Jennifer Probst's Blog

I Did a Thing…

 

I’m doing something really exciting.

I’m taking my Kindle Vella stories – Yearn and Crave – and putting them into book form!

But not just any format. I’m doing it big time, in gorgeous hard cover, exclusive editions. In foiled paperbacks. And with amazing swag items like stickers, coasters, and commissioned art.

You cannot buy it anywhere else except right here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jenniferprobst/the-red-series-deluxe-special-edition

The campaign launches on July 30th and I’m asking for you to click on the link, hit the button that says: Notify Me on Launch, and wait until you see all the amazing things I’m able to offer.

PLUS, an early bird special that will be gone quickly!

Thanks for taking this journey with me. The Red series is special and something new for me I can’t wait to unleash!

 

Fun Stuff!

I thought it would be a good idea to bundle a bunch of fun stuff together so here we go!

First, there’s a brand new Goodreads giveaway for A Wedding in Lake Como going on. The book goes live in less than 90 days and I’m doing a special week-to-week countdown to celebrate. Hop on over and enter – good luck!

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/383275-a-wedding-in-lake-como

Second, I’m giving away a PRINT ARC of the book also on my Instagram page. Just comment and tag some people and you’re entered to win. Go here, and good luck!

https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferprobst/

Third, I’m currently polling my Posse members to vote on what they want me to write for their monthly short story and I’d love for you to join in!

I love re-visiting older, beloved couples, creating some short steamy stories, or dropping a fun holiday short – maybe for Valentine’s Day?

Check it out here – and remember, you can also follow my posts for free!

**I will also be posting my serial VanderPump Rules fan fiction in the group!

https://reamstories.com/jenniferprobst

That’s it – much more to come as we get closer to release day! Please make sure you’re following me everywhere so you don’t miss a thing – SMOOCHES!

 

How the Movie, Past Lives, can make you a Better Romance Writer…

I saw the movie Past Lives and I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind.

It’s such a rare treat when a romance transcended to the big screen really hits all the sweet spots. This is the type of movie that reminds me of a book, the words sing and dance in my brain for days after, leaving me with the most pleasant, buzzy hangover. It’s a rush all book lovers chase, and being a huge movie lover (my son is a film student) when I see a great movie that I just fall hard for, I’m high for a while.

Past Lives did that for me. This is the line I can’t keep going over and over like a mantra.

**Small spoiler alerts ahead!**

“What if this is a past life as well, and we are already something else to each other in our next life? Who d you think we are then?

The last scene haunts me.

Maybe because it reminds me of a time in my life I thought things were going one way and I ended up in a complete other life. In my past, there was someone I loved that I convinced myself was my Fate. But as time passed, I realize even if our souls connected, we were never meant to be in this lifetime. We didn’t fit. I found myself on a completely different path I never imagined, and cannot even think of myself anywhere else.

But sometimes…once in a while…I wonder if I made a different choice all those years ago and am living it now, in another life. A past life.

These are the types of questions that create a romantic, emotional story that will never be forgotten. Within this movie, there were subtle layers delicately revealed to the moviegoer, feed to us in slow, deliberate actions that lead to the ending. Which gives us another lesson.

The art of emotional subtlety. I am one who loves a good, intense dramatic scene like any other reader. Drama feeds my soul. But I was reminded watching Past Lives that some of the most powerful emotions lay beyond words. It is within the silence. The melancholy of thought. The remembrance of the past. The secrets in the heart.

Go there for the big payoff. Because that is where we are essentially human and connected.

I’m grateful for all of the amazing art out there – the creative genius of so much variety, from music to books to movies to art to blogs—that inspire me to dig deeper.

As artists, we need to sow more of these seeds to cultivate, so our stories grow full and fruitful.

This is the stuff that satisfies readers.

I am thankful for the reminder.

 

 

Overwhelm…

Anyone out there experience seasonal mood disorder? *I think that’s the name?* I didn’t know it was even a thing until years after I’d been scraping myself off the floor in January and February, wondering why I seemed to look at the world, blinking in a fog, wondering what was happening. Wondering if I’d ever feel normal again. Wondering…if I’ve finally reached a breaking point.

