Being An Anxious Writer/Author

BEING AN ANXIOUS WRITER/AUTHOR

I have always struggled with anxiety. I find it hits at the weirdest times, and sometimes it overwhelms me to the point where I have to stop what I'm doing, take a break and come back to it later. I know I'm not the only one who has times like these, but I do feel like mental health issues aren't talked about by writers as much as the physical ones. Some of that might be the stigma, or just people not realising that their experience while unique, is also felt by others in the writing and author space.

There have been a lot of tools in my toolbox for anxiety. Whether that's reaching out to writer friends, or just my friends who I can go to with anything, or whether that's talking it through with my awesome editor, or even talking about it more openly on socials. There are ways to deal with it, and ways to allow yourself to breathe a little along the way.

Drafting has, not really, ever been something that heightens my anxiety. I feel at home drafting and creating. I feel like even if there's something that's not working, I have time to fix it later. This mindset might be just the reason that revision causes me more anxiety and editing even more so. I have reached the later, and now I have to fix it otherwise things are not going to go well.

Of course, having worked with editors who haven't been all that patient, and a bit aggressive in the way they phrase their feedback hasn't helped the editing process become something I can look forward to. After all, a learned response is hard to break, and for a while I worked with an editor where I felt like one step wrong would unleash a barrage of anger and I never do well with confrontation, especially like that. Thankfully I've not worked with this editor in a long long while, and because of that have had a couple of good experiences with other editors since. This has, somewhat, allowed me to unlearn that anxiety spike and start to lean into and enjoy the editing process more.

My point is that there are many pitfalls for those of us who are already prone to anxiety, and there are ways to deal with them. Whether that's finding someone who can, and does, support you, or finding a way of working that allows you to breathe, relax, and also somewhat enjoy the work you're doing. I had that with my last editor, and I have that with my current editor, and they've both really helped with working through that lingering anxiety tied to the editing process.

But it's not always easy to just unlearn something, and it's definitely not easy to cope with the constant thrum of anxiety when you're trying to do the one thing that you need to do before you can publish your next book. I've done breathing exercises, I've done down time. I've spent time listening to music, spent time reading through good things in my good stuff folder. I've talked to other writers about what is and isn't normal when it comes to what an editor should or shouldn't do, but my brain's natural response is to panic, is to get anxious, and while I hope that one day that will change, for now it's my reality.

So even if you're someone who gets anxious, try and find those ways to cope, to move through the anxiety and come out the other side. You will be a better writer for it. You've got this, and we believe in you!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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Balancing Editing & Revision

BALANCING EDITING & REVISION

Last week I talked about all my working projects (found here) and this week I thought that I'd delve into what it's like trying to balance revision and editing. I've managed to do this before, though the editing has always been more stressful for me, but now that I'm not drafting for the time being, it made sense to try and give you some tips of what it's like trying to juggle two, in my opinion, similar parts of the process.

Before I start, I should let you know that for me, I consider revising to be the part of the process you do without professional help, and editing to be the process you do with dev editors and beyond. While that's not a strict definition, it's one that's worked for me. Otherwise you could clearly see that the two are very similar processes and might get confused about which one applies to what. 

When it comes to balancing the two, I go to my tried and true method of keeping them both as separate as possible. Whether that's only doing one on one day and the other on another, or whether that's making sure that my work on revision is done first and only when it's finished and I've cleared my mind of that project, do I approach editing. It sometimes works really well, other times it does not.

I've always been someone who, when working, gets really focused on the project on the docket for the day, and while before I would be drafting and then doing edits, I find it's a harder mind switch when I'm revising and then doing edits because as I said above, they are very similar in their execution. While sometimes I have been able to easily switch to the editing project, other times it's taken me a while to get into the right frame of mind for the editing project.

It helps, somewhat, that usually the projects I'm revising are so different to the tone and plot of the editing project, but there have been times recently when I've been revising the next book in that series, and also editing the book that came before it. Sometimes it's made for a smooth switch because I already know the characters and world well, other times it's led to things where I've struggled for that section of edits.

I think, ultimately, it comes down to what works for you, what helps you get into the right frame of mind, and what will help you effectively work. If you're not someone who can manage to juggle multiple projects, which is fine and completely valid, then this wouldn't apply to you. If you are, and you've also found it hard to switch around when the process is very similar, all I can suggest is that maybe separating what days you work on one part so that you have a cleaner break between the two.

While I've found a way that works for me, it wouldn't work for everyone, and in the beginning, I did need that clean break. I needed to only be working on one type of project a day and there was just no chance of me being able to get into the character's heads and mindset if I'd spent a chunk of time in a different world and character. With practice, comes progress, and you just have to remember to start small, and to take it as you can, even if that means it takes you longer, that's okay. Remember, it takes as long as it takes.

Good luck!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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5 Facts On My Current Working Projects

5 FACTS ON MY CURRENT WORKING PROJECTS

I did one of these back in June (found here) but since there's been some changes to projects, I thought that I would do another one. I am currently working on five projects. I have three in revision and rewrite status, one in revision status and another in the final stages of the editing process. I thought that I'd give you one fact about each other them.

REVISING & REWRITING

FACT #1: PENNEY IS MEANT FOR GREAT THINGS
The first project is a YA paranormal trilogy dealing with psychics and danger and intrigue. Penney is a born psychic and she has a death vision, one that would see her best friend, and long time crush, die on their first date. While I don't want to go into spoilers, I will say that Penney has no clue about the truth and motive behind the things happening in her life. She's sure she's on the right path, but what she doesn't realise is everything happens for a reason, even if there doesn't seem to be one, there's always a reason behind other people's actions.

This book is coming to the end of the revising and rewriting stage, but for now it's still there as I have more tweaks to add.

FACT #2: NOT EVERYONE WANTS THE SAME THINGS FOR ABBY
This project is the first in a YA urban fantasy trilogy dealing with pandemics, witches, and the hunt for a diagnosis. Abby is a witch and suffering with some, as of yet, unknown conditions, and she's trying to both find herself, and also save other witches from the worst thing there is: a witch hunt. Newly induced into a coven, she's desperate to save everyone she can, solve the mystery, and stay healthy, only there are people in Abby's life who do not want the same as she does, and they will do everything they can to make sure that she never finds out their truth.

This book is also coming to the end of the revising and rewriting stage, but there's still some bits and pieces that I want to explore more.

FACT #3: SOMEONE NEEDS TO SAVE JESSIE THIS TIME
This book is the fifth and final book in the Cramping Chronicles series. It's a YA urban fantasy series dealing with empaths, and mysteries all wrapped up in one. Jessie is an empath, but after what happened in the last book (pre-order here) she's finding that she's the one that needs to be saved, she needs someone to stand up for her, and without it, she might be lost to the world as we know it.

This book is in the revising and rewriting stage as there are lots of things that need to be changed before it moves onto the plain ole revision.

REVISION

FACT #4: NO MATTER HOW IT MAY SEEM, THERE'S BAD ON ALL SIDES
This project is the third book in the Invisible quartet, a YA dystopian series dealing with disability, a virus, adaption, and bringing an end to the cruelty of a Leader dead set against anything outside of his vision for their world. Jonah and Zya are doing the best they can to make sure they, and as many as their friends, survive but there are no good guys here, and they have a battle ahead of them that may end them all.

