As I was writing a new story and editing Book 2, I couldn’t figure out why I was working on these other projects instead of finishing Book 1. Then, everything became clear. It is time to get Book 1 out the door.

I Started a New Story

My favorite part about writing is starting with a blank page and seeing what words flow out. I love creating new worlds and telling new stories. After handwriting about twenty pages and starting edits for Book 2, I wondered why I was working on new projects when I’m so close to being finished with Book 1.

I have three things that I have been needing to work on in Book 1 for a long time now.

1. A pass for my Female Main Character’s voice (FMC).

2. A pass for my Male Main Character’s voice (MMC).

3. A pass for the romantic subplot between the FMC and MMC.

I have known that I needed to do this forever. It’s always been part of my revision plan, but I’ve kept putting it off. Although spending some time away from my book was a nice idea, it isn’t the right time to do that yet. I was just distracting myself. I want to finish these three things first before I take some time off. The sooner I can get these three things done in Book 1, the sooner I can query and move on to these new projects full-time.

So Far

I stopped working on the new story and editing Book 1. Instead, I’m focusing on completing the three passes. I have completed one and started the second.

As I’m writing this, I’m on the way to the Netherlands to go on vacation with my husband’s family. I’m hoping to see tulips and the North Sea! Then my littlest sister, who is studying abroad in London, will be visiting us in Germany for a few days.

Although I’m technically on vacation, I think I’ll be able to complete everything by the end of the trip. Honestly, I don’t want to take a break from working on my manuscript. I want to finish it.

I’m also still working on my query letter, but I hope that after a few more rounds of revision, I’ll have it done too. I am ready to get the book out the door.

Conclusion

I allowed distractions to creep in, but they brought clarity. I want to keep my word to myself that I do what I say I’m going to do, which is finish the three passes. Holding myself accountable has been a real game-changer.

Once I complete these three passes, I really don’t have a ton left to do. I want to read my manuscript out loud and spend time with each chapter on the line level. After that, all I need to do is prep for querying. My goal is to start querying by the end of June, if not sooner.

Book Talk

My SFWA mentor (I wrote about this in my previous post) is friends with Ruth McKell, who is the author of Honey in Her Veins, which is how I found out about this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Ev and Arthur. It’s a second-chance romance where Ev’s magic creates life, while Arthur’s magic takes life. But he also has a monster inside him threatening to take control. When Ev’s Dad gets sick, they set off to search for some magical honey in the mountains and rekindle their love. It’s a very sweet story!

Sending you blooming good vibes,

Liza

What is it?

Side note: In case you were wondering how this works. SFWA Mentorship Program is a three-month mentorship that matches aspiring writers with a fantasy or science fiction author. The purpose is to support professional development and foster community. My mentor and I meet at least once every two weeks during the mentorship period. We can work on whatever I want to work on.

Meeting with My Mentor

My mentor has an agent, and her book is on submission, meaning she’s trying to sell it to publishers. It is super cool to get access to someone who is a few steps ahead of where I want to be.

During our first session, we talked about what it means for a book to be “done.” (In case you’re interested in other perspectives on this topic, the Writing Chat Group recently wrote an article about this.)

When Is a Book Done?

My mentor said she considered her book done after doing everything to the best of her current writing ability and not having any other visions for the book. She never got the feeling that her book was done. She just decided to bet on herself and take a chance.

What really struck me during our conversation is that the more time I linger on Book 1, the more time I’m taking away from working on my next book. No matter what happens with Book 1, the only way that I lose is if I stop writing. Needless to say, this conversation reinforced my desire to finish my manuscript by August 31st if not earlier!

Overall, I really enjoyed talking to someone about my book who also really knows the genre. I’m excited to have someone in my corner, and I think it will really keep me on track and push me to finish my book.

My Overall Goals for the Mentorship Program

The three main things that I want to work on are prepping my query package, which means preparing my query letter and synopsis for my mentor to review. I also want to build my writing community. If you want to be friends, let me know. 👋 Third, I want to become more consistent with social media.

Betting on Myself

I randomly came across a post on social media about the WriteMentor 2026 Novel and Picture Book Awards, a competition in which judges read the first 3000 words and a synopsis for one of three categories: Picture Book, Children’s, or Adult books. It was 4:00pm on March 31st, and the deadline to apply was 11:59 pm that day.

I wanted to apply.

Although it felt a little crazy given the short notice, I realized I technically had all the requirements. Since my first two chapters are under 3000 words, I quickly edited them, updated my synopsis, and submitted everything before the deadline.

Taking this step felt like betting on myself and showing the universe that I’m ready to share my manuscript. Now, I’ll have to wait until sometime in May to find out the results. Regardless of whether I get short-listed or long-listed, I’ll receive feedback (yes, more feedback) on the 3000 words, which is the most crucial part of the manuscript. That’s why I saw it as a win-win no matter what. Even though this wasn’t planned, I’m glad I stumbled upon the opportunity and went for it. I’ll keep you updated on what happens.

Conclusion

Many years ago, I was hired at WESLI, Wisconsin ESL Institute, as a student advisor because my boss thought I was good at applying for things, so I could help students apply for things. I’m not sure if I’m good, but I have applied to a lot of things, and I’m very persistent. Never forget that miracles can happen!

“Lady Luck favors the one who tries” as my husband says.

I’ll keep you updated as things progress.

Book Talk

I’m obsessed with the Veronica Speedwell series. A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn is the tenth book. You don’t have to read them in order, but it gives context to all the characters and their relationships. Set in Victorian England, Veronica Speedwell is a retired butterfly-hunter and part-time detective with her enamorato, Stoker, who is a former surgeon general turned taxidermist.

In their new adventure, two suspicious deaths may be linked to a vampire. Inspired by Dracula, Veronica and Stoker infiltrate a secret society led by a vampire and a witch, trying to get to the bottom of things. I love the wit and banter between Veronica and Stoker, and their insane number of dogs.

Raybourn’s books always deliver a fun adventure, and I look forward to the next one.

Sending you warm, springy weather,

Liza

I began revising and rewrote my first chapter (again). But I hate it, and earlier versions I loved no longer fit. Because I know something is still wrong with my first chapter, it’s been bugging me, and I haven’t enjoyed this round of revision.

To figure out what was going on, I connected with the energy of my book and listened for what it was trying to tell me.

Connecting with My Book

A book has its own energy or consciousness. The spirit of the book and I work together to bring it into the world. When I worked with Brooke Adams Law, she had a lovely meditation to connect with the energy of my book.

I begin by picturing the symbol of my book. Mine’s an eagle, because I’m obsessed with them. Once I have connected with the spirit of the book, I can communicate with it by checking whether it has anything to tell me, listening, and then asking my own questions.

What My Book Said

After conversing with my book, I learned that I have everything I need to finish the story. All the pieces are there. Now, I just need to weave the threads together and complete it.

While that is a relief, I asked for more specificity on how to proceed and learned two important things. The first is to work on the romantic subplot between my Male Main Character (MMC) and Female Main Character (FMC).

The second is to add more passion to my story. In previous drafts, I cut a lot. On the sentence/word level, I need to add more life and personality back in.

I have an idea on how to bring some of the magic back into chapter one, which I plan to implement in the next pass of my manuscript, where I go all out. I have been holding back, but I’m ready to pour everything I have into the story.

Remembering Why I Write

I was feeling a lot of pressure around finishing the book. I have never wanted anything so badly, so that adds a lot of emotion. Releasing the pressure felt so good, like popping a pimple. A lot of the blocks I had around the book were me getting in my own way.

I had to remind myself why I write. First of all, I love it. Secondly, I want to awaken more magic in the world. The world can certainly use more of it right now!

Bringing the Fun Back

The pressure and letting the other voices take up too much space sucked a lot of the fun out of my writing. “I’m the conductor of the potty train! A-goochie goochie goo!” (If you haven’t seen The Master of Disguise, you’re missing out. Although I haven’t watched it in many years, I’m not sure if it still holds up.) The main point is that I am the one in control of all the voices. I get to decide what stays and what goes. This is my story.

