April Davila's Blog, page 7

Writer Burnout

Way back when I was working on my first novel (while working full time and parenting two little ones), I had a day off and I was so excited to spend it working on my manuscript. My husband took the kiddos for the day and I headed to the coffee shop, but then the weirdest thing happened.

When I opened the document on my computer I had the sudden urge to vomit. Seriously. It was like morning sickness. I felt actually ill when I looked at it.

I had been pushing so hard, waking up at 5am every day to write for a little bit before the kids woke up and I had to get to work, and I was so tired. Frankly, the story felt like it was going nowhere and I just didn’t have it in me to work on it that day. I was burned out.

Burnout is real, and it can happen at any time with any project. The good news is that your story isn’t doomed. Over the past many years, I have learned (more than) a few coping mechanism to get myself through those tough patches.

If you’re experiencing burnout, here’s my advice:

Take a break: Give yourself permission to step away from writing for a little while. For me this meant closing that file and opening the nascent outline of a new idea I was excited about (it would eventually become my second novel), but a break could mean engage in other activities that you enjoy and that help you relax and recharge. It could be reading, spending time in nature, pursuing a hobby, or simply taking a vacation. This break can provide the mental and emotional space needed to rejuvenate.Reflect on your writing goals: Take the time to reflect on your overall goals as a writer. Ask yourself why you started writing in the first place and what you hope to achieve. Reconnecting with your passion and purpose can help reignite your motivation and enthusiasm.Set realistic expectations: Sometimes burnout can stem from placing excessive pressure on yourself. It’s important to set realistic goals and expectations for your writing. Break down your larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks. By focusing on achievable milestones, you can build momentum and regain a sense of accomplishment.Experiment with different writing approaches: If you’re feeling burned out, it may be helpful to explore new writing techniques or genres. Trying something different can reignite your creativity and make the writing process more enjoyable. Experiment with different styles, perspectives, or themes to inject freshness into your work.Seek support and feedback: Reach out to fellow writers, join writing groups or communities, or consider finding a mentor. Sharing your experiences and challenges with others who understand can provide valuable support and motivation. Additionally, receiving constructive feedback on your work can help you refine your skills and regain confidence.Practice self-care: Prioritize self-care practices to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Get enough sleep, eat well, exercise regularly, and engage in activities that help you relax and unwind. Remember that taking care of yourself is not a luxury but a necessity for sustained creativity.Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries around your writing time and space. Avoid overworking yourself and learn to say no to additional commitments that may drain your energy. Protecting your time and creating a conducive writing environment can help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.Revisit your writing process: Take a critical look at your writing routine and process. Are there any areas where you can make improvements? Experiment with different schedules, environments, or techniques to find what works best for you. Sometimes, making small adjustments to your writing process can help reinvigorate your creativity.

Remember that burnout is super common for writers and creative professionals. Be patient with yourself and give yourself the time and space needed to recover. By implementing these strategies and taking care of yourself, you can overcome burnout and rediscover your love for writing.

And as always, if you could use some support, book a time to chat with me. I work with writers in many different ways, and if the programs I offer aren’t a good fit, I will happily point you toward others. I’m here to help.

The Power an Author Platform: Your Bridge to Literary Success

In today’s digital age, aspiring authors have more opportunities than ever before to share their stories with the world. However, in the vast sea of content, standing out as a writer can be challenging. That’s where the concept of an “author platform” comes into play. An author platform is like a bridge that connects you, the writer, to your audience and the literary world at large.

What exactly IS an Author Platform?

All metaphors aside, an author platform refers to your visibility and influence as a writer. It encompasses various elements, including your website, press kits, social media, newsletter, and more, but building an author platform is not solely about self-promotion; it’s about creating a genuine connection with your readers, peers, and the publishing industry.

Let’s break take a look a the top 5 reasons that having a solid author platform is important:

Build Credibility and Trust

An author platform helps establish credibility and trust with your audience. When readers see that you have an active online presence, a professional website, and a loyal following (when it comes to followers we should always focus on quality over quantity), they are more likely to view you as a serious and reliable writer. This trust can be a crucial factor in convincing agents to represent your work and ultimately (and this is particularly important for self-publishing authors) for readers to purchase your books.