 

Then spring would slowly close in and I’d remember I was okay. Or at least, I sensed I’d be okay SOON. Days got longer and brighter, and suddenly that book I didn’t think would ever get written does – my Muse shows up and wants to play again. I am saved.

 

It’s a cycle I know well, but I always veer into panic sometime in February when I’ve been fighting through and I realize I’m going to lose. For a while. My creativity dries up. My energy depletes. I’ve learned to give myself grace but as a proud overachiever, I kind of hate babying myself. I long to write well, but I can’t.

 

I try extra vitamins and movement. I try the special lights that resemble the sun. I try to breathe the fresh air when I step onto my porch. I know the tools well. Sometimes, I use them. Sometimes, I don’t. Whatever I choose, there’s always the same pattern.

 

I usually settle for long hours at the computer, until the trickle of dead words begins to take life, more like a cactus than a rose, but at least it’s something. I water it a bit more, pray a little more, wait a little more. And I get there. I write the story. I find the good stuff. I am not over.

 

After fifty books and a decade of a full time career, I still struggle. If I look back, do I wish someone had warned me it would never get easier? Sure, there’s easier TIMES and BOOKS but the process never does pick up. So many false starts and petering out midstream. You need so much grit to be a writer. And faith. And if you have any desire to be somewhat normal – whatever normal is – you need to give that crap up.

 

We talk to imaginary people and live half in this world, half out. We see ghosts, my lovelies. We live with them. Hell, we invite them in to take a seat at our table and sleep beside us.

 

But too many ghosts at one time creates overwhelm. I just finished a long ass book that was hard, but I love how it turned out. I’m about to dive into another one which has a two and a half month deadline. I’m writing a serial novel so I write two chapters per week. I’m opening a Shopify store and started a subscription. I’m promoting my newest release in May and already begun to worry about it.

 

I like work, it completes me. But in the winter, I’m much better off giving in to my input and intellection rather than my achiever. In a perfect world, I’d take these two months off to watch tv and sleep and read and watch movies and recharge like a bear.

 

I can’t though. The majority of us can’t. I’d rather take time off in summer, so I can be with my kids and vacation and do all the other ninety nine tasks I need to focus on other than writing. So, I push through winter each year, and each year I find myself spinning out, staring down the barrel of mid-winter blues, in overwhelm.

 

What is the point of this post? How will this add VALUE or HELP or ENTERTAINMENT?

 

My point is to simply reach out to all my beloved readers and writers and reflect on our humanness. To take a breath and tell you I see you if you are struggling. I see you if you are staring at your manuscripts, dreaming of doing nothing for a change and not worrying about it. I see how we struggle to keep up with others, who seem to do more and make more and be more, while we berate ourselves for not being as –fill in the blank here.

 

Smart enough.

Talented enough.

Popular enough.

Funny enough.

Beautiful enough.

Successful enough.

Loveable enough.

WORTHY enough.

 

I see the amazing creatives we are, and how much we handle, and how much we want to give of ourselves through our writing. That it’s hard a lot of the time.

 

That it’s okay to be not okay some of the time.

 

It passes. We finish the book. We start a new one. We ease past the bumps. We cry. We sleep. We dream. We hope.

 

We get back to work.

 

And spring comes around again.  For a little while.

 

Share with me if you’re struggling with anything right now. Or if you just need to a little quiet and understanding rather than a motivational speech or another task to complete so we feel good about ourselves.

 

I’m listening.

 

My New Short Story is Live!

Hello my lovely ones! How is everyone doing?

I know I’ve explained in detail in my last newsletter, but just in case anyone has missed it, I spoke about the new Probst Posse group launching where I will be sharing a NEW short story every month! Yes, you finally get to request shorts from any of my characters in my back list, and vote on who you’d like to see featured. Of course, there will be a bunch of other stuff such as book boxes, swag, sneak peeks, and early access to ALL my work. Plus, a special place for writers.