After I complete this revision of integrating people’s feedback, I plan to spend time alone with the manuscript to determine what I still need to do, focus more on writing what I want to write, and worry less about the reader. Ultimately, I want to write stories that I want to read.

Conclusion

Saying, “I hate my writing,” shows black-and-white thinking and a temporary feeling. I don’t truly hate my writing or my book—I love it.

Hating a chapter or a sentence can be helpful. It forces me to keep working on it or coming back to it until it’s in a place that I love. This creates a better story. It’s hard when I don’t love the words on the page, but I still hold myself accountable to keep going because I want to finish this book!

Setting the Date

I will have my manuscript finished by August 31st 2026. I have the plan mapped out on my calendar. I want my book to get into other people’s hands. At some point, I have to surrender, let it go, and see what happens.

Book Talk

The House of Two Sisters by Rachel Louise Driscoll is about Clementine, a young Victorian Egyptologist who can read hieroglyphics. At one of her father’s Egyptian relic parties, she uncovers an unusual amulet that warns against disturbing the mummy. When her father disregards the warning, Clementine believes her family is cursed. Five years later, after her family experiences tragedy after tragedy, she decides to return the amulet to Egypt, hoping to reverse the curse.

Because I dream of visiting Egypt one day, I am naturally drawn to books set there. I’m currently going through a historical fiction obsession, and I really enjoyed the historical details and the inclusion of stories about the Egyptian gods. It’s a fun read!

Sending you snow much love,

Liza

Cotswolds

As a nature lover and Wisconsinite, it's no surprise that I love farms! So, of course I’m a big fan of Clarkson’s Farm. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend checking the show out. Jeremy Clarkson is hilarious.

One of the main activities we wanted to do on the trip was go on a Clarkson’s Farm tour, which included seeing Diddly Squat Farm Shop, Hawkstone Brewery, and The Farmer’s Dog. I had the best burger and fries, possibly my favorite meal of the trip.

With a little thinking juice 🍺 and a brain wave, anything can happen.

Paris

I’m not going to lie—I was nervous visiting Paris. The first time I went there, over 12 years ago, I didn’t have the best experience. However, this time around, Paris was lovely. The weather was fabulous, and I enjoyed the Louvre and Versailles. I loved the city’s art and beauty, and this time I truly appreciated its magic.

London

I love London. It’s a very clean city, and the museums are free, which is so cool. The last time I was in London, over ten years ago, I had less than 100 pounds to get me through the week after losing my credit card. I managed to survive on that.

I was very excited to visit the city again with a credit card. This time around, my favorite part was visiting bookstores and imagining my book in them one day. Plus, it didn’t rain once on the trip!

Conclusion

I need to be in my body to write so I can connect to Source.

Because of the time change, my brain was scrambled, and it took about a week to adjust. I always forget how long it takes to get out of the fog. That, along with long days spent navigating busy cities, left me feeling like blah. By the end of the day, my energy was muddled, and I needed extra time to reconnect with myself, since I wasn’t always the best at self-care throughout the day.

Although I didn’t write, the trip was wonderful. Stepping away gave me a great break from everything, and reflecting back, I don’t think it could have gone any better.

Book Talk

I absolutely loved Woven from Clay by Jenny Birch. It is a YA fantasy set in the real world.

Terra is excited to have the best senior year ever. However, when Thorne comes to town, everything changes. Terra has always wanted to know who her real parents are, but she discovers that she is a golem created from mud and the bone of a powerful warlock she knows as Cyrus Quill. Thorne is a witch bounty hunter who must capture Cyrus Quill in order to become a member of his coven. However, if Cyrus Quill dies, so will Terra and the other golems. She strikes a deal with the coven so that they won’t kill him if she can prove that she’s also a witch.

There’s mud magic! It is a delightful, super well-written fantasy novel. I devoured it.

Writing Update

I’m still working on my query letter. I hoped to finish it before I went on the trip, but that didn’t happen. When I return, I want to finish it. Then I want to integrate the feedback I got from two agents I met during StoryStudio Chicago’s Pub Crawl. My goal is to finish another revision before my next trip, mid-April. And I really want to get my manuscript printed and bound. I have never done that before, and I think it’ll make it feel more like a real book.

Sending you spring vibes,

Liza

I delayed fixing this part of my story because I didn’t feel ready to tackle it. After three groups confirmed this is where I need to focus, I decided it was time to listen. The message often doesn’t get clearer than that.

Disney as an Adult

I was a little worried about joining my family on their trip to Disney because Vegas is really hard on me. All the energy. All the people. All the smells. It’s sensory overload. I can handle about a day in Vegas before I’m fried. But visiting Disney and Epic Universe was a much better experience than I’d expected.

Unfortunately, the cold weather followed us to Florida. I’m glad I packed two coats because I wore them both! Eventually, the temperature rose, making standing in line much more pleasant.

I was super impressed with the Star Wars, Super Nintendo World, and Dark Universe theme parks. I loved that each area had its own portal to a magical world. Stardust Racer and The Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind were amazing roller coasters. I forgot how much I enjoy them. All in all, I had a blast at Disney as an adult.

Listening to Feedback

On the trip, I received feedback on my query letter and synopsis. The editor noticed, as did two other readers, that my main characters’ goals aren’t clear and get lost in the story. Readers struggle to connect with them, which I don’t want. I want readers rooting for the protagonists and caring about their success.

I obviously don’t like hearing that I have more work to do. But when three different groups of people say similar things, it’s pretty clear guidance on exactly what I need to work on. A pass focused solely on my female main character was what I had already planned to do when I returned from the trip. I know the voice and character arc aren’t quite there yet. The feedback was additional confirmation on where I needed to spend my time.

Main Character Energy

I have struggled the most with my main character. Previously, I wasn’t ready to work on it, and now I am. I cleared my schedule to give myself time and space to figure out my main characters. Writing is a process of trust that I can solve any issue in my manuscript because I have the answer inside of me. I just have to give myself the time and space to do that.

Sitting in the unknown and the discomfort of not knowing the solution is really challenging. I notice myself wanting to scroll on social media, read a book, or write my article. However, being uncomfortable is a sign that I am on the right track. Pushing through the discomfort and sticking with it is when the breakthroughs happen.

Once I resolve this, I really don’t have much left to do in my manuscript. I just need to stick with it. Stick with it. Stick with it.

Conclusion

My goal is to resolve my issues with my female main character by the end of the month. The following month, I will work on my male main character. I have been making progress. It’s slow, but I have new ideas that I’m excited to add. I’m hoping to have things solidified by next week, so I can get back to revising my manuscript. Ideally, I will implement the changes before my London + Paris trip at the beginning of March.

Book Talk

A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan helped me figure out my protagonist’s primary goal. In Belavere, people are either Crafters or Artisans. Nina is born a Crafter, but at the age of twelve, every child goes to the capital to test whether they have magic within them to become an Artisan. Nina wants to become an Artisan at all costs.

She meets Patrick at the Siphoning Ceremony, and they discover that there are two magical substances—one for children born to Artisans and one for Crafters. Nina never stood a chance at becoming an Artisan. They steal both serums. During her test, she takes the Artisan substance and becomes the first Earth Charmer in 100 years. Patrick leaves to tell his family what is happening, which begins the revolution.

Thirteen years later, Patrick leads the revolution, and Nina, who has been hiding to prevent her powers from being weaponized, hopes to find the last alchemist and end the war. A messy love triangle complicates matters, and the sequel comes out in July 2026.

Sending you lots of magic and pixie dust,

Liza

I started the year by attending some in-person book clubs, which felt like a lovely way to kick things off. Having a book club podcast of my own, I figured it was time to try someone else’s.

The events were two nights in a row, and I almost didn’t attend the second book club because I was tired and it was a long drive. (One hour to be exact. Yes, I could have probably joined a closer book club. However, I think that Thirst Books and The Well Red Damsel are doing cool things.)

But I got the ping to go, and I’m so glad I did. I honestly had forgotten how much I love historical romance. And I got to meet the author of the book we read!