This book has been to the sensitivity readers, and right now I'm doing the changes suggested and reshaping the story before it goes to the editor in November.

EDITING CYCLE

FACT #5: JESSIE HAS NO CLUE WHAT SHE'S BEING TOLD TO DO
This book is the fourth Cramping Chronicles book, (pre-order here) which is a YA urban fantasy series dealing with empaths, and a threat to our world. Jessie is an empath, but she's been isolated from her peers and she doesn't really know what she's being asked to do. If she follows through, and even if she doesn't, there are going to be catastrophic results for everyone.

This book is with the proofreader, and should be out on October 14th!

So there we go, those are five facts about my current working projects! I'm loving them all for different reasons and excited to keep going with them all.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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20 Years As An Author

20 YEARS AS AN AUTHOR

Yesterday was my 20th Authorversary, in that it was 20 years since Blackout, my debut, was first published. I look back to that launch party and I can't quite believe it's been 20 years. I didn't ever really think, back then at least, that I would get to this point. I didn't think I would publish a second book, let alone over twenty more of them. It was a whole lot of fun coming down to my office all decorated for the occasion and I was spoilt and celebrated, as it should be with this kind of milestone. 

I usually do a post around this time every year that talks about what I've learned in the time since I first became a published author, and while I plan to touch on that a little today, I also wanted to talk about the fact that dreams may always seem way off and like you'll never get there, but you will. It takes time, sometimes a lot more time than you first realise, but you will get to that point where you look back and wonder why you thought you'd never get there. 

I wrote my first 'book' when I was 13, I refer to it that way because it wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, a complete novel. It was 36 pages of A4 and I even sent it off to publishers in hopes of making it big. They were lovely about it, sending me back letters about their young writers programs, but I kinda assumed that was it for me, and I wouldn't ever actually be published. I never planned or dreamed of being an author from a young age, it just felt like something I could do as well as my other plans.

See, I'd always, from a very young age, wanted to be a doctor. It was probably a side effect of spending a lot of my time as a kid in and out of hospital. That didn't get any better with age, and I was so sure that was what I would be doing with my grown up life. It was only when my health got worse, and I picked up a few other conditions, and even before that, when I realised that I didn't have the smarts to do medicine, that I turned to other pursuits.

When I was retired at 19 on medical grounds from the working world, I didn't really know what to do with myself. I didn't want to do nothing, and my health limited what I could do otherwise. That's when a story idea, one that had been brewing from those school days, burst forth from my mind onto paper and I found a way to do something with my life. I could write. I could be published, and a few short years later I was, but I never imagined it going beyond that.

See, there wasn't the indie world then as there is now, and the only way I could be published, having tried the early 2000s version of querying, and not been successful, was to go with something called a vanity press. I have many regrets about doing that, but the truth is that I also wouldn't have taken that leap into publishing if I hadn't. I knew it wasn't something I could afford to do again, so I took my best work at the time, and pushed the button to send that out into the world.

I kept writing, sure, because I wanted and needed to write, but I always kind of assumed it would be my one and only published work. How wrong was I? It became my career, it became something where I don't actually know where I'd be without. Thanks to the advent of ebooks and KDP and the indie life, and I finally had a way to share the stories I'd already written, and write a whole load of new ones. So while I regret using a vanity press because of all the hassle they brought me, I do not regret publishing when I did.

I was 23 when Blackout hit the shelves, I'm 43 now, and have written just under 50 books. I would love for them all to, one day, also be out there for people to read, but I honestly don't know if I'll manage it. I know I was made to be an author, and I know that I will always celebrate getting that chance to. My stories were made to be told, just as a lot of other writers are the same.

So here's to the next 20 years of author life. I can't wait to take you along on the journey with me.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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The Trials Of A Crime Writer: Learning Your Limits

THE TRIALS OF A CRIME WRITER: LEARNING YOUR LIMITS

I've always been someone who knows my own limits. It's helped me write stories, it's helped me keep up with publishing, and it's helped me work out new ideas, and make them work for me. In all the time I've been writing, I've never once tried to push myself past those limits when it comes to stories, plot, or the grisly details of a crime.

I wanted to talk today about learning those limits, because I feel like as someone who reads, and writes, crime a lot, it's good to know where you draw the line. For some writers and readers, they want to know everything. They want details of the blood, the gore, and everything in between. I know that as a reader I can read most things, but when it comes to do much violence, especially when it feels unnecessary, I will be pulled out of the story and not find myself enjoying it.

When I first started writing, I didn't like writing fight scenes. I didn't really know much about fighting, being in a wheelchair and not the most athletic person, and I didn't have a pool of knowledge to pull from. So I mostly shied away from them. It was only later when I started branching out into dystopian and urban fantasy that I realised there would be a need for a lot more action and detail. I even did that in some of my later crime novels, where I had to really find a way to work in the action and have it flow nicely.

It was something I learned with a lot of reading, and a lot of input from editors. Some of mine weren't okay with too much violence, others preferred that graphic scenes were toned down, and each and every time, they usually had a point. I truly feel that some scenes hit harder, and impact the story, and reader, more, when they're not too drawn out and detailed. Others need to be pushed to the limit, mine or the readers, to draw out the feelings and impact you want.

But how do you know which is which? How do you work out where that limit is? I'm gonna give you some of my tips that I've learned over the years.

#1 VIOLENCE FOR THE SAKE OF IT USUALLY ISN'T NEEDED
I found this working with my editor on one of the Dying Thoughts books. She felt like there was too much detail in certain scenes and that because of the subject matter, they would turn readers off, and also draw attention away from the impact. If you're feeling like you need to go into extreme details about wounds, about scenes of assault, then ask yourself is that detail needed, or are you just trying to shock your reader. If it's the former okay, but if it's the latter, you will probably end up upsetting people and losing readers in the process.

#2 SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE
Have you ever read a scene in a crime novel and realised that the terror and uncertainty is impacted more because you're given such little detail? I have, and I've found it works well for certain scenes. If you don't give the reader every single detail, their imagination can probably fill in the blanks, and might end up with something that pulls them into the story even more so.

#3 EMOTIONAL IMPACT CAN BE BETTER THAN PHYSICAL
I've written some scenes that just work better with the focus on the emotional impact of the character. Whether that be not including details of the wounds, or the fight, but rather the pain, the terror, the fear, the loss. All of that can drive your reader to relating to the character and feeling those wounds emotionally themselves. It can be so much more impactful and works really well to draw the reader in.

So there we go, finding out what works for you limit wise is a good thing, but also it can be the difference in a reader's experience with your work.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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The Trials Of An Indie Author: When You're Not Drafting

THE TRIALS OF AN INIDE AUTHOR: WHEN YOU'RE NOT DRAFTING

In the past year or so, I've stopped drafting as a main project. I've now drafted 48 books, and while I do plan to go back to doing that, and currently have two ideas burning a hole in my mind, I've switched to doing revisions on older projects because I feel like my time is better spent doing that. I have a lot of books in my backlog. At the moment my twenty-fourth book is due to come out in October (pre-order here) so I have the same in books that need a lot of revising and editing to get to the point where they could be published.