You can follow for free and get my posts, or upgrade to a higher level to get the stories and any other goodies you’d like to have.

For now, I’m thrilled to announce the first short story has been published and it’s ready for you to read!

Who is this story about?

In my Twist of Fate series, readers were entranced with the older couple and their secondary romance: Emma and Mike. We meet them first in Meant to Be, where Emma is painfully shy and secretly crushing on Mike. Of course, Mike doesn’t notice, but when the girls give her a makeover and Emma builds confidence in herself, she begins to bloom. In So It Goes, she is ready to step into the world as a new woman. But Mike isn’t ready for his feelings, so there’s trouble in paradise. It’s not until Save the Best for Last that they begin to try and move forward.

Readers have been asking for an update to their story – so I decided to write Second Chances for all of you.

Enjoy! And please leave a comment – I’m here to discuss, chat, or answer any questions at any time.

https://reamstories.com/jenniferprobst

Let’s talk about our accomplishments…

Doesn’t this sound like an egotistical post?

It shouldn’t. I invite everyone to do this in December/January because if you have even an ounce of achiever in you – you have already forgotten most of what you have accomplished and are already berating yourself for having a crappy year because you didn’t work hard enough.

Bullshit.

I challenge you to go back month by month and write down EVERYTHING good that you were able to not only accomplish, but experiment. This means trips and great memories and things you did for others.

Guess what else this means?

Failures. Every failure is an accomplishment of TRYING. Of putting yourself out there despise the FEAR. Failure is about GROWTH and I’ve found it’s one of the most important elements in a full, vivid life because it adds texture and angles and makes you so much more interesting.

It’s time to give ourselves not only grace, but a giant pat on the back and start our own parade!

Drumroll please. These are mine:

 

GROWTH:

I took an online writing course with CHERYL STRAYED. It was a weekend retreat, and it was just as amazing as I’d hoped it would be.

I took another writing retreat at A Writing Room. It was hosted by Sam Lamott and featured speakers like Anne Lamott, Julia Cameron, Sark, and so many others. I left feeling wrung out and filled up all at once. I left better than when I entered.

 

PERSONAL:

My son graduated and went to college. I cried. A lot.

My mom turned 80.

 

TRIPS:

An epic, European vacation with my crazy Italian family. We hit Barcelona and then the French Riveria. We had so many adventures and mishaps and laughs. We made so many memories together with all the kids and my eighty year old Mom!

Winter trip to Portland, Maine

Cape May, NJ

 

CONFERENCES:

Readers on the River- Kentucky goodness with JR Ward and the 1001 Dark Nights authors. Epic as usual.

Readers Take Denver – the first conference launched and my first attendance in years since COVID. It was like coming back home. Can’t wait to return this year!

 

Publications:

Republished Unbreak my Heart – formerly All the Way

Christmas in Cape May

Yearn – Kindle Vella serial.

 

Writing:

Christmas in Cape May

That Summer in Sicily

Yearn

Almost 250,000 words in one year.

 

Stuff I Tried:

Kickstarter – I launched Unbreak my Heart in a brand-new way and it was such a learning experience. A LOT of work but worth it.

Subscriptions – researched a ton and decided to do REAM.

Shopify – researched a ton and decided to build my own store.

Kindle Vella – wrote and launched my first ongoing, live serial story fan based VAnderPump Rules fiction

 

Concerts:

Matchbox Twenty concert in Saratoga Springs.

Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden

 

I am sure there’s so much more but this is what I remember. Writing stuff down gives me a new outlook on my life.

As Tony Robbins says, TRADE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR APPRECIATION AND YOUR WHOLE LIFE WILL CHANGE.

I cannot wait to hear and read about yours!

 

 

My BEST list of 2023!

I love lists. It’s the Virgo in me, plus a bunch of other personality aspects, but I adore crossing off items on a list as much as I adore reading other people’s lists of things they loved. Top 40. Top books. Top best deals. Top fave cozy socks. I’ll read them all. From everyone.

