Updates for the Rest 2026
Sorry I've been out of commission...there's been a very, very good reason.
Apologies for being gone so long. In short, I had a major medical issue, and now I’m confirming a POTS diagnosis. I’m learning to navigate life with a chronic illness while still juggling all the things I had before.
It’s chaotic, but in a good way, I guess. I’m forcing myself to slow down, heal, and take the time to attend to my health and my business in equal proportions.
So, as I’m navigating this crazy mess of beautiful life I’ve got on my plate, here’s what’s going to be going on here on Substack.
A Refocusing of Energy
I have three Substack channels that I run, two of which are this Substack and No-BS Book Biz Building.
Before, I kind of crossed the energy streams (if you know Ghostbusters, you know to NEVER CROSS THE STREAMS). I found out the hard way that this gets confusing, overwhelming, and leads to burnout.
So, now that I’ve got limited energy to work with, I’m sorting things out to make it easier on myself. Going forward, I’m separating the focus for both Substack channels into distinct categories:
Write Your Novel! will focus on helping new writers conquer the first draft.
No-BS Book Biz Building will tackle the rest: the editorial process, publishing decisions, and building a business around your book.
It seems that most of you are here to help finish your novels, anyway, whether you’re brand-new or just sorta struggling with this next WIP, so I’m going to focus all the energy in this channel on getting you to “The End.”
There will still be paid content, but right now, I’m focused more on building this community with the resources I wish I had when I was first starting out.
What to Expect
Moving forward, I’ll be following a new post schedule. Expect to see posts every first and third week of the month from here on out!
Each posting week, you’ll get:
One bite-size guide
One writing update
Occasional Prompt & Post posts
Occasional Write-with-me Livestreams
More on what each thing will entail below!
Bite-Size Guides
I’ll be writing one free guide for each posting week. You know, because not everything needs to be behind a paywall.
My energy will be focused on showing you how to go from blank page to finished draft. Bite-sized guides, educational blog posts, and short video guides are all part of this category. I want to make it easy to understand the writing process and even easier to use my advice.
We won’t be focusing as much on editing, publishing, or marketing—that’s going to be tackled in No-BS Book Biz Building if you need it! Our focus will be on the first major hurdle for new writers: finishing that first draft.
The bite-size guides are meant to be quick, easy reads that you can implement instantly to help move you toward your goal. I’m not going to add hundreds of words to full these up; if you can’t take it and use it immediately without prior knowledge, then I haven’t done my job. PLEASE let me know if anything is hard to understand so I can update it!
Each bite-size guide is going to be free (because we LOVE free info in this house) and accessible. Whether you’re neurospicy, neurotypical, a beginner or an expert, you’ll be able to use these in a matter of minutes and tailor them to your experience and thought patterns.
My goal is to build a whole resource library full of these free guides to help you on your way from blank page to finished draft. If I use a trick and it’s helpful, I’ll share it! I don’t see a reason to hide it behind a paywall or gatekeep it indefinitely if it’s a ‘lil tool I use on the daily.
Writing Updates
As you may know, I’ve been writing my own book, Rain, for some time. I recently updated the outline and finally started drafting again.
When you’re writing a book all alone, especially for the first time, the isolation makes it harder to believe in yourself. My goal with sharing my own experience is to let you know that 1) you’re not alone and 2) I’ve got your back.
Writing a book is hard, even for someone like me who’s written over 40 books, most of them as a professional ghostwriter. You deserve to hear a candid take on being a writer struggling through every step of the process. I promise you, I’m not going to sugarcoat anything, but I’m not going to discourage you, either. We’re a good-vibes-only kind of community here.
Most of my writing updates will be standalone posts, but sometimes, I’ll attach the guide of the week to it because it aligns with where I’m at in my draft. Keep an eye out so you don’t miss any updates!
Prompt & Post
I’m aware that sharing your writing is one of the scariest parts of being a writer. It was terrifying for me at first, but I eventually came out of my shell when I started sharing my writing within a writing group. So, to help give you that same experience, I’ll be continuing the Prompt & Post series as my energy allows.
I’ll still be doing the same thing as I did before: take a prompt, write for 30 minutes without stopping, and post before I can edit. This way, I can take the lead and do the scary thing of sharing my writing, then invite you to share your writing so I can compliment you. This can be used to practice building confidence with sharing your writing, or you can simply get a compliment by sharing!
Write-with-me Livestreams
This is the one category that I won’t make any promises on, but is still going to stay alive. My current energy levels fluctuate at the drop of a hat. I could be killing it at 9am and suddenly feel like I’m going to drop dead by 11. Because of that, livestreams will be inconsistent.
I will say, though, that they won’t disappear for good. If I can schedule in a few hours on a weekend to sit and write, then I’ll do my best to let you know in advance so you can join me. I enjoy creating space for myself to write, so if you need an invitation to create space for yourself, join me!
What about paid posts?
There’s a plan here, I promise. It’s still just in the works.
All posts become paid once they move into the archive (~8 weeks after posting). That’s something that’s been in place for a while now.
However, there will be dedicated paid posts coming soon, once I get my life really under control.
The other things coming your way?
A cohort of other beautiful internet strangers also vying to finish their novel, purposefully designed to help you reach your goal in the company of fellow writers.
Live online workshops to help you carve out time for your masterpiece.
Group lessons on the craft of writing.
Courses on the art of storytelling, finding your voice, creating characters, and more!
So, to sum it up…please stay tuned. And get excited. Because although all of this will be developing slowly, the day I launch this will be here before you know it. I’m taking it one sure step at a time!
Moving Forward
As I said earlier, look for consistent bite-size guides and writing updates on a biweekly basis (the second and fourth weeks of each month).
Additionally, I’ll still be doing the Prompt & Post series and Write-with-me Livestreams at least once a month.
Finally, I’ll be moving forward with paid resources in the near future, once I have my life under control. Paid subscribers, keep an eye out for these, because I’d love your feedback. I’d love to improve my resources consistently to make sure I’m helping you as much as possible!
We’re getting started with new rounds of content next month (August). I hope you’re ready to write your novel with me!
Thanks for reading!
Want professional assistance with your book? Find a time to chat with my Calendly link below! As always, paid subscribers get discounts on my professional services, like developmental editing and book coaching.