Connect with Your Audience

One of the most significant advantages of an author platform is the ability to connect directly with your readers. Through social media, newsletters, and blog posts, you can engage with your readers, answer their questions, and foster a sense of community. This personal connection can turn casual readers into dedicated fans who eagerly await your next book.

Market and Promote Your Work

In the competitive world of publishing, effective marketing is essential. People can’t buy your book if they don’t know it exists. Your author platform serves as a powerful marketing tool. You can use it to promote your books, share behind-the-scenes insights, and offer exclusive content to your followers. The larger your platform, the easier it becomes to generate buzz around your work, increasing your book’s chances of success.

Attract Publishers and Agents

For writers seeking traditional publishing deals, having a robust author platform can make all the difference. Literary agents and publishers are more likely to take notice of authors who already have a dedicated readership and a strong online presence. This is particularly true for non-fiction writers. An established platform can help you stand out in the crowded submissions pile.

Personal Growth and Networking

Building an author platform also offers personal growth opportunities. It encourages you to develop your writing voice, improve your communication skills, and become more knowledgeable about your niche or genre. Additionally, as you engage with fellow writers and industry professionals, you’ll build valuable connections that can open doors to collaboration and opportunities.

Getting Started

Actually creating an author platform can be a daunting task. You’re going to have to navigate a lot of systems that may or may not be familiar to you: url registration, website building software, newsletter platforms, social media scheduling software… And then, once you have it all set up, how do you help people find you in the vast expanse of the Internet?

Most importantly, how do you keep all this from dominating your life? You’re a writer, and you don’t want to use up all your free time dealing with your author platform.

No matter where you’re at with your author platform (just starting out or looking to grow) I can help.

Let Me Walk You Through It

My first job out of grad school was as a website designer and social media manager. Late at night, back in my home office, I applied what I learned on the job to building my own award-winning website and over the years I grew myself an audience of over 20,000 readers before I even published my first book.

After I quit the day job to write full time, I continued to build my platform by watching hundreds of YouTube videos, bingeing podcasts, and reading everything I could get my hands on about how to build an author platform. I’ve learned A LOT and this fall I’m offering 4 exclusive, VIP Days to share what I’ve learned and help authors get their own platforms in order.

Click here for more information on how you can get all this author platform business under control in just ONE DAY.

Share Your Website

Whether you work with me, or put it all together on your own, feel free to share your website/blog/social media accounts in the comments below so I (and anyone else reading here) can come read/follow/support you.

Writer’s Toolbox: Grammar

For writers who are just starting out and aiming to establish a solid understanding of English grammar, there are several key aspects to focus on. Grammar forms the foundation of effective writing, enabling clear communication and conveying intended meanings accurately. Here are some essential tips and advice to help you develop a strong grasp of English grammar:

Study the basics: Begin by familiarizing yourself with the fundamental components of grammar, such as parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.), sentence structure, punctuation, and subject-verb agreement. Dedicate time to understanding the rules and conventions associated with each of these areas.Read extensively: Reading serves as an invaluable tool for honing your grammar skills. Explore a variety of genres and styles to expose yourself to different sentence structures, vocabulary, and grammatical patterns. Pay attention to how skilled writers construct their sentences and convey their ideas.Utilize grammar resources: Numerous resources are available to support your grammar learning journey. Grammar textbooks, online courses, grammar handbooks, and reputable websites can provide explanations, exercises, and examples to reinforce your understanding. Grammar reference books, such as “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, can also be immensely helpful.Practice regularly: Regular practice is essential for mastering grammar. Engage in writing exercises, such as crafting sentences using specific grammar rules, identifying errors in sentences, and rewriting passages with correct grammar. Review your work and seek feedback from experienced writers or instructors.Develop sentence structure skills: Learn how to construct different types of sentences, such as simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences. Familiarize yourself with the use of phrases and clauses, and practice combining them effectively. Pay attention to subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, and parallelism within sentences.Be cautious with punctuation: Correct punctuation is crucial for conveying meaning and ensuring clarity. Learn the rules of punctuation marks like commas, periods, semicolons, colons, and apostrophes. Understand how they contribute to sentence structure and help organize ideas.Proofread and edit meticulously: Once you have written a piece, make it a habit to thoroughly proofread and edit your work. Check for grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues, verb tense inconsistencies, pronoun references, and punctuation mistakes. Use grammar checkers, but rely on your own knowledge as well, as automated tools may not catch all errors.Seek feedback and learn from mistakes: Sharing your writing with others and seeking feedback from experienced writers, editors, or writing groups can be immensely beneficial. Constructive criticism will help you identify areas for improvement and reinforce your understanding of grammar.Stay curious and continue learning: English grammar is a vast and evolving subject, and even experienced writers continue to learn and refine their skills. Stay curious, be open to learning, and keep exploring the intricacies of grammar. As you encounter new grammar rules or exceptions, seek clarification and deepen your understanding.