I decided it would be fun to create my own – I’d do it anyway- but it’s even more joyous when I get to share! **and yeah, I know I’m late – but better late than never!**

Disclaimers: some of these faves were not released in 2023 – but I CONSUMED them in 2023 so for my rules – they count.

No one paid me to say any of this.

There’s a TON of more of my favorites – with the amount of books I read I don’t want any authors to get hurt – these were literally the ones I remember the most today and that I’ve kept thinking about.

I think that’s it. Drumroll please!

Movies:

Big Screen:

 Barbie + Oppenheimer = Barbenheimer – the best movie experience of the decade and worth all the hype!

John Wick Chapter 4 – the stair scene? The traffic circle scene? Epic…

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 – really heartfelt – such a great installment.

Thanksgiving – a new horror ritual for the holidays – watch this scary movie! So much fun.

 

Netflix:

The Fall of the House of Usher – series the BEST adaptation and series this year. My horror loving soul adored every moment!

Daisy Jones and the Six – everything I ever wished or dreamed that the book would be!

Squid Games Reality Show – watched this with the boys on Netflix – it was so well done and addicting to watch.

Fair Play – OMG really smart and sexy and extremely frustrating to watch – this one was a sleeper it’s really worth watching!

May December – this movie was disturbing but it’s also on my list because I keep thinking about it. If I keep thinking about it, it’s a great movie.

Blackberry – I thought this was so well done in the perfect amount of time. – absolutely fascinating.

 

Books:

Black River Orchard – Chuck Wendig. *If you love horror this is a MUST read. I am now scared of apples. Now, that’s great writing!*

Fault Lines – Emily Itam (Haunting and beautifully written – I am obsessed with this book)

Mad Honey – Jodi Picoult/Jennifer Finney Boylan (A perfect, big, dynamo of a book to dive into)

Yellowface – RF Kuan (It’s about a writer, publishing, editing, diversity. Brutally sharp and so relevant. One of my all time faves.)

Bath Haus – PJ Vernon (slick and different – I tore through this one)

The Dead Romantics – Ashley Poston (beautiful and lyrical and romantic. I’m about to read her newest Seven Year Slip next.)

Wrong Place, Wrong Time – Gillian McAllister (A completely different take on the thriller loved it)

Local Woman Missing – Mary Kubica (such twisty goodness! This is my fave book of hers.)

A Good Neighborhood – Theresa Anne Fowler (heartbreaking and surprising)

Wolf – Rebecca Zanetti (A huge fan on everything Zanetti writes, but this was so alpha yummy)

Summer Reading – Jenn McKinley (a perfect summer romance read!)

Love on the Byline – Xio Axelrod (Adored this smart, emotional story that has all the feels)

Fourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros – nothing to say about this one except DUH! Of Course!

Haunting Adeline – HD Carlton (for my dark romance lovers. this is DARK but so good).

Emergency Contact – Lauren Layne & Anthony LeDonne – (made me laugh out loud and feel good)

Things/Items:

Not much here – I think I tried to scale back on my shopping? Or else didn’t find a ton that was worthy of my memory? Here we go:

Shinery – jewelry cleaner/wash and buffer – I have never found something to remove all of that awful tarnish from my silver jewelry until now. I’m obsessed – just buff the tarnish away and I can wear all my stuff again!

Substack Subscriptions: can these be considered a thing? I’m deeming them a thing! I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of subscriptions from talented authors who dig into various subjects and share their amazing ideas. Reading their analysis gives me new perspectives, and I’m always open to change and growth and possibilities. Here are a few I loved this year:

Author Analyst by Monica Leonelle: The Author Analyst | Monica Leonelle | Substack

Emma Gannon at The Hyphen – The Hyphen by Emma Gannon | Substack

The Author Stack by Russell Nohelty  The Author Stack | Russell Nohelty | Substack

Becca Syme – Patreon – she’s the bomb in this industry for making writers aware of their strengths and feeling normal in a nutty world. I love her. Becca Syme | Creating Books, Podcasts, and Content | Patreon

Elizabeth Gilbert – Letters from Love –beautiful notes written from LOVE on various subjects.