I think a lot of the time, writers who work on one project at a time, will do it all in a row. They'll draft it, then maybe take a break, and then revise and go onto edits. My issue was, I draft fast, I work on at least two drafting projects, I also had a lot of time between writing my first book to my debut, and then from my debut to my second book coming out, and I kept writing. Due to that, I got myself a very big backlog. To give you some idea of the time frame, I am 43, and wrote my 40th draft in the year I turned 40, and I've not been drafting for a good year.

I know sometimes the pressure is on to keep writing, to keep churning out stories, and had I not gotten to the point of being able to stop at the end of both the series I was writing, I may have kept writing new drafts. There's nothing wrong with doing it that way, not at all, but I did know I was getting to the point where I would bring myself more anxiety and stress because a lot of those first drafts needed extensive work, and outside input that I wouldn't have time for if I left them until I would normally come to revise. So I took a step back from drafting, and I focused on revision.

Right now I have four revision projects, one is a main one, as in about to go to the dev editor in November. Two are ones that I'm just focusing on but have no real deadline for, and one is one that will go to the editor in April 2026. It's a lot to balance, especially with line and proof edits for that pre-order book also needing to be done. But it's something I know I thrive at, and it works for me.

But what if you're someone who can't do multiple projects? My advice would be to focus on whatever stage you're at, and maybe take some time from drafting something, to focusing on the revisions that need to be done. The push is always on for us authors to be constantly writing and releasing, and while a lot of readers have some kind of what goes on behind the scenes, others just don't. They think that because x author can release at x speed, that everyone else should do as well, and it does not work like that.

While I do have two projects that are itching to be written, I also plan to draft them, and then jump into more revisions. It was nerve-wracking when I first started doing revisions mainly, because I didn't have a clue how it was going to work, but once I got into a routine, it became easier, and allowed me to get future projects into a better position, and from that, allowed them to be ready for sensitivity readers or the like long before I have to worry about them going to the dev editor. 

If it works for you, don't worry about it. The author life is not just drafting and releasing, there are so many steps in between, and you can only do what works for you.

Good luck!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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Spoonie Writer: Working On Bad Days

SPOONIE WRITER: WORKING ON BAD DAYS

I've always been a big proponent for not pushing yourself to breaking point, to taking breaks when you need them, to making sure you don't fall into that trap of thinking you have to earn your rest days. I fully believe in that, and yet I still get asked sometimes why I work on days when I have pain, or more fatigue. I've tried to explain that part of my conditions and disability is that these are symptoms that never go away, but for some people, they don't really get that, and I thought that today I would touch on why I work on what other people see as 'bad' days.

For those new to me, I've been an indie author for almost 20 years. I'm 43 and chronically ill and disabled with a fair few conditions, two of which are Fibromylagia and M.E. These are, usually, the big ones that impact my ability to work both a conventional job and sometimes when I'm writing too. I try to work when I can, but my work day is, at most 3 hours. The rest of the time, I'm in bed resting, napping, medicating, or just trying to have some kind of function. 

I know that the thought of being in constant severe pain can be a little hard for some people to imagine, or process, but if I didn't work when I had pain, I would never work. I would never get anything done. The point I'm making is not to tout myself as better or that anyone else with my conditions should be doing the same, but to just make it clear that what a healthy person would consider a bad day, I see as normal. 

Before you jump in with how inspirational I am, remember that I've been sick for over half my life. I have lived with this pain in varying degrees the majority of my life. My lungs have been bad all of my life. My mobility has been impacted for over 25 years. I've been in a wheelchair for about the same amount of time, full time for the past 15 or so. Again, this is not about making out how super amazing I am, but to point out one thing that a lot of people forget, you do adapt. Everyone does it. Whether it's adapting to a new house or a new job, or a new sleep schedule, we all adapt, and the same can be said for those of us with chronic conditions.

While not everyone can adapt to the same level, I've been able to do so, and I've also found ways, cheat codes if you will, in my years of being an author. I've known how much I can push myself, and trust me I've also gone too far and paid for it, which is why I'm so big on people having down time. I know how much I can manage, and because I track my time, I know how long a certain task will usually take me. I've got all this lived experience that I'm able to tell when and how I'll be able to get things done, and also when I won't.

There are times when I have to take time off, unplanned time off. Recently I've been going through the process of diagnosing a possible new condition, and that has caused hospital stays and time at home when things are just not good. I've taken that time off because I'm not someone who is going to work no matter what. All that does is make a mess of my body, my health, and it also produces work that I have to go back and fix in a big way. So even though I normally have at least two days off each month, some months it's more because of health blips. And that's okay. I didn't have to earn them, I needed them and I took them.

Too much of the time, with hustle culture and all that goes with that, people are expected to turn up to work and do whatever they can to push through. That's not healthy, it's not sustainable, and it's actively harmful to the people involved. So what do I think about working on bad days? No, rest, take the time you need, and take care of you.

Anyone saying otherwise does not have your best interests at heart. Take care of you, you are important and need rest.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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Planning Admin - The Creative Process

PLANNING ADMIN

I've always been someone who loves to be organised. I like to know what I'm doing and when I'm doing it. I have my planner, I have check lists on my iPad and I like to make sure that when it comes to the end of the month, the next month's stuff is all ready to go. Some of that is because I'm chronically ill and disabled, and just don't know how my health is gonna be from one moment to the next, and some of it is because I just like to ease that anxiety and having things planned helps me do that.

I've been using a paper planner for about four years now, and it's really opened things up for me. Before that I would plan on a private blog, and would just do things when I could. I did a stint of using the sticky notes app on my computer, and again, it was just about making sure that I had something visual I could look at and know things were all in their place and ready to me done. Even with my planner, I still use my iPad calendar app as a way to plan months in advance.

My point is that when it comes to writing and revising and all of the writing work, I'm pretty solid in how things go. I work on one thing a day, most days anyway, but there's other days when I have to do the admin work. Like writing these blog posts, and the vlog scripts, or doing the month's instagram images, and the reels and all of that. I like to put aside a day here and there where I can sit down at my desk, or in bed, and get these things done with little fuss.

Of course, I've found ways that work best for me. Like I know that in my planner, I will have vlog scripts and blog posts on the same day, but I actually, usually, do them on different days because they eat up my time and take way too long to bash them all out in the same day. This works for me, and it allows me to move things around if and when the need arises. Like sometimes I'll do all the scripts or posts in one sitting, and other times when there are more of them to do, I'll split them over two days just to give myself some breathing room.

Doing all of that helps with my anxiety, it helps me not push through and do too much in any one day, and it allows me to know that come the first of the month, I will have a whole months worth of posts, and images and all of that ready to go. It's been a tool that's helped me a whole lot throughout my writing career, and it's been something where I've learned new things, and pivoted to others. I've also got some idea of how long these will all take, because I track my time, so I know what time to set aside.