Because I arrived super early, I got to be a fly on the wall as two authors discussed publishing. One author was traditionally published with an agent, who was dipping her toe into the indie space, and the other was an indie author. As someone who’s about to query her manuscript, it was amazing to hear their experiences.

Traditional vs. Self-Publishing

Benefits of Traditional Publishing:

• Distribution. It’s easier to get into bookstores, libraries, and airports, and sell books internationally.

• A team to help with cover design, editing, formatting, and printing. However, as an indie author, you can hire your own editor, cover designer, etc.

Downsides of Traditional Publishing:

• It’s a myth that they help with marketing. Either route, the author has to do their own marketing and social media.

• It’s slow. It can take years to get a book published.

• The royalties are low, but you get an advance.

Benefits of Indie Publishing:

• The royalties are higher. For example, one of the authors made more money in two months as an indie author when her book went viral on social media than she ever did from traditional book sales.

• It’s fast. Once the manuscript is finished, getting it out in the world can take days or weeks. It’s entirely on the author’s timeline.

• What I love is that indie-published books are more legit than ever. Many successful books are indie, like Fifty Shades of Grey. While Legends and Lattes or Game Changer started out as indie, they then became traditionally published. I feel less scared to go indie if that’s how things play out.

Downsides of Indie Publishing:

• Upfront costs. You pay for everything out of pocket.

• You do everything yourself, which can also be a benefit.

• There is no built-in credibility, so it is harder to get into bookstores, libraries, and other outlets.

Why Do You Want to Be Traditionally Published?

While I was listening, I was asked, “Why do I want to be traditionally published?” I didn’t have a profound answer.

Because I want to? That was the first thing that came to mind. The second thing was that I want to see what happens.

I don’t want to regret not trying because you never know. Plus, I’m not afraid of applying to things and getting rejected. I applied for a Fulbright three times and eventually got it!

Now that I have had some time to think about the question, the main reason is that I would love to have someone like an agent championing my work. Plus, a big dream of mine is to go on an international book tour. How cool would that be?!

Advice on How to Decide on an Agent

If I get “The Call,” which is when an agent calls because they want to offer me representation, the traditionally published author gave me some great advice.

Only sign if the vibes are good. Don’t say yes just because it’s an offer of representation if the fit isn’t good from the beginning. I want an agent who is obsessed with my writing and ideas. They have to passionately sell my work to publishers. If the agent is meh about it, publishers will be, too.

Book Talk

For a Historical Romance Book Club, I read Never Cross a Highlander by Lisa Rayne. I had never read a book about highlanders before, so it was “edutaining”. I learned about slavery in Scotland during the 17th century, during the reign of King James VI, and about the different Scottish Clans. For example, the protagonist Ailsa was born a Highlander to Connery Clan parents. However, three years ago, she was captured and forced into slavery as the princess’s maid. On the night of her escape, the Shepherd, aka Kallam, rescues her as he helps free the other slaves in the castle, and their lives become entangled. It’s a humorous, action-packed story with lots of twists and turns and a slow-burning romance. My favorite part is that Alisa is a warrior too. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Conclusion

I’m so glad I listened to the ping. I trusted that I should just attend the event, and it turned out better than I could have imagined. That’s my plan for 2026—listening to the pings.

Book Update

My plans haven’t changed, but my eyes are wide open, and I love that I have options.

Currently, I’m working on my query letter and synopsis. I’m participating in a publishing event with StoryStudio Chicago next month, where I’ll practice pitching my book to an agent. Wish me luck!

Also, I’m nearing the end of a massive revision of my manuscript. After that, I plan to focus on each POV’s character voice and arc. Then I want to go through it with a fine-tooth comb and read it aloud. It sounds like a lot, but it’s less than I think. I’ve already completed most of the heavy lifting. Because I have a lot of travel this spring, my goal is to finish and be ready to query by July. It’s hard to imagine summer when it’s blisteringly cold outside, but it’ll come sooner than I think!

Sending you warm, steamy wishes,

Liza

I started my manuscript exactly four years ago in December 2021. Crazy. Right?! Time has flown by. My goal was to finish it by the end of 2025, but that’s not going to happen. I’m in the middle of what I hope is the last major revision. I’m confident that I will finish it in 2026 though.

Working on one project for so long has taught me so many things. I’ve been reflecting upon who I’ve had to become as part of the process to finish this manuscript. Below, I’ve highlighted my biggest learnings.

I’ve Had to Become Someone Who…

1. Is Patient

   I had to learn how to slow down, not only in my writing but also in my personal life. Rushing is a pattern that I’m trying to move away from. This has looked like deleting 22k words, so that I can make more space for the scenes to unfold on the page. In my personal life, this has looked like leaving blank space on my calendar to give myself room for creativity to flow.

2. Takes Care of My Vessel

   I had to learn how to listen to what my body needs. Spending all day writing means sitting in a chair and being in my head. Incorporating movement to bring myself back to my body helps me access solutions more easily and tap into my intuition. Caring for myself is more than working out, although I do love boxing, walking, and weight lifting. It’s also nourishing myself with food and being conscious of the content that I consume. It’s also about finding more joy and pleasure in everyday life.

3. Reads in the Genre I’m Writing

   I’ve always loved reading, but I never read that many fantasy books. Because I’m writing a fantasy novel, it’s important to be aware of what is happening in the genre. What are common tropes? What is popular? What do I like and not like? Why? However, I also think it is important to read all genres. I never know where I might get inspiration. For example, in the Let’s Get Cozy Book Club podcast, I have enjoyed reading books I wouldn’t typically read. By the way, we are now officially on YouTube as well. I’m very excited about this, so I had to share.

4. Writes Better

   I have had to improve my writing craft so much. Writing a book is a lot more than just putting words on a page. I also had to learn to fall in love with editing. Writing and editing are two totally different skill sets.

5. Handles Feedback

   Putting my work out in the world is an important part of the creative process, helping me see how things are landing. However, it can be challenging to hear things I don’t want to hear. Learning to feel my feelings so I can get back to writing has been helpful.

6. Is Consistent

   Having consistency with my writing has really helped me stay immersed in my world. It also helps build momentum and confidence. I’m really proud of myself for committing to writing something for my Substack every two weeks. In the past, I had a blog, but I struggled with consistency. I’d start and stop. Holding myself accountable and doing what I say I’m going to do has been a game-changer. For 2026, I plan to stick with the same plan, más o menos.

7. Creates Content

   Creating content beyond writing my book(s) is something I’m still working on and hoping to dig into more in 2026. I want to enjoy it as a creative endeavor. I hope to find a way that works well for me.

Conclusion

So much has changed in the past four years. I quit my job in tech. We moved twice. We traveled a lot. My husband healed himself from a back and neck injury.

I’m a totally different version of myself who has had to learn and change so much to get my book to the level that it needs to be at. Enjoying the process and surrendering to the rest is how I plan to navigate the next phase of getting my manuscript published. Until then, I’m doing my best and forgetting the rest.

Book Talk

OMG. I loved Quicksilver by Callie Hart. I noticed a lot of hype around Brimstone, the second book in the Fae & Alchemy series. I wanted to know what it was all about, so I started with Quicksilver. Once the protagonist, Saeris, enters the portal to the Fae realm, I was hooked. I haven’t read a book that totally absorbed me in a long time.

It’s a mix between Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) by Sarah J. Maas. I’m dying to read Brimstone, but I also need to get some work done. I’m saving it until I have some time to spend the day devouring it. The third book in the series comes out sometime in November, so 2026 is going to be a great reading year!

Looking Ahead

I’ve been getting the message to not rush things. To slow down. Although I have lots of goals for 2026, I also want to give myself time and space because my word for 2026 is: create. Some of my goals include:

• I want to finish Book 1 (my YA Fantasy novel) and query it.

• I want to finish Book 2 (my Adult Fantasy novel).

• I want to write the first draft of Book 3 (my witchy novel).

• I want to continue writing Substack articles.

• I want to grow the podcast.

• I want to attend more bookish events.

• I want to post more regularly on socials.