Remember, developing a solid understanding of English grammar takes time and practice. Embrace the learning process, be patient with yourself, and gradually build your skills. With consistent effort and a strong foundation in grammar, you will be well-equipped to communicate effectively and convey your ideas with clarity and precision.

Someone Needs to Hear Your Story

I’m not sure who needs to hear this today. Maybe it’s you.

Your story matters.

There are readers out there who need to hear your story.

Remember that your voice and perspective are unlike anyone else’s. Your experiences, emotions, and ideas shape your storytelling, and that uniqueness is what will attract readers who connect with your work on a deep level.

Stories have a profound impact on people’s lives. They entertain, inspire, educate, and challenge readers. Your story has the potential to touch someone’s heart, make them feel understood, or provide them with a fresh perspective. Never underestimate the influence a well-crafted narrative can have on someone’s life.

The world is full of diverse readers with varying interests, backgrounds, and experiences. Your story might resonate with someone who has been yearning for representation or validation. By sharing your unique story, you have the opportunity to create a connection with readers who have been waiting for a narrative like yours.

Your writing has the ability to cultivate empathy and understanding among readers. Through your characters and their journeys, you can bring to light important themes, challenges, and emotions that people may not have considered before. By sharing your story, you contribute to a more compassionate and empathetic world.

Writing is not just about the end result; it’s also a journey of self-expression and personal growth. Even if your story doesn’t reach a wide audience immediately, the act of writing itself can be transformative. It allows you to explore your thoughts, develop your skills, and discover new aspects of yourself. The process of writing is valuable regardless of external validation.

Remember, writing takes time and perseverance. Trust in your voice, stay committed to your craft, and believe that your story has the potential to impact someone’s life in a meaningful way. The world needs storytellers like you, so keep writing and sharing your unique narrative with the world.

And as always, if you could use some support, book a time to chat with me. I work with writers in many different ways, and if the programs I offer aren’t a good fit, I will happily point you toward others. I’m here to help.

When A Story Is Too Fresh

Trying to write a story while it’s still too fresh in your mind can be nearly impossible. If you’ve been following me for any length of time you know I don’t believe in writer’s block, but this whole “it’s too fresh” thing can often make a writer feel like there’s something wrong with them. Trust me, there’s not. Overthinking or overloading your creative process is easy to do when you’re writing about something without enough distance.

There are a few reasons why this happens:

Lack of perspective: When an idea or experience is still fresh in your mind, you may find it challenging to gain the necessary objectivity to explore it fully. Writing a story requires a certain level of reflection and analysis, which can be hindered if you are too close to the subject matter. It’s like trying to examine a painting from an inch away—you won’t be able to see the full picture.Mental clutter: Your mind may be filled with a flood of vivid images, emotions, and details related to the experience. This influx of information can overwhelm your creative process, making it difficult to organize your thoughts and translate them into a coherent narrative. It’s like trying to untangle a tangled knot of thoughts.Pressure to capture everything: When an experience is fresh, there is often a subconscious desire to capture every detail accurately and vividly in your writing. This pressure to do justice to the experience can create a performance anxiety that inhibits your creative flow. You may feel compelled to find the perfect words or phrases, which can lead to self-censorship and a fear of making mistakes.Emotional intensity: Fresh experiences, particularly those that are emotionally charged, can consume a significant amount of mental and emotional energy. Writing a story requires creativity, focus, and a degree of detachment, which can be challenging when you are still processing intense emotions. The emotional weight of the experience can distract you from the creative process, resulting in writer’s block.

