before querying again.
Writing Update: Not Quite 100k
I did a major trim-down on Seen & Unseen in preparation for sending it off to an amazing editor. We’re so close!
Positive Character Arcs
When our characters overcome, adapt, learn, and grow, we often leave inspired and satisfied, whether there’s a happy ending to the story or not.
Writing Tip: Character Arc Overview
We’re all in a constant state of flux, ever changing. Even when it doesn’t feel like it’s the case, stasis is an illusion. This is true in real life, and it’s true in the stories we write.
New Writing Service: Writer Chat!
Whether you’re in the messy middle, the early idea phase, or gearing up for revisions, this service is a low-pressure way to get support, stay motivated, and move forward with confidence.
Reflections On Rejection
We might have taken a detour, but if we look around with curiosity instead of frustration, we may find all kinds of beauty. We may even find ourselves grateful one day.
Writing Update: #RevPit 2025 Open For Submissions
I submitted to #RevPit 2025! It’s my first time entering a contest like this one, so I’m both super excited and super nervous.
Querying Update (Project SU)
Back in the trenches! I’m querying SU even though it doesn’t quite fit neatly into any category because I can’t not query it.
Books Are Political
Literature has always been deeply connected to politics, fully intertwined, as both a mirror of society and a tool shaping societal values moving forward.
Writing Update: My Hard Drive Died
I had my worst writer’s nightmare come true in November: I lost all my work from the past 6 months.
Why I Write About Family Dynamics
As a storyteller, I find myself drawn to the interplay of characters bound by blood. Their nuanced, complicated relationships are universally relatable, and a never-ending source of content.
Feedback is Essential
While writing might start as a solitary pursuit, it’s the input, critique, and support from others that help shape our work into something truly remarkable.
Writing Update: Getting Feedback
While writing is primarily a solitary endeavor, preparing work for publication is not.
Why I Write Short Stories
Through short stories, we get to experience the world in bite-sized pieces, diving into specific moments of meaning.
Writing Update: Querying #10
It’s been a while, so let’s check in and get up to speed on where we’re at.
Why I Write Cozy Fantasy
Cozy fantasy transports us to worlds where mystical creatures may roam and everyday troubles yield to the comforts of life, whether they be warm drinks or good friends.
Why I Write About Identity & Belonging
Themes of identity and belonging have been major ones in my own life, so I’m drawn to writing about these aspects of existence. I’ve always been fascinated by human identity and the search we all seem to have for a place to call home.
Using AI for Writing
Ever since Chat GPT became so widely available and widely used, it seems the writing/bookish community has been actively considering and debating the implications such a tool might have on the future of the entire publishing industry.
What Joan Didion and Norman Rockwell Have In Common
Didion and Rockwell may have used different mediums, but their art captured the same essence thanks to their detailed storytelling and unflinching look at our real lives.