I’ve got lots of things I’m excited about. I can’t wait for the miracles and magic to unfold. Thank you to everyone who has been following along on my journey to authorship this year. I’m so grateful you’re a part of it, and I can’t wait to see what next year brings.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year!

Liza

I submitted my manuscript at the end of October for feedback as a part of the Highlights Foundation’s Whole Novel Workshop. This isn’t the first time that I’ve received a developmental edit. (I’ll go into all that I’ve done for this book in another post). Each time I get feedback, I approach it as an opportunity to uplevel my writing.

This time is no different. I’m being asked to do things I haven’t been able to do before, which is scary. But I’m excited for the challenge.

Initial Reaction

The second I got the email, I printed the editorial letter and read it.

I was disappointed because I got feedback on two things I thought I’d fixed—one of my protagonist’s character arcs and the pace. It was kinda comical because I’d just written a different Substack post about character arc and used that protagonist as an example. Needless to say, I’m rescheduling that article until I’ve resolved the issues with her character arc. Who doesn’t love being served a pie of humble pie?

On top of that, I was given the challenge to delete 15k words. I’d already slashed 20k for this draft, which I thought was miraculous, and I was supposed to slash another 15k. “Unmöglich,” as the German saying goes.

So I did what I always do when I need to process something: I went for a walk. Mid-walk, I caught my mind spiraling into doom and gloom. While I agreed with the suggestions, I feared how long it might take to implement them. My goal was to query my manuscript in the Spring of 2026.

However, I realized that I won’t know when I’ll be done until I’ve done the work. So that’s what I did. I told myself I could do it, and I got back to work.

Making a Road Map from Feedback

I took some time thinking about the big picture of my story. These are the steps that I took to create a revision plan.

Step 1: In the editorial letter, I highlighted everything I was doing well.

Instead of fixating on only what I’m doing wrong, I wanted to remind myself of all the good things I’m doing. While I’m working to improve some weaknesses in my writing, I can fall into the trap of thinking I’m a bad writer, which isn’t true. This activity reinforced that.

Step 2: I went through my manuscript’s chapters, thinking about what is core to my story. What must I keep and what can I delete?

Surprisingly, I came up with 22k words I was willing to delete to slow the pace and add emotion. This activity highlighted remnants of previous drafts that no longer fit this version of the story and helped me decide what is core to my story.

Step 3: For each chapter, I wrote down what I was deleting, keeping, and adding.

When I start revising, this will serve as a guideline for what I’m doing in each chapter and a checklist to go through before moving on to the next.

Step 4: Creating a list of the number of passes I want to do for this revision.

For example, I want to do a pass for my protagonist’s voice and character arc. I want to do another pass to slow down the pace by using the concept of scene and sequel from Jack M. Bickham’s Scene & Structure. I want to do another pass of just reading the story out loud. Other passes could focus on dialogue, crutch words, etc.

Revising

Now that I had a plan, all I needed to do was dig back into writing. Easy peasy. Wrong. I was feeling frustrated by the feedback, so I had a rage session, hitting a pillow with a baseball bat until I cried—yes, it’s a great activity to get some of the frustration out. I was surprised how, after wailing on a pillow, yelling, and crying, an idea for my first chapter emerged. The words started spilling out of me.

I have officially started revising. I wasn’t expecting to start so soon, but if things are flowing, I’m going to go with it. The rage session was a pretty fun experience, and I plan to do the same thing before I begin writing the next chapter.

Conclusion

After six weeks of waiting, it’s time to execute. This is often the hardest part, but it’s also the funnest. I’m excited to get back into my story and get lost in my world. I’m letting go of the timeline and can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store!

Book Talk

For the Let’s Get Cozy Book Club Podcast, we’re reading Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal by Meghan Quinn. It’s hysterical. I haven’t read Meghan Quinn’s books before, and I’ve been missing out. I have never laughed out loud so much as I did during this story. Just thinking about it is making me giggle .

Max works at his parents’ Christmas tree farm, and Betty moves onto the property next to his. Her uncle wants her to start a rival Christmas tree farm to put Max and his family out of business. When Max finds this out, he creates a plan to make Betty fall in love with him, so she changes her mind about the project. In the process of wooing her, things do not turn out as Max expected.

I didn’t know that it was the second book in the series. How My Neighbor Stole Christmas is the first in the series. You don’t have to read them in order, but I want to read the first book now. If you’re looking for some spicy holiday cheer, feel free to read along with us and tune in to hear our discussion about it. Here’s a link to the podcast.

Sending you lots of holiday cheer,

Liza

However, one response surprised me. Alisa Alering, author of Smothermoss, asked if I knew about the ‘Artist’s Date,’ which comes from Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way. I’d never heard of this concept, but I was intrigued because I don’t always think of writers as artists.

Although writers don’t create visual art, writing is still a creative process. Writers are artists. I am an artist. I’m trying to embrace it and step into that identity, so I decided to learn more about the Artist’s Date.

The Idea Behind an Artist’s Date

Basically, an Artist Date is setting aside an hour a week to play. The date is intended as a fun, solo activity that allows the brain to rest. While it’s resting, the brain can make connections or resolve problems. It’s similar to receiving breath throughs in the shower. Letting your mind relax allows ideas to spring forth.

It’s also kinda like having a consistent writing practice. Having a designated time to write each day, even if it’s only for a few minutes, signals to your brain that this is the time we write. This is the time for ideas to burst forth on the page. Similarly, the date is meant to be a time of being open and receiving.

However, it’s not a transactional exchange. If I go to the museum today, it doesn’t mean that my writing tomorrow will be better or that I will resolve an issue. The magic will unfold over time, and the experiences from the date may inspire future writing.

Why I Tried It

I wanted to refill my well. It’s the time of year when it’s nice to be indoors. Plus, I’ve been into art lately, so I came up with a list of dates I could go on.

The dates can be anything from going to the pet store to visiting a children’s book store. It’s supposed to be a fun activity that you look forward to. If anyone has any ideas for me, feel free to share! I want to continue this throughout the winter.

Date 1: Kohler Arts Center

On my first date, I visited the Kohler Arts Center and saw the new exhibit, “Is It Art Now?” Tyree Guyton, the artist, uses polka dots as an imaginative spark, invoking potential.

The exhibit brought back memories of middle school, where I painted my bedroom walls with hot pink, orange, and lime-green polka dots. Fun times. After I walked through the gallery and browsed the gift shop, I sat down to journal. It was harder than I thought to just hang out for an hour. Hopefully, I’ll get better at this.

Date 2: Kohler Art Preserve

On my second date, I went to the Kohler Art Preserve. The three floors of art have tons of creepy creatures that I love so much. I also enjoyed checking out the cool bathrooms.

When I was done roaming, I sat in the sun and just journaled. No divine inspiration struck, but I’ve a feeling an idea for a book is at this museum. I’m going to keep returning until the story emerges.

Book Talk

I love B.K. Borison. I was so excited to read her Christmas book. I know it might be a little early to start celebrating the holidays, but I put up my Christmas tree the day after my birthday this year. It was snowy, and I needed some Christmas cheer.

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison brought the Christmas cheer. The Ghost of Christmas Past, Nolan, haunts Harriet because she needs to see the error of her ways and make amends before Christmas. However, Harriet thinks there must be a mistake because she’s not a bad person. She’s a people-pleasing, candy cane-obsessed antique shop owner. Each time they visit her past, they uncover tidbits about her, but it’s nothing horrible enough to warrant the haunting. The more time they spend together, the more they fall for each other, and the more Nolan’s magic starts to go wild. They try to figure out why they were brought together before their time is up.

Conclusion

Going on Artist Dates has been fun. It makes me feel like I’m an artist indulging my creativity. I haven’t met God or had a stroke of genius, as others have claimed happened during their dates. However, I want to continue playing around with this and see what happens. You never know.

Sending you good spirits,

Liza

But when it came to celebrating the smallest of wins—finishing another draft—I struggled. I worked really hard on the latest revision. I cut four chapters, wrote three new chapters, and deleted 10k words. Most importantly, I feel really good about the story’s direction, so I have a lot to be proud of.