To overcome this form of “writer’s block,” it’s often beneficial to allow some time for the experience to settle and for your mind to gain perspective. This could be a few hours, weeks, months or even years, depending on the intensity of the experience.

During this time, you can engage in activities that help you relax, reflect, and gain distance from the raw emotions. You might try journaling. Or maybe therapy (seriously – I think everyone should have a therapist).

Once you have achieved a certain level of detachment and clarity, you can return to the story with a fresh perspective and a clearer mind. At that point, the story will be much more clear in your mind and you will very likely find that writing it is considerably easier.

Writers Who Run Retreat

I’m writing this week from the shores of Lake Junaluska near Asheville, North Carolina. I’m teaching at the Writers Who Run Retreat and today is our second full day. Each morning we all gather for a run around the lake at 7am. It’s three miles, but I’ve been taking the bridge at the west end that shortens it to two miles. Some of the runners do two laps. It really is a great spot for accommodating all of our different running preferences.

The Retreat

As for writing, there’s a lecture each morning and afternoon. Yesterday I spoke about How To Find Time To Write. Today I’m scheduled to talk about The 5 Key Elements of a Scene. (If you’re curious, and you’re not here with us, this is all material I teach in my Sit Write Here coaching program.)

There’s also plenty of time for writing and socializing. It’s an intimate group (the organizer caps it at 12) and they’re all really interesting people with stories to tell. Here are a few photos:

Home Again (soon)

Next week I’ll be back in my home office in Los Angeles and frankly, I’m ready. In the last 6 weeks I’ve traveled to Philadelphia (to look at colleges with my girl), Oakland (to be with my bestie during a tough time), Denver (for a three-day bachelorette party), through Miami to Quito (to visit my husband’s family down there), and back through Miami to Asheville (for the retreat). It’s been fantastic summer so far and at the same time, I’m looking forward to getting back into my regular writing routine.

If you’re writing routine has been disrupted this summer, you can get back on track with my online Mindful Writing Community. We meet multiple times a week to write, ask questions, and support each other in staying target to meet our writing goals. To learn more, book a time to chat and we’ll discuss whether it’s a good fit for where you’re at with your writing.

Color Coding Scrivener

Color coding Scrivener is one of my favorite little writerly tricks. It’s just so freaking handy. Here’s how it works.

In the binder of your project simply right-click on any item (or selection of items) and move your mouse down the resulting menu to to “Label.” You can chose one of the existing labels, or click the bottom option there to edit and create your very own labels (for this example, I have created name labels).

Don’t get frustrated when you see no change in your binder after adding a label. To get the colors to show up simply go to VIEW > USE LABEL COLOR IN > BINDER.

Once you’ve told Scrivener to use the color codes in the binder, you’ll get something that looks like this:

POV

For this example, I’ve set up the binder to highlight different points of view. There are two main benefits to this. The first is that you will be required to break your scene when you shift point of view. As a result, you will be less likely to drift between POVs. The other benefit comes when it’s time to edit. If you look at your binder and see 90% of your scenes are from one POV, you might question whether you even need that other POV.

Timeline

My first novel was told linearly. It took place over about eight days and I found it helpful to have this visual clue as to what scenes took place on what day. Here’s what it looked like (granted, this is many drafts ago, in an older version of Scrivener, but you’ll get the idea):

But there are plenty of other uses for labeling. Here are just a few I have heard writers discuss:

Time Period or Location

If you have a story that shifts around in time or jumps locations, color coding in Scrivener can help you keep track of where you are in time and place. Again, this can be useful for big picture edits. If you had a structure in mind that rotates through time periods or locations in a regular order, then you will be able to see at a glance if the scenes you’ve written match the order you wanted.

Status

Some people use color labels to denote the status of a section of writing. While there is an option for setting a section’s status (right there below the Labels option on the menu), the status option doesn’t allow for color coding. Labels like “first draft,” “final draft,” “needs research,” can be given a color. Then, as you work each scene toward completion, you can watch the colors change. Writer Bronwen Fleetwood has a funny post about his own use of status labels here.