Letters From Love with Elizabeth Gilbert | Substack

 

Ideas:

Ream. I’m so happy to be here everyone!!! Ream is this cool subscription for authors in FICTION. I’m finally going to be able to give you more personal content and stories! Here’s the link for a sneak peek -more coming later!

https://reamstories.com/jenniferprobst/public

 

Trips for Readers – I’m doing a Trovatrip to Italy for my readers August 2024. I think this is the coolest thing to do for fans and a memory of a lifetime. Basically, I host the trip which is a full tour and itinerary and I invite readers to come with me. Here’s my link to see what it looks like:

Meet Me in Italy! (trovatrip.com)

 

Hungry Root food subscription: I’m vegetarian – well, pescetarian, and I don’t like to grocery shop, I have really loved this specific service for the groceries/recipes they offer, and the affordability. Plus I can skip any weeks I want without a hassle.

 

Music:

Taylor Swift. Yeah, I know you were really surprised by that one, right? I simply love her. Not just the music, but her savvy and sharp business self. The cool way she handles things, even when it’s admitting to the world that she’s not being cool. I learned a lot from Taylor Swift this year. But the biggest lesson for me was the way she consistently remakes herself without whining about it.

Matchbox Twenty – new album Where the Light Goes. SO. GOOD.

Olivia Rodrigo – Guts. Love it.

The Barbie album. Danced my ass off.

Aurora – Daisy Jones & the Six – obsessed.

COURSES:

Lord, my input has been in overdrive this year! I simply can’t name all the course materials I ingested and still have to go through. Here are a few main ones I loved:

HB90 – Sara Cannon is the ultimate planner and helped me re-organize my life. If you’re a writer and need help focusing on ALL the things, this system is a life saver. Take the course. Do it. It’s epic.

Inkers Con: Alessandra Torre runs the amazing Inkers Con conference, and you can buy this digitally and feast on all the amazing presenters and material all year long. They also have a mini con with a few courses if you want a bite size portion.

Meditation with Deborah Hanlon: I attend every Sunday night for a guided meditation to start my week. It’s been a game changer. I also took an Intuition course with her that was really helpful – she teaches a bunch of different courses throughout the year I’d highly recommend.

I guess this is it? I don’t really listen to podcasts. I geek out on normal writerly things so nothing knocked me over the head and made me need to write it down for this year.

I will look forward to reading all of YOUR lists!

 

Dreaming of Italy? Make it a reality…with ME!

Happy New Year!

Isn’t it wonderful to be gifted a shiny new piece of blank paper to write on for the new year? It can contain all our dreams and possibilities, but it can also be overwhelming. I know when I’m approaching a blank page, I worry I’m going to mess it up before I begin. Being a writer has taught me to attack that paper now with all the ferociousness and bravery and wildness we all own inside.

And if it’s wrong?

Who cares? If we don’t try anything or make lofty dreams, we won’t get any payoff!

So, my wish for you, my beloved readers, is to take the leap this year into the unknown, even if it’s on a very small scale. I think we worry too much about the monsters lurking around the corner.

We forget about the angels waiting there, ready to catch us.

Which leads me into my big word for the new year that will be driving me forward and become my True North.

It’s FAITH.

Faith to believe in myself even when I fail. Faith to know in my heart everything is truly okay. Faith to release the fears and realize I got this, even when I don’t think I do. Faith to leap and be caught.

Last year, my word was BADASS and it fit perfectly. I did many new things and forged forward onto a new path. And there’s much more of that to come in 2024. I hope you will make the leap with me as I branch out in some new directions. But this year, it’s about cultivating the seeds I planted in 2023.

What is your word for 2024?

Now…onto some BIG things!

Talking about faith and badass and doing things that make you feel good, I’m putting out an official call to book your trip to Italy with me in August 2024!

As we begin to dream about summer vacation plans during this winter, I invite you to join me in Milan, Lake Como, and Venice as we explore Italy in preparation for my newest release, A Wedding in Lake Como (up for preorder AND available at Netgalley for ARCS!)