However, the moment I submitted my manuscript for one of the instructors from the Highlights Foundation’s Whole Novel Workshop to read, my mind immediately shifted to completing my giant to-do list rather than savoring the achievement. I’d put many things on the back burner in order to meet the submission deadline and felt so guilty about it. The guilt kept me from feeling anything else.

To better understand how I got here, let’s backtrack.

San Francisco Trip

I joined my husband on a work trip to San Francisco the week before my manuscript was due. Before we left, I finished my revisions, so on the trip, my only task was to read through the printed manuscript. With four flights, I thought I had more than enough time, so that when I returned, all I needed to do was integrate changes and submit.

Instead of spending all my time reading (I brought two books in addition to my manuscript), we explored San Francisco.

I also attended PyTorch, an open-source AI conference, where my husband gave a keynote presentation and signed books. He sold out. It was so cool! We visited the Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), which was amazing. Then we spent some time with friends and traveled to Henry Cowell Redwood State Park and Point Lobos.

Meeting the Deadline

Trips can be fun. But when I returned, I realized how much work I had to finish in three days. I requested an extension but never received confirmation, so I got to work and made magic happen. I revised twenty-eight chapters and integrated the changes, repeating the mantra: I have more than enough time to get it all done.

Once I let go of blame and focused on what I could control, everything shifted. I got hyper-focused and made the experience as pleasurable as possible. Basically, I ate a lot of Hu chocolate in the afternoons to keep my energy up. (Hu is my favorite dairy-free chocolate brand.) And I went on lots of walks to manage the stress and prevent crankiness from creeping in.

Somehow, I did it. I submitted my manuscript on time! But staying up late and working my butt off wasn’t how I’d envisioned meeting the deadline. Plus I felt so guilty about neglecting other things—like cleaning—in order to get the work done. Our apartment was a mess! For example, it took me days to put the suitcases away.

Lessons Learned

1. The Importance of Deadlines:

Although I kinda hate deadlines, I kinda like them. I like them so much that I’ve set myself a deadline to finish my final round of revisions based on the feedback I receive on my manuscript. This will likely be my last major revision before querying.

My family is going to Orlando at the end of January. I plan to be done by January 30th, so I’m ready to query after the trip. I fear I could work on my manuscript forever, so I want to set an end date.

2. Adapting:

Things will most likely not go according to plan. So, why not make the experience as pleasurable as possible? From Hu chocolate to acai bowls, find ways to enjoy. Apparently, food makes me very happy.

3. Staying Positive:

I have more than enough time to get it all done.

4. Moving My Body:

Getting a walk in at the bare minimum helped me feel better. I wish I had also made time to go to the gym, because after my kickboxing class, I felt so good. Movement helps me get the creativity flowing.

5. Bonus:

In a recent lecture, Diana Rodriguez Wallach said you only get one coincidence per story, so use it wisely. After hearing this piece of advice, a critique partner who was reading my manuscript commented that a scene felt a little too convenient. I agreed and came up with something way better.

Book Talk

The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong is a sweet sapphic romance. Certainty is a Novice who’s been trying to become a Mage for the past six years, but her magic works differently. She can only touch an object, talk to it, and know its purpose.

With a surplus of magic in the Guildtower, Certainty gets tasked with relocating and cataloguing magical objects to Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village. If she successfully completes the task, High Mage Melea will make her a Mage. It’s her one chance, and she can’t mess it up, but she gets stuck with Aurelia, aka the ice witch, as her partner. As they work together, a friendship blooms and possibly something more.

Conclusion

The main reason why I was struggling to celebrate was fear. I was afraid to take up space and share my desires. I want to get better at celebrating the small things. It’s been a challenging year, so I want to celebrate the small wins to enjoy the big wins even more.

Sending you lots of cozy pumpkin spice season vibes,

Liza

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People typically fall into one of two camps. They either 1) build the world to tell the story or 2) tell a story to build a world.

To get another pair of eyes on my YA Fantasy and improve my writing craft, this fall I am taking the Highlights Foundation’s Whole Novel Workshop. The course covers the genres Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror. Each week is a lecture on a different topic, from genre to world-building to character arcs. At the end of the workshop, I will discuss my manuscript with one of the instructors.

During the second week of the course, Intisar Khanani gave a lecture on building diverse worlds. I have read a lot of craft books about world-building, but for some reason, nothing ever really clicked. However, after her class, world-building finally made sense, and I learned so many things I wish I’d known earlier. How she broke down the process of building a world helped me understand my process and made me feel better about it.

2 Main Approaches to World Building

People typically fall into one of two camps. They either 1) build the world to tell the story or 2) tell a story to build a world.

Someone who builds the world to tell the story plans their world out before they write the story. They make more conscious decisions about the world, so depending on how the world is designed, a story can spring forth. This process takes more time up front before the writing begins. They’re a bit more like plotters, carefully and methodically constructing the outline before writing.

Someone who tells a story to build a world is a discovery writer. They create as they go. They’re a bit more like pantsers who fly by the seat of their pants as they write.

The latter is the camp that I fall into. I wrote my story and have had to go back multiple times, layering in details about my fantasy world. For example, it took a few drafts until I knew how my society was structured. Then I added descriptions about clothes, geography, language, food, fauna, religion, etc.

For a while, I didn’t feel like a fantasy writer because I didn’t have a world bible—a comprehensive document that organizes the world’s details. Early on, when someone asked specific questions about my world, like what clothing do they wear, I didn’t have answers. It took a long time to figure out all the details as I went back and made decisions.

Building a World

Breaking down how to build a world into two main areas—the physical world and the social world—helped me realize what I have and haven’t included in my world.

1. Physical World

The physical world consists of the natural and the human-made world. Things to consider for the natural world include geography, weather, flora, fauna, etc. Things to think about in the human-made world include transportation, technology, clothing, the economy, housing, architecture, etc.

For example, based on the climate, can people in this world eat rice or food made with oats and wheat? I have the characters eating all of the above, so I’m rethinking this!

2. Social World

The social world comprises religion, skin color, culture, language, economic status, ability, gender, family structure, body type, and more.

If my world is missing something from the above list, why? What are the ramifications of not including it? The world I build highlights who is real and who matters. Even if it isn’t my main character, can secondary and background characters be more inclusive and diverse? Seeing all the different types of people humanizes them and allows them to see themselves in my world.

I’m still checking whether I’ve incorporated all aspects of the physical and social worlds, because the author should know more about their world than what’s included in the story.

Do No Harm

As I make decisions about my world, it’s important to keep the guiding principle—when in doubt, do no harm—in the back of my mind. To check whether something is or isn’t doing harm, I can ask myself these two questions: why am I doing this, and what is the effect?

For example, in my manuscript, each group wears a specific colored cloak. Why would people agree to wear one color for the rest of their lives? This would never happen in real life.

So, I asked myself: why am I doing this? I have a lot of characters. I want people from each group to be easily identifiable.

And what is the effect? Although it might be a little trivial, it doesn’t really have an effect. In this particular instance, I’m not doing harm, but I might have other assumptions in my story that need to be looked at to ensure they aren’t doing harm.

Book Talk

Zomromcom by Olivia Dade is so much fun. I typically dislike anything zombie-related because I get nightmares. I watched one episode of The Walking Dead, and I’ll forever be terrified of a zombie apocalypse. However, this book did not give me nightmares. I kinda loved it and couldn’t stop reading it.

The story starts with the protagonist, Edie, attacking a zombie with a burrito because that’s the only weapon she has available to save her neighbor, Chad, who turns out to be a super hot, bethonged vampire. They’re both famous YouTubers in this post-apocalyptic world, who have to warn their community that the zombies have escaped again. It’s wild and hilarious.

Conclusion

At the end of October, an instructor will begin reading my manuscript. I printed it off for a final read through, so I’m just about done with this draft. While the instructor reads it, I’ll be reflecting on what I still need to add to my world.

But the moral of the story is, don’t let world-building overwhelm you, especially if you fall into the camp of telling a story first and building a world later. Getting words on the pages is always the most important thing, and you can always go back and add or delete stuff like me. Happy world-building!