Color Coding Scrivener

I’m sure there are other ways people use color coding. Maybe you are sharing sections of your work as your write it and you want to know at a glance which are out in the world and which aren’t. Maybe there is a Major Event in your story and you want everything before it to be one color, while everything after is another.

If you have a creative way you use color coding in Scrivener, share it here. We are all, forever, learning.

4 Easy Ways to Make Scrivener Instantly Awesome

In this free video I’ll show you 4 easy ways to make the most of your writing software.

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Interview Poet Dr. Deborah Bayer

photo credit: Jack Bayer

I met the poet Dr. Deborah Bayer a few months ago at an online writing group and she was gracious enough to send me an advance copy of her new chapbook, Rope Made of Bandages.

Reading poetry is a fantastic way to prime our brains for writing. The precision of language, the diction and lyricism of each line, it all comes together in the brain as something so much larger than its parts. When I’m in need of inspiration, poetry is my go-to and I particularly like Dr. Bayer’s poems for their insight into the mind of a physician.

I hope you enjoy this interview and encourage you to check out the collection for yourself.

April: When did you first start writing poetry?

Deborah: I wrote my first poem just before I started medical school at age 31. It was a response to an exercise I found in Gabriele Rico’s book, Writing the Natural Way. It was a poem for my younger sister. I didn’t write again until I was a practicing physician. Medical training has a way of making you drop the creative threads in your life, but you can pick them up again. Two poems arose as a way of coping with stressful events. A patient died and my professional partner had a sudden illness. I began writing seriously when I went to my first writing retreat in 2004.

April: When did you write these poems? I have this vision of you jotting down ideas on your clipboard as you’re doing rounds, but maybe it was more of a way to detox from a long day? Paint a picture for us of when and where you wrote.

Deborah: William Carlos Williams famously jotted down poems on his prescription pads, but my process was completely different. I coped with difficult work situations by compartmentalizing my emotions to get through the hard thing in front of me. But those compartments have to be opened and processed at some point. Since I had little time to schedule regular writing, I relied on writing retreats and classes to allow me to go deep and write. The prompts I got on my writing retreats were complicated enough to distract my thinking mind and let my unconscious express itself on the paper.

April: What is the strangest thing you know to be true about the art of poetry?

Deborah: Poems are like the body in that they often know things that you don’t. There is a wisdom in poems that surprises and teaches you. You have to be willing to let the poem tell you where it wants to go.

April: What was the most difficult part of writing this collection of poems?

Deborah: Most of the poems in this chapbook were not written with the intention of going into a collection. They were poems that accumulated over a period of ten years or more. About three years ago, I realized that I had a cluster of poems around the theme of healing: as a patient and as a doctor in the process of retiring during a global pandemic. I am fortunate to have a great critique group who read through the manuscript more than once. I doubt I would have gotten to this point without their help. My next collection will be more intentional. The poems that are accumulating now are clustering around the theme of family.

April: Do you have a favorite poem in this collection? If so, why?

Deborah: I tend to like the poems I have written most recently the best. Favorites in this collection would include “Progress Notes,” written just before lockdown, when I was struggling to articulate my conflicting feelings about working in the Substance Use Disorder Clinic. Another favorite is “Thrown From a Window,” which I wrote after reading Nicole Sealey’s ekphrastic poem, “Candelabra with Heads.” She invented a form called the Obverse for her poem, which I used in mine. The second half of the poem is a reversal of the first half, and the poem ends with a thesis question. The controversy over whether to include the final question led her to write “In Defense of ‘Candelabra with Heads’”

April: What advice would you give to busy professionals (doctors, lawyers, etc.) who want to write, but feel like they don’t have time?

Deborah: I was never successful at having time and energy for a daily or even weekly practice, but I always had some kind of accountability built into my schedule, either by taking an undergraduate course at my local university, or by scheduling a writing retreat. A day, a long weekend, sometimes even a week or more. My vacations were writing vacations, and after we were empty nesters, my husband would come with me if he liked the destination. He loved exploring Dundee, Scotland in 2016.

April: Do you have a favorite poet? Someone who inspires you when the creative tank runs low?