With all that said, I wanted to try and give some tips when it comes to planning those admin tasks. Whether you, like me, are chronically ill and disabled, or not, sometimes the admin side of writing and being an author can be monumentally overwhelming and it's hard to work out what will work for you, and what will leave you stressed to the max, and rushing around to try and get everything done.

#1 DO ONE THING A DAY
This works for me because it allows me to just focus on one thing, and I'm not putting all my energy, focus, and time onto several different things. I usually have about nine admin days a month, and those work for me, and if it's something you can do, then start there.

#2 BE READY TO CHANGE
If something isn't working for you, don't keep pushing, change the way you do things, and even if it takes you time to get into a groove, that's okay. This doesn't have to be set in stone, and you just gotta do what works for you, and that may change over time.

#3 PACE YOURSELF
This was a big one for me. While I usually only work on one thing a day, I also have days scattered here and there where I will do two things, and on those days I make sure they're not all in a row because that will burn me out. So be ready to pace yourself and take it easy. Don't jump in at the deep end, start small, and work up as and when you can.

So I hope those help, and I hope you're able to find a way that works for you. The admin of the author life is never ending, and you just gotta do what works for you, and don't worry about anyone else.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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Six Month Check In With Goals

SIX MONTH CHECK IN WITH GOALS

Every December on my Authortube channel (found here) I make a list of goals that I want to accomplish throughout the coming year. I usually then check in with them here because I want to have some idea of what I've managed, how they're going, and whether or not I'm going to manage to pull them all off.

So, today I'm gonna be reviewing the fifteen goals I set and see how I'm doing with the year so far!

1. PUBLISH TRANSLUCENT IN 2025 - Done
I managed this first one, Translucent was published on May 13th 2025 and I was really happy with how it went. I've been loving the reaction to the series, and the story and I am happy to tick this one off my list!

2. PUBLISH CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE FOURTH TORMENT IN 2025 - In Progress
I've just started line edits for this book, so it should be done by the end of the year. I used to put months along with the year on my goals but I found too many times that things went wrong, and I would have to call the goal half done, but this is on the way to done!

3. REVISE VISIBLE FOR RELEASE IN 2026 - In Progress
I started revising Visible in January. I sent it off to the sensitivity readers in June, and will be getting that back at the end of the month, and hopefully from there, it's a case of doing their changes and getting to the point where it goes to the editor in November.

4. REVISE CRAMPING CHRONICLES: THE FIFTH AGONY FOR RELEASE IN 2026 - In Progress
I started revising this one earlier than planned. Normally I'd have waited until November, but with the way Fourth Torment went, I know it needs more rewrites as the big bad has changed from when I first wrote it. I'm still very much in the beginning stages as I started revising in July.

5. FINISH REWRITES OF I'LL SEE YOU THRU & THIS IS HOW IT ENDS - Done
I finished both of these at the end of March. I'm really happy with how they both turned out, and can't wait for the chance to revise them more, send them off to betas and get them ready for the editor in the coming years. But this is very much done!

6. REVISE AND REWRITE I WISH I COULD SAVE YOU & PROJECT: WITCH HUNT - In Progress
I started the revision and rewrites for both of these in April and have been steadily working my way through them both. They'll need a lot more time, but it's happening.

7. KEEP UP WITH AUTHORTUBE CHANNEL - On Track To Be Done
I've been able to keep up with this, posting on Thursdays with videos and Sundays with shorts, so I'm hopeful that this will be something I can check off at the end of the year. 

8. KEEP UP WITH MONDAY AND FRIDAY POSTS ON BLOG - On Track To Be Done
I've also kept up with this too, as evidenced by this being a Monday post. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to keep doing the advice pieces and the reviews and interviews on Fridays too.

9. POST TO INSTAGRAM DAILY & A REEL EVERY SUNDAY - On Track To Be Done
So far I've done this. I've had a few hospital stays, but scheduled posts have allowed me to keep posting on Instagram, and my reels always go up on a Sunday!

10. READ 350 BOOKS - In Progress
I started the year with a bit of a reading slump, and because of that I ended up dropping my goal to 300 books. I don't know if I will catch up with myself before the end of the year, but even if I don't, 300 books is a win.

11. TAKE AT LEAST TWO DAYS OFF COMPLETELY EACH MONTH - On Track To Be Done
I've done this every month so far. I usually have been two and five days off each month, and I've been very much enjoying them!

12. SEND 12 NEWSLETTERS - On Track To Be Done
My newsletters go out on the 1st of every month, and I've not missed one yet. I like writing my newsletter and while my reach is small, I do get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

13. DO 12 MONTHLY SPREADS IN PLANNER - On Track To Be Done
My planner spreads have become a routine for me. I find it easy enough to get lost in planner, in making it look pretty and keeping track of what I managed and when.

14. HAVE AT LEAST 12 AUDIOBOOKS OUT - Done
I actually surprised myself with this and had it done by March! I didn't think that would happen, but I'm also thinking there wouldn't be many, if any, more audiobooks out this year just because the one I have in progress, and the other ready won't be done before the new year.

15. OPEN SIGNED BOOKS & VIP SWAG PACKS SHOP IN 2025 - Done
I actually cheated a little bit at this one. I set it as a goal so that if I didn't get my ducks in a row for the end of 2024, I would be able to do it in 2025. But I did manage to get it done at the very end of December last year, so I've ticked this one off. 

So how are you doing on your goals? Lemme know in the comments!

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Deciding On An Idea

DECIDING ON AN IDEA

I have always worried that I will run out of ideas. It's never happened, not once in my writing career have I not had ideas that I can work on. But that worry, the anxiety, is still there and very much present. Now normally, when I'm drafting, my focus is so much on the stories in front of me that I don't give much time or thought to other ideas. So when it comes to the end of my drafting, I find myself scrambling and worried that nothing is going to happen. I worry this time will be the first time when I fail to find something new to write about. It's never happened, but my anxious brain is sure that this is the time it will.

Part of me knows that writers are filled with ideas. It's not always fully formed ones, but a scene, or a snippet of dialogue, or even just some characters and the thought of what you'd like to do with them. Given I usually have some kind of mystery within my works, I will find myself focusing on that, what thing can happen to them that will focus on something no one knows the answer to? It's worked for me, but I also know there can be times when I have way too many ideas or snippets, and they can't all fit in the same story, so then I have to decide what to keep, what to prune, and what to store in my back pocket for the next time.

Deciding on an idea can feel like it's easy enough. Just choose the one that you want, and done, right? Nope! As most writers will tell you, we find it hard sometimes to narrow it down. We find it hard to work out which project or idea excites us the most. While I'm more methodical in my choosing, as in if I'm working on a series, I will always write the next book in that series next, others don't do that, and that's perfectly okay and valid.

After all, a lot of the time, the idea is what keeps the words coming on the page. If you don't have anything for the next book in a series, then what do you do? How do you make the most of your time? If you're not actively writing something, doesn't that mean that you're slacking off? I don't agree. I really don't buy that you always have to writing something to be valid as a writer. I know that some readers have been shocked that when it comes to series, the next book from an author is not always going to come first. Everyone works differently, and that's okay.