Sending you spooky season vibes,

Liza

About the Event

The event, hosted by Blue House Books at Southwest Library in Kenosha, Wisconsin featured over 25 authors and vendors. What I didn’t realize is that the authors would be hanging out all day to sign books and chat unless they were speaking on a panel. Throughout the afternoon, three different author panels were held: mystery/thriller, romance, and fantasy.

Things I Loved

The authors were local! Most of the authors were based in Chicago, and a few were from Wisconsin.

When I first learned about the event, I didn’t recognize any of the authors and realized that I’d never read a book by a local author. Since my goal is to attend more bookish events, I requested as many of the attending authors’ books as possible from the library and ordered a few that were not available. I read genres I don’t typically read. I exposed myself to books I probably wouldn’t have read otherwise.

Some of the novels, like Play the Fool and Tricks of Fortune by Lina Chern, are set in Chicago. I never knew how fun it is to read stories with references to locations I actually kinda know about.

At the event, I met even more local authors, such as Zee Lacson, and discovered indie books I would have never known about. My TBR (To Be Read) pile continues to grow!

Things That Made My Day

I went up to Allison Buccola to discuss her book, The Ascent. While we were chatting about cults (I discuss my experience in more detail on the Let’s Get Cozy Book Club podcast), she asked if I was writing a book and about my writing process. I was so flattered and told her about my YA fantasy. I felt like a real writer. I’ll forever be a fan of hers.

Her next book is a psychological thriller set in a lake house on Lake Michigan. It’s about three sisters, who all remember their pasts differently. I’m very excited to read it!!!

Mystery/Thriller Panel

For the Mystery/Thriller panel, the underlying theme was that the characters dictate the story. An author may have one idea, but eventually the character takes control, and something else totally different happens. This often causes the story to surprise the author and hopefully the reader, too.

They defined the difference between a twist and a reveal, which was something I’d never thought about. A twist occurs when something changes the entire story. For example, in Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, about midway into the book the reader learns the wife’s story, which redefines the understanding of the characters and interpretation of everything.

A reveal explains which character committed the act and why. For example, in The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, at the end of the story Robert Langdon reveals who is behind everything and what all the symbols mean.

However, as fun as twists and reveals are, having good characters is more important.

Romance Panel

The authors on the Romance panel provided some thought-provoking advice for writers. I really resonated with Kristen Vale’s point—not to be afraid to be seen trying.

I love the permission to show up, take up space, and not be afraid to try. Navigating the publishing industry, where nothing is guaranteed, and putting yourself out there can be intimidating.

Most of the time, we only hear about authors or see them showing up on social media once they have a book deal and need to promote their book. As a writer who aspires to have her books traditionally published, I appreciate knowing that Kristen wishes she had started sharing her experiences even earlier, which is what I’m doing.

Another interesting concept was the idea that a book is stardust, meaning the books being published now originated from what was happening in the world three to four years earlier, such as the boom in dark romantasy. Because no one can predict the trends, it’s important to write what you’re passionate about because by the time your book is published, what was a trend may no longer be trending.

Fantasy Panel

For the Fantasy panel, I found it interesting that Hayley Gelfuso, author of The Book of Lost Hours, doesn’t like fantasy novels because she struggles to suspend disbelief, so she tries to base her magic system loosely on science. Suspending disbelief is setting aside real-world logic and accepting things like magic as believable.

If a novel is set in the first world, aka the real world, the reader will suspend their disbelief momentarily, but expects to learn at some point how magic is possible. For example, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is set at Oxford, where witches, vampires, and daemons coexist with humans. Throughout the novel, Deborah explains how this is possible.

However, in stories set in the second world, aka a fantasy world, the reader tends to be more lenient and forgiving, allowing for a greater suspension of disbelief. For example, The Lord of the Rings is set in Middle-earth, where the reader doesn’t question the existence of orcs, hobbits, elves, dwarves, and wizards, and more readily accepts it.

Reviewing these concepts helped me think about my magic system.

Book Talk

A Tale of Mirth & Magic by Kristen Vale is a spicy cozy fantasy romcom. It’s dirty and wholesome. It’s charming and sweet. I gobbled it up.

Elikki is an elf who is a magical jeweler, and Barra is a half-giant who is a bookkeeper. They get in trouble and have to flee the village of Povan. While they’re on the run, they become friends with benefits and develop feelings for each other. Even though they both have lots of baggage, they slowly open up to each other and fall in love.

Kristen’s working on the next book in the series. I thought the upcoming love story would be about Barra’s sister, Telen, and Maerryl. But I was wrong. It’s about Maerryl and someone else??? I can’t wait for it!

Kristen was so kind when I asked her for a photo. I was so nervous. It totally made my day!

Conclusion

I had a fun bookish day at Southport Literary Fair. Now that I know what to expect, I’ll be able to enjoy it even more next time. I can’t wait to see which author will be part of the event in 2026. I hope to attend again!

Sending you crimson leaves and sweater weather,

Liza

However, integrating feedback creates a significant amount of additional work. Some fixes are quick and easy. Some require substantial changes, such as deleting chapters and writing new ones.

In the long term, the story will be better, so investing the time and effort to make the changes is worth it. But in the short term, everything’s a mess. 

The feedback made me tear up my manuscript (only metaphorically, I promise), and I’m now in the process of slowly piecing it all back together. The process has required me to sit in so much discomfort.

How Things Began

After receiving some feedback from my husband (he’s an honest German, remember), I almost scrapped everything and opened up a blank page. I knew what he said was true, and I knew I could improve the writing and the story. Sometimes blowing everything up and starting over is a necessary step, but not in this situation.

Instead of making a reactionary decision, I took a beat to digest his comments and realized what was happening. I was overreacting and fell into a pattern of creating unnecessary drama in my life. If I started from scratch, I would be avoiding what I really needed to do—spending time with the words on the page.

How Things Are Going

Some days, I hate the words. None of them makes sense. 

On those days, I want to rub my eyes raw. Twirl my hair into knots. Stare out the window. Scroll on Instagram. Read a book. Make a tea. Check my email. Go for a walk. Clean bathrooms. And I hate cleaning bathrooms.🚽 

I want to do anything besides sitting in the discomfort of editing the latest draft of my book. Yet it’s precisely what I need to do. 

I reread sentences out loud over and over again until they flow. I meditate or go on a walk, thinking about a chapter. I create a list of what’s bothering me, then I go back and fix the items on the list. With a fresh pair of eyes, I give the chapter a final pass.

The more time I spend with the text, carefully crafting my words, the words eventually make sense. My writing improves. I become a stronger self-editor. Sitting in discomfort gets easier.

What’s Left To Do

I’m in the process of ironing out a long list of plot holes. I started at the beginning, and I’m working my way through the entire manuscript. I’m about a fourth of the way done.

If I think about all the work that I still have to do, I get overwhelmed and don’t want to work on my manuscript. (That’s why I wrote this blog instead!) However, if I focus on baby steps, such as editing my manuscript sentence by sentence, it becomes more manageable. After I start working on a sentence, a sentence turns into revising a paragraph, which turns into completing a chapter.

Slow and steady has been my motto. I’ve kept my calendar clear to give myself the time and space to work on a chapter for as long as I need. Of course, it’s taking longer than I thought, but slow and steady progress is better than no progress.

Book Talk

It’s 👻spooky season👻, so I’m obsessed with every and any book about witches! If you ever read a witchy book you love, please share it with me!🧹🧹🧹

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna was a sweet, charming tale about home and chosen family. Sera Swan, one of the most powerful witches, loses her magic and is exiled when she performs a spell to resurrect her aunt from the dead. Fifteen years later, she has the opportunity to restore her magic, but her nemesis knows her weaknesses—her friends and family. Although Sera can protect herself, she can’t protect them, so she must decide what is more important—magic or family.

Conclusion

I sometimes wish I could fast-forward until I’ve finished editing Book 1, and I’m querying.

But I’d be skipping over these juicy lessons like the importance of building discipline, perseverance, and consistency. Slow and steady is frustrating in a world of speed and instant gratification. But sticking with it has made me become a better writer, and I’m confident I will eventually resolve all the plot holes!!