The opportunity to book will be closing soon and I don’t want you to miss this rare opportunity to travel with fellow readers and ME.

We’re going to:

Bicycle ride in Milan

Make pasta with an Italian chef

Go on an epic wine tasting

Ride on a boat in Lake Como to George Clooney’s house *well, we’ll see it!*

Go on a gondola ride in Venice.

SHOP!

EAT!

Now is the time to hit the link below and sign up. All details are on the site including payments, itinerary, and answers to all your questions. August may seem far away, but the deadline to book is almost here. Get signed up before it closes out!

I wish you ALL the blessings and love for the new year…and a trip to ITALY!!!!

https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/italy/italy-with-jennifer-probst-aug-2024

What the Elf on the Shelf Tells You About Me as a Mom…

Our Elf is named Barry.

I don’t remember when we got him. Of course, he came with the hard cover book in a special box that the kids pulled him out with, ooghing and aghing and touching him with reverence.

I knew there were certain rules to follow regarding Barry, as the book clearly stated. It’s funny, because I always thought I was a stickler for rules. I bow to authority. I like to be the “good” one in a group, the essential people pleaser. But the darker parts of me that love a good rebellion created our own rules for Barry.

In my house, we were able to touch him. I didn’t like that whole story about him not being able to be touched by humans because he was from Santa. Sure, I got the point, but I didn’t like it, so I changed the rule. I realized later why I did that. To save myself from even more stressful situations.

Barry was a symbol of my continuous failure to follow through, so I began to resent the little guy. A lot.

I’m not a Pinterest girl. Sure, I love pretty pics and cool ideas, but I’m not a great cook, or DIY crafter. I can barely function on a day to day basis. At the end of a long ass day, when the kids finally go to bed, I simply CANNOT REMEMBER TO MOVE THE F—G ELF.

My husband goes to bed much earlier, so it was always on me. When I stumble upstairs, the last thought in my mind is to figure out where a “fun, cool” place Barry should be. I had the same spots like I did when the Easter bunny came and the boys commented on it.

Why is Barry always in the wreath?

  Doesn’t Barry ever go to the north pole anymore to report to Santa?

  Is Barry broken?

No. Just his mother, my darlings.

 Eventually, like all wonderful and terrible things in life, Barry disappeared and aged out. My boys figured out the truth and I thought it was over.

Not in my house.

My boys are sixteen and eighteen years old. And every damn Christmas, they forage through the boxes for Barry, bring him out and tuck him into his special place, then demand I hide him every night.

At first, this was adorable. My babies wanted to keep a treasured piece of their childhood. I did this for a few nights, having fun finding unique places to hide Barry. Then they’d have contests in the morning to see who could find him first, good naturedly ribbing the other.

But, then I was done. Unfortunately, they were not.

They began to whine and ask me why I kept forgetting. That I was ruining the Christmas game.

And once again, Barry came out to taunt my failure.

Once again, I scrolled through social media and found endless pictures of the Elf tucked in funny spots, of delighted children and wonderful mothers who brought the game to a whole new level. Talented, caring mothers who spent their free time carefully making sure their kids always remember the magic of the Elf and Christmas.

Yeah. F—that.

I’m done with Barry. I’ve made peace with my failures as a mom – and hell, there were plenty of failures.

I am the Mom who shows up on the wrong day to read Dr. Seuss while my kids cringe in embarrassment. I am the one who mixes up teacher/parent conferences while my neighbor takes pictures of my kid getting awards. I am the mom who sends them to school on pajama day with mismatching, too short pj pants. Their lunches are the same 365 days of the year and I don’t care. I pick them up from school looking like an escaped psych patient – with loungewear not meant for public viewing and crazy ass hair and stunned, wide eyes because I’ve been ripped from my manuscript and I don’t know what reality is. I’m usually in pink sandals no matter what the season. I’m a mess.

Guess what?

I’m good with all of it now. My kids are the bomb. And I had a major part in morphing them into adulthood. I’m consistently amazed at how kind and good their hearts are, how funny and smart and sweet they are.