But if you've got a myriad of ideas, and you want to find one that works for you, then there are three questions I find help me narrow down whether or not it becomes one of the ideas that I want to work on. Just quickly, I usually work on multiple projects at once not all authors do this, and that's not a slight on them. They work in their own way and that's okay.

Onto the questions:

#1 DOES THE IDEA MAKE ME EXCITED TO WRITE?
#2 DO I HAVE THE START IN MIND?
#3 WILL THE IDEA GROW WITHOUT HELP?

I'm not going to go into detail here, just because it would be a lot of the same information. I ask the first because if this is an idea I am itching to write, then I will find it easier to get the words on the page. The second is more because for my planning phase, I need the start, without that, I'm pretty much swimming in the dark. And the final question is basically because if I can't grow the idea in my mind without constantly playing what if this and that, then for me, the story is not ready to me written.

Like I said, everyone works differently and that's okay, but this works for me. You gotta find what works for you, and keep writing.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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Working With Revision As A Main

WORKING WITH REVISION AS A MAIN

Last April I finished off my last two drafting projects for a while. I'd wanted to take some time to go back over older projects and rewrite as needed, but also to revise them and get them into better shape. I started with two standalones that were basically the next standalones to be released. I had a way of revising so I knew some of what I'd do, but at the same time it'd been years since I last looked at both projects and I didn't know how long it would take, or what state they'd be in.

Since then I've finished with those first two projects and started on two new ones, also revising and rewriting where needed. These are both the first in trilogies, and both, I knew, needed a lot of work, and a read through by sensitivity readers. I gave myself a whole year to work on them because I had some other revision projects due for release that would cut into my dedicated time.

All that to say, it's now been a year since I switched to mainly revising, and it's opened my eyes to things in a way I didn't see coming. I've always preferred drafting. I still do in a way, but I have to say there's something nice about getting to see, and make, older works shine. I've been able to work out what things I need to focus on pretty quickly, and because I know what happens, vaguely, but enough to work with, in the second books in each series, I can work out how to foreshadow things, and what to lean into and what to remove because it goes nowhere. 

It's been an eye-opener in that regard because I only remembered the bad parts of the drafts. I only remembered that things didn't flow, that the pacing wasn't brilliant. I only remembered that I didn't like this twist and didn't know if it paid off. I didn't remember the way the characters feel real, and I didn't remember the little bits and pieces I'd snuck into the work that ended up being a massive thing. 

It's easy enough when we don't have that distance, and time, away from our work, to think that what we're doing is rubbish, and that you'll never be able to get it into shape for publication, and if you do, people will hate it. It's easy to get caught up in the things that don't work, that sometimes, we forget the things that very much do work. 

While I have more time on these projects now because when drafting I would see a handful of chapters at a time over six months, now I'm reading through the projects at least once every month. That helps me get the bigger picture, it helps me work out what beats of plot I'm hitting and when, and it allows me to see things clearer and therefore enables me to make changes easier. The whole thing has been a learning experience and I'm really glad that I took the time to do it. While I don't think I'll be skipping over revisions again when it's time for the stories to start on the editing train, I do know that they are in a lot better shape than they were, and that's very much a win.

For those wondering, I do plan to go back to drafting next year. I have two ideas that are brewing in the back of my head, and while I will spend my time writing them, I do also want to go back to revision as a main focus again as well. I have a lot of stories that I feel like they could benefit from being looked at without too much of a deadline attached. It's working for me, and that's a great thing!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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Remembering To Pace Yourself

REMEMBERING TO PACE YOURSELF

Last week I talked about life getting in the way of your plans (found here), and this week I thought I would touch on something that is usually only applied to the chronic illness community, and that's pacing yourself. I know that people who are pretty much healthy don't really think too much about pacing themselves, but I have to say it's an invaluable tool no matter your health status. 

While pacing can be used for health reasons, it can also just be good practice when you've got a full work load, or you're doing some kind of creative pursuit. Now I don't know the first thing about artistic talent in that I have none, but I do know what it's like to be facing down deadlines when you've got a few different projects on the go. Right now I'm doing revisions on three projects and edits on another. I have varying deadlines for each one, and I know what I want to achieve in any given month, but I also know that to keep moving forward, I need to make sure I don't overload myself.

And that's where pacing comes in. While it might feel like you need to pile on all the things, I promise it will only end up hurting you, and no one wants that. Goals are a way to motivate yourself sure, but they're not supposed to be at the expense of mental or physical health, and even if you're normally healthy, that doesn't mean that pushing yourself to the brink won't bring some physical or mental side effects.

While pushing yourself a little can be a good thing, when you're doing it to the point where it's a detriment to your sense of well being, that's a red flag, and all you're doing is setting yourself up to fail. I get that the urge is to cross all the things off your to-do list, but there is a better way to do this. What is it? Lemme break it down for you.

#1 MAKE A LIST OF WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
This is as simple as it sounds. If you know that you have a bunch of things that have to be done by a certain date, or different dates, then just write it down. Make that list, and put everything you can think of on there, and make sure it's as complete as it can be.

#2 ORDER IN IMPORTANCE
Obviously there are going to be some tasks and deadlines that are way more urgent than others. If you have a lot of different deadlines, then the ones due first are going to be the bigger ones to get done. The idea is to make sure you have as much time to get the things done as possible. Try not to add things that aren't really necessary to get done in the time frame. If this means moving things to a different list, then do so.

#3 SET UP A WORKING DAY
So I know that I can, mostly, only do one work thing a day. I just don't have the mental and physical energy to do more than that. I make sure that some days I have two things, like when I'm doing dev edits, I'll always have a two tasks a day but it's not sustainable constantly, so I need breaks, but on the majority of my days, I will make sure to only have the one important thing to get done. If I can do more on the day, that's something different, but the pressure is off to try and accomplish all these varying things.

#4 PARCEL OUT EVENLY & GO
Make sure you don't overload certain days, and no matter what you do, allow for days off, and allow for days when you might need to catch up from another day. I suggest both because you will need time off, everyone does, and that's not something you have to earn by using your days off as catch up days. We're all human, we all need breaks, and we all need to time to unwind.

I hope that helps, and good luck with pacing. Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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When Life Plans Get In The Way

WHEN LIFE PLANS GET IN THE WAY

I've always been someone who plans a whole lot, especially when it comes to work life. I've done pieces before about the planning I do (found here, here, and here) but I thought that today I would talk about when life gets in the way of those plans. No matter how organised you are, life can sometimes throw you a curve ball and then you end up have to adjust, adapt, and redo things in a completely different way.

As someone with several chronic illnesses, my plans are usually knocked awry by health stuff. I'll be planning to do this or that, and then I'll end up in a flare, or get sick, and it's like all work stops. All life stops. And suddenly I'm having to deal with something else entirely. I've gotten better at dealing with this. I usually have been through flares and such so much before that I know what works and what doesn't to keep me on track, or as close to on track as possible. But sometimes a new problem will emerge and it's a case of trying to find a way to keep myself working or thriving and still hit my goals.