Anyone else who’s in it, keep going. You got this!

Sending you a plethora of pumpkins,
Liza

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I had a blast attending the events, volunteering, and meeting new people. As a way to reflect on my experience, I wrote about it.

Author Panel

To kick off the weekend, I attended an author panel about independent versus traditional publishing. Five authors discussed their path to authorship and their experience in the publishing world.

A common theme was not letting the process of publishing your work kill your joy as a writer. All of them, at different points in their careers, had ideas for books that publishers weren’t interested in, so they self-published them instead. I’d never heard of authors writing both traditional and independent books at the same time. It was cool seeing authors creating a writing career that worked for them.

After the panel, though, my head was spinning. While it’s great to get inspired and activated, fear snuck in and made me worry that I might not get an agent and have to go down the self-publishing route earlier than I wanted. Although I loved the idea of writing both traditional and independent books, that’s something I’d prefer to do later in my career when I’m more of an established author.

While I appreciated the authors’ transparency, I had to remind myself that my experience can be different. Their stories don’t have to cloud what I envision happening for my path to authorship. I can be a magical unicorn and do things my way.

Speaking of unicorns, I just read Witcha Gonna Do? by Avery Flynn, and one of the characters, Vance, is a grumpy unicorn shifter who’s always eating Lucky Charms. How fun is that?!

Meet Me on North Book Crawl

While the author panel was informative, it was just one highlight of a much larger celebration.

Over 20+ Wauwatosa businesses on North Avenue allowed over 70+ authors and vendors to use their spaces for the book crawl.

No one knew what to expect because the event was created only a few weeks ago, but over 2000 romance readers showed up. Not only did authors sell out of the books they brought along, but also the foot traffic in the area was off the charts.

It was a wildly fun and busy day!

Volunteering

One of the most creative parts of the event was the book crawl passport, which gave me a front-row seat to all the fun as a volunteer.

Attendees got a passport that included all participating locations. If they collected a stamp from each stop on the book crawl, they could enter to win a $500 gift card to the Well Red Damsel.

My job was to stamp the passports of whoever stopped by Delicious Bites, which is a catering company in Wauwatosa that hosted the two vendors—Crafted LLC and Gilded & Grace.

I enjoyed greeting and welcoming everyone who stopped at our location. I probably said hi to a thousand people. Even though it was a long day and people eventually grew tired from all the standing and walking involved, everyone was so happy, and the energy was so good.

Meeting Authors

Of course, no bookish weekend would be complete without meeting the authors themselves—and I wasn’t about to miss my chance.

People mentioned they waited for an hour or two to meet the authors at the library, which was the primary spot

I wanted to visit. So, during my lunch break, I grabbed the yummy meal Simple Eats MKE provided to volunteers and walked to the library. I figured that I could eat in line.

Luckily, the lines were very short, which meant I didn’t get to check my teeth for food before I met the authors. Oops. It also meant I didn’t have much time to think before it was my turn, so I was glad to have prepped questions the night before.

I asked Avery Flynn and Abigail Owens how they planned out their book series. I learned that each book in a series is not guaranteed to be published.

For example, Avery Flynn sold the first two books in The Sherwood Witches series, and separately sold the third book in the series. Sales from those three books will dictate whether she gets a deal for the fourth and fifth books. She said if I liked the series, I should tell everyone and their friends so she could keep writing them. That’s why I’m mentioning it here!

I also chatted with Markelle Grabo, who was a debut author in 2024. She’s working on her second novel, which comes out in 2026. She said it was nice to have a year in between publishing her next book, so she has time to prepare for marketing it. It’s common for authors to have a book out each year, which can make balancing the business side with the writing side of being an author difficult. Since her debut came out, she’s learned so much about marketing that she’s even more excited for her second book because she knows what to expect.

Book Talk

The Let’s Get Cozy Book Club podcast is reading The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. You can read along with us and listen to the podcast to hear our thoughts on it.

Initially, I didn’t know any of the authors who were attending the event, which meant I needed to order some books and do some reading. I’m glad to have expanded my reading repertoire and read some books I probably wouldn’t have read otherwise.

The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owens immediately reminded me of the TV show Chaos on Netflix. I was devastated when the show wasn’t renewed because it began my love of the underworld. When I discovered that Lyra, the protagonist in The Games Gods Play, falls in love with Hades, I was hooked. It’s like The Hunger Games meets Chaos meets Fourth Wing. I’m obsessed.

Conclusion

Dipping my toes into a bookish event was way more fun than I anticipated. I loved hearing from authors who were doing things differently. It really opened my mind that I can create a path for myself and do things how I want to. I couldn’t help but think of how much fun it would be to do an event like this as an author. A girl can dream that maybe one year I’ll be at one of the authors at those tables!

Until next year, when I hope From Milwaukee with Love happens again, I plan to attend more bookish events in the meantime.

Sending you lots of magical unicorns, 

Liza

I did it! I finished the first draft of Book 2! Woop woop! Finishing this draft was one of three goals I had this summer. 

The first goal was preparing Book 1 for Beta Readers. The second goal was crafting my query letter. The third goal was writing the first draft of Book 2. 

I completed my summer goals just in time for the season to shift from Leo to Virgo. With the evenings getting cooler and autumn creeping closer, I always feel a nervous yet excited energy around this time of year. 

For example, later this fall, I’m participating in the Highlights Foundation Whole Novel course, where I’m excited to dig into Book 1. However, I’m nervous that I don’t have enough time to finish all the revisions I have in mind before the course begins. 

But before I get ahead of myself, I want to savor the last few weeks of summer and reflect on what Book 2 has taught me thus far.

What Writing the First Draft of Another Book Taught Me

1. I’m motivated

I am reinvigorated to finish Book 1 so I can work on other books. The other night, for example, I was awake in the middle of the night thinking about Book 3. I tried to quiet my mind and tell it that we have to wait until Book 1 is out the door because I won’t start any new projects until I have some off my plate.

Taking a break from Book 1 was needed, but I’m ready to resume working on it. I’m planning to do one big overhaul that I hope will tighten up the story. Then all that will be left is polishing and sending it out into the world. I’m so excited to see what magic happens.

2. I can write another book

It’s not only possible for me to write another book, but it’s also possible for me to love another idea equally, if not more. The act of putting words on the page turned the idea into a story and freed up space in my mind. Because I have a plethora of ideas swirling in my head, I know I can do it again.

3. Discipline

Writing Book 2 was a lot easier and a more enjoyable experience once I became disciplined. I wrote most of Book 2 curled up in my bed, aka my throne, either writing in my notebook or revising on my laptop. 

After I wake up and meditate, I write. If I don’t finish what I’m working on before breakfast, I crawl back into bed and keep writing. For whatever reason, this routine worked well and helped me stick to my daily writing goal of working on one to two chapters a day. 

Because writing in this posture is more comfortable in my bed than on the closet floor, I’m ignoring the recommendation not to work in bed. It hasn’t impacted the quality of my sleep yet, so I’m going with it.

4. Timelines might not align perfectly

I planned to work on Book 2 while Beta Readers read Book 1, but most of my Beta Readers are still reading Book 1. I hadn’t accounted for how long that might take. Oops.

Although I’m jonesing to work on Book 1, I’d prefer hearing reader feedback before I begin the next round of revision, which puts me in a precarious position.

Option 1: I start the next round of revisions before hearing back from them, but I may have to backtrack and rework things based on their feedback.

Option 2: I wait. However, if I wait, I risk not having enough time to address the changes I want to make in my manuscript before the Highlights Foundation course begins in October.

Because I believe in divine timing and trust that everything will work out, I don’t think there’s a wrong option. At the moment, I’m leaning towards Option 1 because I want to keep my momentum going, but we’ll see how things play out.

Book Talk

The Let’s Get Cozy Book Club podcast is reading History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook. You can read along with us and listen to the podcast to hear our thoughts on it. So far, I really like it!

The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar was kinda hilarious. Anatole, the king’s magician, is the master of mishaps and mayhem. The story is entertaining, and I never really knew where it was going to go because Anatole’s magic is that unpredictable.