Deborah: Since I’ve started using poems as prompts for my generative writing workshops, I’ve been revisiting some of my favorite poems and poets. Right now, Ellen Bass is one of my favorites. I can almost always find my way into writing a new poem after reading some of hers. Kathleen Graber is a favorite for how she weaves so much into a poem. But thumbing through a Contemporary Poetry anthology works for me, too. I have two recent poems that began by reading Richard Wilbur’s “Love Calls Us to the Things of This World” and Larry Levis’s “Winter Stars.” 

April: I always like to end with a lightning round of silly questions, just to get to know you a little better:

Coffee or tea?

I have been a coffee drinker since I was a little girl. I lived in Brazil until I was eight years old, so the love for coffee began early. Tea is an important ritual, though, if I need to signal a transition into writing time.

Ocean or mountains?

I am not a beach person, but I love being near the ocean. In medical school, a walk along the vastness of the ocean would turn off the anxious churn about classes for anatomy and biochemistry. I could look out on the horizon, get perspective, and remember why I had chosen to take this rigorous path. The ocean is also my favorite metaphor for consciousness. The waves are a part of the ocean they are made from. Contents and context are one.

Woolf or Steinbeck?

Since I’m forced to choose, I pick Woolf. I had Steinbeck foist upon me in High School. I didn’t discover Woolf until I read her memoir. I’m reading a lot of memoirs as I write my own. Woolf’s novels are on my TBR list, but it’ll be a while before they work their way to the top.

Sneaked or snuck?

I use both. “The date snuck up on me,” or “I sneaked into the hallway.” As a poet, I choose words based on their sound and rhythm, so it depends on the context and the formality of what I’m saying. I love having choices of words and diction.

Bathtub or hammock?

Hammock! There’s nothing as delicious as lying in a hammock in the shade with a good novel and a tall glass of iced coffee.

Deborah Bayer is a poet (mostly) retired from the practice of Infectious Disease and Palliative Care Medicine. She is working on a memoir about the difficulty of assertiveness for women in healthcare.  She has honed the craft of poetry in Peter Murphy’s workshops (now Murphy Writing of Stockton University), and she’s had the great fortune to study under Kathleen Graber, Cynthia Arrieu-King, Stephen Dunn, and Mark Doty. She spent her early years in Brazil, and now she lives outside of Atlantic City, NJ, with her husband. Rope Made of Bandages is her first poetry collection.

Links: https://bit.ly/m/DebPoet

The Power of Community: Why Writers Thrive Together

In movies and online, solitary moments spent in front of a blank page are often romanticized. However, the truth is that the journey of a writer can be a challenging and lonely one if not for a vibrant and supportive writing community. Engaging with other writers provides valuable support, inspiration, learning opportunities, accountability, and a sense of belonging – all things that you will need on your journey to publication. (And if you’re in search of an awesome community to support you with your writing, book a time to chat with me about joining my online Mindful Writing Community.)

Let’s look at each of these individually:

Support and Encouragement.

Connecting with fellow writers offers a network of support that is indispensable. Within a community, writers can find understanding and empathy with writers who are experiencing the same highs and lows, triumphs and setbacks, of the writing process. Encouragement from peers can provide the motivation needed to persevere in the face of self-doubt and rejection. Whether it’s celebrating a published piece or offering a shoulder to lean on in tough times, a supportive community reminds writers that they are not alone in their creative endeavors.

Exchange of Ideas and Inspiration

One of the most significant benefits of being part of a writing community is the exchange of ideas and inspiration. Engaging in conversations with fellow writers exposes individuals to different perspectives, styles, and genres, fostering growth and expanding horizons. By sharing works-in-progress, writers can receive valuable feedback and constructive criticism that helps refine their craft. The diverse experiences and backgrounds within a community contribute to a rich tapestry of inspiration, sparking creativity and encouraging experimentation.

Learning Opportunities

A writing community serves as a wellspring of knowledge and learning opportunities. Peer workshops, critique groups, and mentorship programs offer avenues for writers to receive guidance, refine their skills, and identify areas for improvement. The collective wisdom of experienced authors can provide invaluable insights into the craft, from the nuances of storytelling to the intricacies of the publishing industry. Through collaborative learning, writers can continue to grow and evolve in their pursuit of literary excellence.