I've never been someone who's decided that goals must be completed above all else. I know there are writers and other creatives out there who will push and push because getting a goal done is the big thing for them. I've never seen the point of that, for me at least, because I'm chronically ill and disabled, I know that pushing too hard is only going to make things worse for me, so instead I'll pivot or just decide that this goal is not going to happen, and that's okay.

Like right now I'm finishing up dev edits for my next release. I know that I have to get the project to the line editor by a certain date if I'm going to be able to get it to the proofreader and such on time. But I also know that if I were to get sick, or something else was to go wrong, I've not yet announced a release date, I've not yet set up pre-order, so I can, easily, pivot and change things to manage that deadline differently. I don't like doing it, but I've learned the hard way that life will get in the way and pushing just ends up with me in a flare or worse, hospital, and I do not want that.

Too often, people don't account for life mishaps in their plans. They make goals, and they make plans believing or relying on nothing else going wrong. I get that, it's something I used to do too, but then life showed me just how badly things could go and it was like, okay, let's make plans and account for the possibility that something terrible is going to happen. I think it was an Authortuber I follow who pointed out that when making plans, you should make them as if you were going to be sick the whole time. That's sound advice because you will not be operating at 100% the whole time. No one does, and to think otherwise just sets yourself up to fail.

While I've found ways to plan around health stuff, and I've adapted to deal with getting this done on a certain day, and then having some days when I could move things around if needed, don't be afraid to do the same. Even if you're completely healthy, there is always the chance that something could go wrong, and it's better to prepare for that, than to ignore the possibility. While I am, mostly, positive, I like to not get caught up in this idea of perfectionism because if you do that, you only end up hurting yourself, and no one wants that.

So be ready for life throwing a curve ball, put it into your plans, and allow yourself the space, time, and energy to pick yourself back up, and keep going onwards. You'll end up thanking yourself later, even if nothing does go wrong, it's the fact that you allowed for the possibility that will ease stress and anxiety levels.

Good luck! Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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5 Facts About My Current Working Projects

5 FACTS ON MY CURRENT WORKING PROJECTS

I know I did one of these recently (found here) but I have since changed some of the projects I'm currently working on and wanted to give you all some more facts about them. As it stands, right now I have two revising and rewriting projects, one revision project, and one project in edits. I'll break down the facts based on those! So let's jump into it!

REVISING & REWRITING

FACT #1: PENNEY WILL BREAK THE RULES TO SAVE DANE
The first revising and rewriting project is a YA paranormal/romance, the first in a trilogy with a little bit of mystery thrown in there. Penney is 17 and a psychic. She has the choice ahead of her to go the normal route and be a regular human, albeit with psychic abilities, or to join the Academy and train and work for them in all things psychic. Penney is clear she wants to go the normal route. She wants to be a teacher like her mama. The rules are also clear that you can never interfere with a vision or the future. So when Penney has a vision from nowhere showing her that her best friend, and long time crush, Dane is going to die in a few weeks, Penney throws all the rules out of the window. Screw what the universe wants, she will do whatever it takes to save Dane's life, even if that means pushing him into the arms of someone else.

FACT #2: ABBY AND HER FRIENDS WILL STOP THE WITCH HUNT, WHATEVER THE COST
The second revising and rewriting project is a YA urban fantasy, and again the first in a trilogy. Abby is 15, a witch, and also battling unknown chronic illness(es). She's on the path to getting a diagnosis when the pandemic struck and the world went into lockdown. Dealing with worrying symptoms, she's forced to hide inside, and then a witch hunt happens out of nowhere, and Abby and her friends know the first witch taken. They will do whatever they can to save any witches from being harmed, even at the cost of their own safety.

REVISING

FACT #3: ZYA ISN'T SURE ABOUT THE HUB, BUT SHE'LL KEEP HER FRIENDS SAFE
The revising project is the third in the Invisible quartet, Visible. This is a YA dystopian series that deals with death, a virus, disability, adaption, resilience, and finding a way to stay alive. Zya and her friends were forced to leave their segment, and she's gotten them to what she thought might be safety, only she's not sure if that's actually the case, or if they've just ended up in mortal peril. She needs answers and she'll do whatever it takes to get them, even at the risk of her own life.

FACT #4: THE HITS KEEP COMING FOR JONAH, AND HE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE
Jonah took a lot of stress in the second book, and with their journey to the hub ending the way it did, Jonah isn't sure that he's able to survive what's happened, and what's coming. He thinks he has a chance if nothing else goes wrong, but that's the problem, everything is going wrong, and he won't be the weak link in the chain getting his friends killed.

EDITING

FACT #5: JESSIE HAS NO IDEA WHAT TO DO
The editing project is the fourth in the Cramping Chronicles series, which is YA urban fantasy all about Jessie, who's 15, chronically ill and disabled, and also an empath. She can literally feel certain people's physical and emotional pain. With the way things ended in the third book, Jessie is left adrift and struggling to find a way to keep going. She has no choice but to face the danger ahead of her, and hope she comes out the other side, the alternative doesn't bear thinking about.

So there we go, those are five facts about my current working projects! Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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The Trials Of A Crime Writer: Growing Your Ideas

THE TRIALS OF A CRIME WRITER: GROWING YOUR IDEAS

One of the many things I've learned over my years of thinking up crime ideas is that you can always go bigger. You can start with an idea that feels like it's more a short story and then end up with one that's more than a novel. I've written nearly fifty first drafts, and the two that will put me at fifty itself are both crime ideas. Some of the ones I've already written are a mix of other genres, but I find that I always come back to crime maybe because it was that genre that got me into writing in the first place, who knows!

Either way, crime is something that encompasses a wide array of things. It can be a private detective, or a police procedural. It can be adults, or teens, or even children taking on mysteries and solving them much to their own satisfaction and also for the readers. While I like the police ones as much as the next crime reader, I've always had a soft spot for the untrained taking on crimes and bringing about that ending. It's probably why I've written so many crime books while also being a young adult writer.

My point today though is that crime is one of those things that can always lead to more dominoes being lined up. If you take a story where someone has died, you can always throw in another body, or someone going missing, or twisting the narrative here and there before you end up with a whole series with an arc that expands the whole thing. That, for me, is the beauty of the crime genre. It grows and grows and grows, and it feels like it never stops, and I love that about it.

But how do you learn how to grow them? I think for me it came about just absorbing ideas in the form of both reading crime books, and also being aware of the world around me. While there are some crimes that don't work for young adult, there are others that work even better for them, and the reason I mention that is simply because that's always where my focus is for growing an idea. You, dear reader, might be someone who's writing adult and in that case, the floor is open to you too.

I read a lot of books. I read a lot of genres. I go from adult to young adult and back again. I'm not someone who really sticks with one genre all the time, and while there are some I don't read, like epic fantasy, I do appreciate that there can be outliers that will pull me into their worlds and make me want to know more. The reason I mention this is there are ways to grow your crime ideas while reading outside of that genre. I've had ideas about thrillers because I've read a romance series. It's been the tweaks here and there that have taken that idea and turned it into something bigger and more manageable for me. You really can find inspiration for your ideas from pretty much anywhere!