I never needed Barry in the first place.

And if you are a Mom like me?

You don’t either.

 

 

 

 

NANOWRIMO Revisited

Nanowrimo is National Writing Novel Month. The premise is to write 50K in thirty days.

Unfortunately, for me, I’m on deadline so I’m not going into this month feeling bold and free and ready to fail. I’m going into it knowing if I don’t write 2K per day –I’m screwed.

Fortunately, for me, I’ll be surrounded by a thriving community of authors who are with me on this wild journey to complete a bulk of words in a short amount of time. I am not alone. I am with my tribe of creative artists, bravely venturing into the unknown, allowing showers and makeup and Netflix and normal dinners to fall to the wayside. We are stocked with snacks and dry shampoo and tissues to wipe the chocolate from our mouths and tears from our eyes.

Who knows what we will have created by the end of month? No matter if it’s a well written, plot driven book, or a mess of half scribbled chapters. It’s work. It’s words. It’s creation.

It belongs to us.

God knows, with the world falling apart around us, we need to claim something beautiful for ourselves, even if it’s in raw form and a bit ugly looking. It can be added to, edited, re-worked. It is a start and that is the foundation of everything.

Starting.

So, pens and keyboards prepped, please find the below which is a revisited post on WHY you should do NANOWRIMO, even if you decide to jump in today with no prep. Actually, that’s the most fun. Doing something on impulse from the heart and passion. Not the brain.

Join us.

Here’s why you need to do it.

Participating in this challenge when I was an unpublished author was key to helping me create a habit of being able to write on a daily basis. It taught me that no matter what happens around me, I made a commitment to my writing, and it was not going to come in second. Not in November.

Nanowrimo taught me to vomit words and deal with fixing that shit later. Words beget more words. Work begets more work. We have nothing to sell or make money on or market if we don’t have words on the page, words that build stories.

Nanowrimo taught me to take myself seriously. Writing needs to be an investment of time and dedication and care. You need to stand up and declare you are a writer, and will be writing. For the month of November, you go into survival mode. Cleaning, cooking, socializing with friends, watching movies with the kids, all of it goes to the back burner for thirty days. Make a deal with your spouse or boyfriend to step it up and help. Ask family members, or friends, or babysitters. It’s time to claim your dreams and goals and they are IMPORTANT. Don’t wait for anyone else to tell you that, guys. It has to come from you or no one is going to listen.

Nanowrimo stripped away writer’s block. Basically, I had no more time for it. If I struggled for too long on a page, or a chapter, I learned to blast through it or start a new scene. It helped me experiment and figure out what worked best for me if I got stuck. Before nanowrimo, I would have left the pages to linger for days, while I went to figure things out. When you need to write a book in a month, you have no such luxury. You need to figure it out NOW. Usually, when I skipped around and wrote different parts, my subconscious was sorting through the blocked issue and later that week, I figured out how to fix it and went back.

Nanowrimo taught me to trust myself. All you have is you, your book, and a keyboard. There’s no one else in the room, and you need to depend on yourself and your Muse to get you to the finish line. That is an act of pure trust and faith. When you see what you accomplished in those thirty days, you learn you can do things that are hard. And trust me, writing is HARD. This is good practice.

Instead of worrying or planning or overthinking, just grab some time and begin writing. Who cares if you don’t have a plot or an outline or a carefully written schedule? Maybe that terrified your Muse so much she went into hiding.

Trick her. Just sit down and begin writing and she will probably peek her head out and screech, “What are you doing? I’m not ready for this yet!” But you will just quietly ignore her, keep working, and eventually she will help you because she has no choice.

Use November to push the boundaries, join the community, declare your goal to the world – but then do it. Write.

Oh, and after you write all the words, circle back and check out all my amazing books for writers. Did you know Write Naked is on audio? Did you know I have various articles and books to help with all levels of writing? Plus a really cool video. You can see them all here: https://jenniferprobst.com/for-writers

May the words be with you, my peeps.