Accountability and Productivity

The accountability that comes with being part of a writing community can be a powerful motivator. Setting goals, participating in writing challenges, or even sharing progress updates with peers creates a sense of responsibility and urgency. Deadlines and commitments within the community can help writers overcome procrastination and maintain a consistent writing routine. The collective energy and shared dedication to the craft push individuals to achieve their writing goals, fostering productivity and personal growth.

Sense of Belonging

Writing can often feel isolating, but belonging to a community nurtures a sense of camaraderie and belonging. In a writing community, individuals connect with like-minded people who share their passion for storytelling. It offers a space where writers can freely express their thoughts, fears, and triumphs without judgment. This sense of belonging not only bolsters confidence but also provides an emotional support system, creating lasting friendships and professional connections that can extend beyond the realm of writing.

Keep Writing

Writers thrive when they are part of a supportive and engaging community. Whether you’re an aspiring writer or an established author, seeking out a writing community can be a transformative step on your literary journey. Embrace the power of community and watch your writing flourish in ways you never imagined. (And again, if you’re having trouble finding a group that’s a good fit, let’s chat.)

Fiction Makes Travel More Delicious

A few years ago a dear friend told me about how, when she knows she’s going to travel to a place, she likes to get novels that are set in that place and read them before, during, and after the trip. I couldn’t believe I had never thought of that. Mind = blown.

Since then, I’ve adopted the habit whenI travel. Fiction allows us to immerse ourselves in the local culture, landscapes, and historical context. Through vivid descriptions and compelling narratives, novels can transport us back in time, revealing the layers of history that have shaped a particular location. Whether it’s a classic novel set in the ancient streets of Rome or a contemporary tale unfolding in the vibrant neighborhoods of Tokyo, reading fiction while traveling helps us understand the nuances of a place, its people, and the events that have shaped its identity.

Of course, I share all this because, after three long years, I am finally doing some travel again this summer, which has me thinking about my TBR pile for the coming months.

Colorado

I’m traveling to Denver for a dear friend’s bachelorette party at the end of this month.

For that trip I think I’ll read Butcher’s Crossing by John Williams. It’s described as “the story of Will Andrews, a young Bostonian and Harvard dropout, who instead of taking a year’s study abroad, is inspired by reading Emerson and others to come West in the early 1870s to Colorado — both to find himself and to explore America’s great frontier.” Sounds great.

Ecuador

In early July we’re finally traveling back down to Ecuador for a long overdue visit with my husband’s family there.

For that (very long) plane ride, I’ll be bringing The Queen’s Necklace by Teresa Proença. I love old town Quito and this novel is said to “transport readers to the 16th-century Quito during the Spanish colonial era. The story revolves around the stolen necklace of Inca Atahualpa and the quest to recover it, intertwining the history and folklore of the region.” Delicious.

Washington State

In early August we’ll be traveling up to visit my dad for his 80th birthday. He moved to Port Townsend recently, on the Olympic peninsula, so I’m thinking The Loop by Nicholas Evans. It’s described as “the story of a wildlife biologist investigating a series of wolf attacks, while delving into themes of conservation, family dynamics, and the power of nature.”

Australia and New Zealand

If you know anything about me, you know I married into a soccer family. Every four years we do a big family trip to where ever the Women’s World Cup is happening. This time around, it’s Australia and New Zealand and while I ABSOLUTELY intend to rewatch the Lord of the Rings trilogy on the plane, I’m also packing the Kindle.

For New Zealand I’m thinking Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera (“This poignant novel follows a young Maori girl named Kahu who defies cultural expectations and strives to become the leader of her tribe. Set in a coastal community in New Zealand, the book beautifully explores themes of tradition, heritage, and female empowerment.”)

And for Australia, maybe Cloudstreet by Tim Winton (“This award-winning novel tells the story of two working-class Australian families who share a house in Perth for two decades. Through their experiences and interactions, the novel captures the spirit of post-war Australia and explores themes of family, identity, and the search for meaning.”)

An Awesome List

Looking over this list, I’m almost as excited about the books as I am the travel. I mean, there’s a lot here to savor.

Of course, I’m open to suggestions and would love, love, love to hear from anyone out there who has a connection to any of these places and could make a more informed recommendation.

If you’ve got thoughts, drop them below in the comments. And thanks!