Writing has always been an escape for me, and while I've always explored the darker side of fiction both as a reader and a writer, there have been times when it's been those dark sides that have brought me over to the light. I love romance, not really one for dark romance, but sometimes while reading a romance, I can take the setting and the stakes and turn it into a crime thriller with more darkness than the current work I'm reading. The point is that everything, every idea, every plot, can be grown. It's just about finding the right fuel to grow it, and also to know when you need more to it, because while everything can be grown, sometimes they can grow too much and in that case, it's better to start cutting back and seeing what works.

So my one piece of advice for those looking to grow their ideas? Read. Read all the genres you want, and hone in on and focus on the pieces of the plot that would work for you. You'd be surprised at where you can get inspiration from!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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The Trials Of An Indie Author: Finding A Way That Works

THE TRIALS OF AN INDIE AUTHOR: FINDING A WAY THAT WORKS

A big thing about being an indie author, is that pretty much everything to do with the publishing process is in your hands. You have to write the book, revise the book, pay for the editors, do the edits, pay for the cover designer, do the promo and formatting, or pay for someone to do both. All of it is in your hands, and that can be exceptionally overwhelming, especially if you're also on a budget or just haven't done anything like this before.

While I do not regret taking the path I did when it came to publishing, I do realise that comes from a position of privilege. I was first published in 2005, so almost 20 years ago. I also got into KDP and the like early on when they were first out there. I made mistakes, I made a whole lot of them, but I am still here. I am still publishing. I've worked with a number of different editors, but have had the same cover designer all the way through, so I've been lucky to have that continuity there.

But I'm also aware that I could not have made it as a trad pub author. Not because there's anything bad about trad pub, you pick the path that works for you, and both are very much valid. I just mean that with the way my health has gone, and the way my writing journey has been, I don't see how I could be sat here with 23 books of varying genres out, if I'd queried and gotten an agent. The trad pub path is very much valid, but it's just not for me. I know a lot of other writers feel the same way, and that's okay. Neither one is better or worse than the other, they both have their pitfalls, and their gains.

That said, going into indie is about finding a way that you can do all the things you need to, and still pay your own bills, still bring about a story and release that will hopefully work for you. Too much of the time I see advice on doing it all on your own, or the opposite of paying through the nose otherwise you will fail, and I'd just like to say that there is some middle ground there. You can find a way that works for you without breaking the bank.

Firstly it's about deciding what things you can do yourself. Like you can write, and revise yourself, but I wouldn't skip an editor of some kind. If you're in a position of only being able to pay for one, go with the dev because I feel like way too many authors stick to line or copy and do not realise that they are missing a chunk of story and plot issues because that's not what those editors do. Now you might be lucky and be able to use beta readers only, or combine them with a copy editor who's willing to give some feedback on the story as well, but do not go into that relationship expecting or demanding it. Make sure you communicate with them, and make sure they are comfortable doing that, and if they're not, respect that.

Now I have zero design skills. I do not have the first clue about that stuff, I can write a brief for a concept for a cover, but I could not design the cover myself. There are some authors who can, and that's great for them, but if that's something you can't do, then go for saving your pennies for this as well. A cover can make or break a book, and it's about making sure you put your best foot forward there.

At the end of the day, you can choose where, and how, you spend your money, but if you want to be able to make some kind of living as a writer and author, then you need to put in the work, and some of that is monetary work. There are people who are willing to barter with you for prices, and there are others who will do payment plans, but at the end of the day, these professionals also deserve to get paid, just as you should, so work out what you can afford, what you can skip, and don't just attach a huge money amount because someone on the internet spent the same so you have to too. It's about finding a way that works for you, and that's okay.

Good luck! Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Spoonie Writer: Writing On Bad Days

SPOONIE WRITER: WRITING ON BAD DAYS

One thing you learn very quickly as a spoonie is that you will have bad days. You will have days when everything you planned to get done, just can not happen. You will have days when you might be able to do a little, but it won't add up to much overall. I mean you can have good days too, you can have days when everything seems to come together perfectly and you manage to get everything done, and then some, but today I wanted to focus on the working and writing on those bad days.

Now I want to make it clear that you should always listen to your body, if you need to rest and take the time off, then do it. Don't question whether you've earned it or not, because you don't have to earn rest, but just take time to recharge and get yourself into a better position. When I talk about writing on bad days I mean the ones when you can just about manage, not the ones that have you wondering if it's bad enough to head to the hospital or the like. On those worse days, you can't do a thing, and that's okay.

I recently, as in the last six months or so, have been hit with possibly new diagnoses and that has led to me having more bad days, or at least more days when I question if doing work is the thing I should be focusing on. I've had a lot more of the worst days too when all I can do is exist and hope that's enough. It's been a massive change to what I saw my life as before with mostly running on an even keel. I would have difficult days but not really bad days, and now it feels like all I'm having are the difficult, the bad, the very bad, and the worst. It's something that takes a lot of getting used to and adaption. I'm trying to find my feet as it were, and still struggling to get there.

But that's why I wanted to do this piece, because too much of the time, the focus is on when you're settled into a routine with your conditions and are finding a way to balance. I had that. I had my balance where I did a few things every day and always seemed to manage to function, albeit while resting, the rest of the day. Now though, it feels like I'm having to find a new normal and a new way of doing things, and I'm kinda flailing around unable to get my feet on the ground while I search for a way forward.

So how do I manage? Well, I've been lucky in that I've had a long time to adapt to everything else in my life, and have worked out a way of working already that allowed me to continue with that horrible balancing act that is the chronically ill and/or disabled life. It was more about finding my new limits and working out exactly what I could manage now that everything had changed again. It's one of the parts of the chronic ill and disabled life that you learn to see coming, and that is the constant change, the new symptoms, the new limits, the change in this way and that, and then learning how to adapt, how to make it so you can do the things you want to do without also putting yourself in hospital or a flare, or knocking yourself out for a time.

I've managed to spread out my work even more than I used to. Now I do things in hour chunks. At the moment I'm awaiting a new cushion for my wheelchair so I only have about an hour before it starts to get too uncomfortable and painful, and then I have to transfer to bed for a bit, and then give myself some time, before going back into that next chunk. This works for me, but I know that I've been lucky to have already found a way for my body to work with me when doing the author life. If you don't have that, do not be afraid to do some trial and error and find a way that works for you, and then slowly, ever so slowly, start to implement it.

At the end of the day, you are the one who knows yourself, and your conditions/disability best. You can be the only one to decide what too much is, what a bad day is, what a worst day is, and you just have to keep going at your own pace and working within your own limits. There's no race to the finish line. It takes as long as it takes, and that's okay!

Good luck! Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Keeping Going When Imposter Strikes

KEEPING GOING WHEN IMPOSTER STRIKES

With my next book, Translucent, coming out this month (pre-order here) I thought that I would talk about imposter syndrome and how to keep going even when it's there on your shoulder, as an ever-present beast. I will have been published for twenty years in August. It blows my mind to think back to that time, and the time when I first started writing, and see just how far I've come. Translucent will be my 23rd book, which is mad when you think about how I started off just wanting to write and publish ten books because anything more than that seemed to be impossible.

