Making space for writing (and reading, too!) is often easier said than done, but then when it’s done…. it’s wonderful. The main way I’ve been making time for creative pursuits these days is adopting a “5 minutes is better than 0 minutes” mentality.

I wish I could fly by the seat of my pants while editing a novel, but I’m not that type of writer. After making line-edits in my physical manuscript, I knew I would need a structure to ensure that all those notes made their way into my digital draft. Enter: THE SPREADSHEET.

Yesterday I finished line-editing my YA fantasy manuscript. I have to level with myself: my progress was initially so slow because I was afraid that much of this draft would be subpar. Writers often bemoan the redrafting process, but do you know what’s often not talked about? The fact that your writing improves with each new draft.

As I’m editing through Act 2 of my manuscript, I’m noticing a trend in the notes I’m making: many of them have to do with pacing. This part of the story is a transition — the main characters have both made a significant leap in their inner and external journeys, but I’m also introducing a pivotal new character to the story. As I’m editing, it’s clear to me there’s a certain paradox with pacing: the author must introduce twists that feel simultaneously unexpected and yet somehow inevitable.

I consider myself to be a type A person, but sometimes I call this into question while editing my manuscript. The culprit? Continuity. It’s easy to get lost in the fantasy world. Less easy to make the fantasy world logically consistent. As a reader, my favorite books are the ones that allow me to reasonably suspend my disbelief so I can enjoy the world, the characters, and the plot as though I’m living in the story myself. I want to write that kind of book for my readers.

When I first started writing my manuscript, it came without question: I would write from a third person point of view. Only after multiple drafts of struggling to naturally articulate my characters’ thoughts and motivations did I realize… maybe I was writing from the wrong POV.

I recently edited one of my favorite chapters in my manuscript. It’s got energy and verve because of one particular character who has always leapt off of the page. She’s one of those characters that feels like she came to my mind fully formed and yet constantly surprises me. Chaotic figures like that are a planning-author’s dream.

Novel-writing requires consistency and fortitude. While I know many people who are able to get great amounts of writing done by simply writing whenever they can, I’m able to write the most when I establish a routine and enjoy certain rituals.

I started 2023 on a productivity roll: well into rewrites of my work in progress, committed to blogging, getting into a groove on Bookstagram, and more. Most joyfully of all, my husband and I are also expecting a baby boy! With the onset of morning sickness, away went all that productivity. Slowly this spring I got my energy back and finished my rewrite. This summer, I printed out the manuscript and began line-editing each chapter.

Do you ever just feel like you need to take a big stretch and a long nap and a nice walk to clear your head? I love sharing the highs of my reading and writing journey here but I think it’s good to share the lows too. I’ve been feeling pretty burnt out lately and I expect I’m not the only one! January and February are weird months.

For the shortest month of the year, February sure seemed to last forever! However, I’m a little bit grateful for the cold weather and shorter days, because nothing is cozier to me than wearing a big sweatshirt, lighting a candle, pouring a hot cup of coffee, and sitting down to write.

I’m one of those New Years resolution girls and tried my best to hit the ground running after the holidays. Here’s what I spent January doing…

I write because… It energizes me. Writing is like working a muscle, and the more that I use it, the stronger it gets, and the more I want to return and “build reps,” so to speak.