For reference, I've now written over double that. I've gotten to a point in my writing career where I'm focusing more on older projects than penning new ones. I will go back to drafting, I have two new ideas bouncing around in my head already, so the plan will be to go back to it, but for now my focus is elsewhere. I say that simply to give you some idea of how far I've come, and to know that even with all of that behind me, all of those published books and the like, I still get imposter syndrome from time to time, and it still impacts me.

I've been lucky to have a good support system. I've been lucky to have people who have my back and will tell me straight, and I love my job. I love what I get to do and how I get to create and build worlds and stories for readers, but sometimes that imposter will lean down to whisper in your ear that even with all of that behind you, you are not meant to be here, meant to be doing what you do, and being real? It sucks.

I get that after this long doing this, some new writers might want to hear that imposter syndrome goes away, that it gets better, that you don't ever have times when you wonder, and I hate to break it to you, but that's just not the case. I know of other big authors who also have the same issues, some more than others, and it's just something that you have to learn to deal with.

I can tell you a million ways that you are not an imposter, but if you're a stranger to me, then it feels like it falls flat. It feels like a platitude and something I'm saying just to make you feel better, when I know nothing about you, your work, or your process. But here's something that applies to everyone, no matter where they are in their writing journey, or publishing journey. Imposters don't question if they belong. They just do it and never question themselves.

I always found it hard to accept that, just by questioning my own status, my own validity, I was proving to myself, and the world, that I am not an imposter. I should just keep writing, keep my eyes on the page, and work on what I'm doing, because I am valid as a writer, as an author. The same is true of anyone reading who's ever felt this way before.

If you've searched for something about imposter syndrome, and you're questioning whether you have the skills or talent, or right to be where you are and doing what you're doing. You do. You belong here. You are meant to be doing this. You're not an imposter because you question your place. Imposters don't do that.

Hope that helps, and keep writing!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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How I Plan My Down Time - The Creative Process

HOW I PLAN MY DOWN TIME

I talked a couple of weeks ago about how I plan my writing time (found here), and I thought that today I would discuss the same, but for the time when I'm not working. Like I said in that piece, I've always been someone who is organised. I've always preferred having a list I can check things off when I'm done, and I've always wanted to have a plan before doing things. Now that I've found a way for it to translate into planner spreads and on my calendar app, it made sense that I started to do the same with the time when I'm not working.

I've had a goal for the past couple of years to have at least two non working days a month. It doesn't matter if I missed a day for health reasons, or even other reasons, I do my work on working days, and I do not on days when I'm supposed to be relaxing and enjoying the time without the need to produce work. Of course I also post to socials on my days off, but I don't see that as work because I'm not having to do anything major to heavily promote. You may disagree, but for me it's not a work thing.

So how do I plan and decide which days are gonna work for me? I simply choose the last two to three (depending on the month) days of the month to take that time off. I know for some people that wouldn't work, but I'm someone who when I have time off, I wanna know that all those little bits and pieces for the month that need doing, are already done, before I kick back and relax.

Sometimes I'll plan something for that day, like going out with the family to a theme park, or taking my time and snuggling up with kitties and a book. But the point of these days, for me anyway, is not to fill them with things that gotta be done. It's to let them be whatever day they're gonna be. If that's chilling in bed, great, if it's catching up on a Netflix show, also great, but the point is to not have that pressure to do anything, and sometimes when you plan to the extent that I do, having a lot of time to do nothing is the best feeling in the world.

I don't know if people know this about me, but I'm a very anxious person. I'm someone who needs to have a plan for most things, so unplugging, not having that plan, started off being very hard for me because I genuinely didn't feel like I had any right to sit and read, and not be doing something. People will talk about switching off and rest, and while rest means something different to disabled and chronically ill, it's really hard to go from being on the go with your plan and checkbox list, to having nothing to do, and planning on nothing. So it took time, a lot of time, for me to really be able to sink into that state every month around the same time, which I'm realising now is a plan of its own! But once I got there, it got easier each time.

I have friends who work regular 9-5 jobs, and they've said like, why don't you take the weekends off? You shouldn't have to work all the time. My answer always varies, but it's usually because I, as someone with chronic illnesses and disabilities, have such a small window in which I can work. I don't like to waste it. I don't mean that I therefore push myself to breaking point, but I make the most of the days when I can manage to get things done, and make it work for me.

So remember that down time isn't optional, and even if it takes you time to get used to it, keep going with it. Your body will thank you later.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Getting Back To Two Books A Year - The Creative Process

GETTING BACK TO TWO BOOKS A YEAR

For the past few years I have been, at most, publishing one book a year. I went through a period before that of doing two, one year I did three, and I will never do that many again, but my usual was two, and I was happy with that. I stopped doing two for a few reasons. One, I had a book ready to go to the editor, but decided that I did not feel like it was at the right stage. So I pulled the release and spent more time on it. Two, I didn't want to have an odd number of books, so I went with one the next year to even things out. And three, my former editor changed careers and for a time she thought she might be able to manage, and then realised that she wouldn't, and I had to wait to find a different editor, and then because it'd have been another odd book year, I waited until this year to do two.

So how does it feel? To be back in the two books a year, the balancing of covers, reveals, pre-order, editing, and all of the things that go along with it? Well right now I have one book at the pre-order stage. I've done absolutely everything I can with it. I've edited, proofed, and the final version is all uploaded and ready to go. It's with ARC readers now, and so there is very little I can do with it. The second book though has just gone to the editor, and I've had back a couple of my edit letters ready to start my edits in May. I have the front cover for it, the cover reveal all planned, and then all the other little bits and pieces coming together. 

I'm also revising one of the releases for next year, getting that ready to go to the editor in November, and it's a lot to cope with, a lot to get done. I can certainly remember how stressful it was before, and it's a little less stressful now, but still up there with the angst and anxiety and the worry. It's a lot of work. I know I've already said that, but I truly don't think non-writers really do grasp the amount of back end work that gets done before a release, and that's trad and indie because we both go through a number of different stages that are about the same.

That said, I like doing two books a year, which is why I came back to it when I could. I liked having less than a year, or a year between series releases, and I liked the way it helped clear some of my backlist, since I have a fair few books there already and I'm pretty set drafting wise for a number of years. I like being able to release and share my stories. It's something I work hard to do, and something that has taken a lot of balancing and juggling and all the rest, but has also opened me up to the possibility of keeping this going so long as my editor and everyone else involved is on board with that.

Releases, for indie anyway, they cost money. There are editors to be paid, even before that sensitivity readers who also need to be paid. I have to pay my cover designer, I have to pay for things that you wouldn't think about simply because I use those platforms to help with my promo images and the like. There is a whole lot of money that is behind, at least, my releases, and I have to really be sure both that I can manage it, and also that I'm able to put in the work. After all, I'm chronically ill and disabled. I don't have unlimited energy and I don't have anything really to pull from should I need help of some kind.

But are they worth it to me? Yes, very much so. Getting back to two books a year was always the goal, and it will remain that as long as I'm able to sustain it, but it does take a lot out of me, and it would anyone. But if it's something you have the means and ability to do, and mostly, if you want to do it, then it's worth it, and that's about it really.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments! 

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