“I was able to resurrect the spider’s potent saliva by adding a few drops of urine that I collected from…well, from me.” As you can see, the humor is a little disgusting, but Anatole is a little disgusting, so it totally works, making it a delightful, lighthearted read.

Conclusions

I’ve learned that the desires I’ve been sending out to the universe have been mixed messages. I’ll say something like I want a house, but not until I’ve started querying. I want this, but not yet. The desires are conflicting and canceling each other out.

So I’m working on making things crystal clear. I want to finish Book 1 by the end of the year and have it ready to query for Spring 2026. That’s it. Nothing else. As for Book 2, I’m setting it aside until Book 1 is out of my hands.

When I talked to my 93-year-old grandpa on his birthday, he said, “Time goes fast. Some days I feel like I’m 120, and others I feel like I’m 39.” 

I’ve got some work ahead of me, and I don’t want to waste any time. To prevent the last four months of the year from getting away, I’m going to lean into my excitement about Book 1 and stay disciplined by working on it day by day until it’s complete.

Sending you lots of lingering moments savoring the last days of summer and fairy dust,

Liza

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Despite working on Book 2 every day, progress has been SO slow. I never thought I’d finish Chapter 14. The longer I stared at the unfinished chapter, the harder it became to work on it. I couldn’t figure out why things weren’t flowing.

When in Doubt, Walk It Out

I did what I always do when I have a problem writing: I walk it out.

The other day, on my regular walk on the beach, someone asked me, “Are you walking for a cause?” To which I responded, “No, I’m just walking.”

I’m still flummoxed why someone asked me that. I must have really been marching across that sand. But my response wasn’t entirely true. I don’t just walk. I walk for many reasons—mental health, movement, and problem solving—because I’m the cause. If I didn’t walk, I’d be a total grouch.

As I was problem-solving on my walk, I realized why the writing wasn’t flowing. I wasn’t handwriting the story this time—I was on my laptop. That’s why Chapter 14 was causing me issues.

The Magic of Handwriting

I wrote Book 2 out of order. I knew the beginning and ending of the story, so I wrote the first fourteen and last five chapters by hand months ago. As part of completing the first draft, all I had to do was type and revise them. Now I’m adding what’s in between and connecting everything. 

Instead of handwriting the missing ten chapters, I tried to type them directly. I wanted to bypass the step of handwriting them because writing the story by hand, then typing it, then revising it is a lot of work. I thought it’d be faster to skip a step in my writing process. But that wasn’t the case. It only slowed things down.

Accepting My Writing Process

My writing process works as follows: I meditate, then visualize the story. Once the characters are talking in my head, I jot it down. Then I type it up and revise. This is how I wrote the first draft and various drafts of Book 1. This is how I write my blogs!

I was a little ashamed of my writing process because it’s slow. But I had to get over it because my process works. Putting pen to paper allows the ideas and thoughts to flow. I don’t judge and try to fix whatever surfaces because I can improve things later when I type it up.

So that’s what I did. I closed my laptop, grabbed a pen and notebook, and followed my writing process. I’ve written more in the past three days than I did in a week. Although handwriting might seem like more work because I have to complete a tedious step, it ultimately saves me time.

Figuring out my writing process and what works for me was helpful. Heather Demetrios guided me through that. Here’s a link where she explains how to discover yours because everyone's writing process is different.

Book Talk

I don’t typically read historical fiction, and I don’t gravitate towards books about World War II. But I loved A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan.

During WWII, a secret society of witches joins the Allies to fight the Nazis by locating magical objects. Lydia is after a war grimoire, but the Nazis are after it too. They’ve infiltrated her society, and she doesn’t know who she can trust. But she must find it before it is too late!

I love the idea of witches ingrained in the real world. The profluence at the end of each chapter is amazing. I couldn’t put it down.

Conclusion

Writing by hand works really well for me. I’d just forgotten and needed a reminder. If it works well for you, let this be your reminder. 

So the next time you’re struggling with something, go for a walk or journal about it. You never know. It might just help.

I found my cause for why I walk. Have you?

Sending you lots of magical manifestations for the Lion’s Gate Portal!

Liza

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As part of WFWA (Women’s Fiction Writers Association), I participated in a query workshop, where the agent Lynnette Novak explained the dos and don’ts of writing a query letter based on her professional experience. As part of the workshop, she also read and reviewed my query letter, which meant I had to write one.

Since I’d never done this before, I searched online for the structure, reviewed some examples, and copied the formula to the best of my abilities. I quickly learned that I had written it completely wrong. It turns out there’s an art to writing a query letter. 

Below are some of the tips I learned and incorporated into the revised version of my letter.

What I Learned:

1. The structure of a query letter for manuscripts with two POVs is different. 

If your book has chapters written from different points of view (POVs), there is a specific way to format the letter. Lynnette Novak broke the structure down in a way that was simple and made sense. (I laid it out in the image above.)

• Paragraph 1 includes the optional personal note and information about the book (title, comparison book titles, word count, genre).

• Paragraph 2 describes one POV.

• Paragraph 3 explains the other POV.

• Paragraph 4 discusses how the two POVs work together.

  • Within paragraphs 2-4, the goals, motivations, conflicts, and stakes for both protagonists should be clear.

• Paragraph 5 is a bio.

2. White space.

At first glance, the letter shouldn’t be jam-packed with too much text. And shouldn’t go over one page! That will immediately irk the agent because it means you’ve too much on the page.

3. Don’t add a personal note if it is forced.

Including a personal note is optional. An agent can tell if you’re trying to have something in common with them when you don’t. Don’t force it. This comes off as insincere and rubs them the wrong way.

• Bad: I saw online that you liked animals, and I do too.

• Improved: Thank you for inviting submissions from attendees of your workshop, Taking the Questions Out of the Query.

4. Title case your book TITLE and COMPS.

I assumed that the comparison book titles would be in italics, as book titles typically are, but that is not the case.

• Bad: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

• Improved: THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE

5. Don’t give too much away! 

My first version of the query letter was essentially a condensed synopsis of the book. But a query letter isn’t a summary! I was not only giving away the ending, but also the climax, and too much about the plot. A query letter is more of a teaser, similar to what’s written on the back cover of a book, designed to pique the agent’s interest in reading more.

• Bad: Lena defeats the alien warlord, saves Earth, and reunites with her lost brother in the final battle.

• Improved: Lena must risk everything to find her brother—and stop a war only she can end.

6. Don’t use rhetorical questions!

Agents don’t like them. In both versions of my letter, I included them and was repeatedly told that it’s much stronger to rephrase them. So I did.

• Bad: Boys who are dismissed seem to disappear. Never to be seen again. Are they executed? Sold into slavery? Eaten by aliens? All Larry knows is that he certainly doesn’t want to find out.

• Improved: Boys who are dismissed seem to disappear. Never to be seen again. Larry doesn’t want to be next.

7. It’s okay to share personal things in the bio. 

I needed to spice up my bio! Additionally, it can be written in either the first or third person. If it’s the third person, start with your name.

• Bad: She lives in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

• Improved: Liza Pincsak lives in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, known as the “Malibu of the Midwest,” where she walks the shoreline in the summer and skis the quiet trails of winter.

8. Don’t waste time and space on things. 

If something is implied or assumed, it shouldn’t be included. In the example below, the sentence can be deleted because the agent assumes the full manuscript is ready and available if you’re querying.

• Bad: The full manuscript is available upon request.

• Improved: The full manuscript is available upon request.

9. Don’t include your phone number.

The agent already has your email from where you submitted your query letter. Including your phone number gives the agent the upper hand because they can call you at any time, which may catch you off guard and leave you unprepared. It’s best to have them email you about setting up a call, so you can prepare for the chat by researching the agent beforehand.

• Bad: Sincerely, Liza Pincsak [Insert email address] [Insert phone number]

• Improved: Sincerely, Liza Pincsak

10. It’s okay to mention the possibility of a sequel, but don’t write it. 

In an ideal world, I’d love for Book 1 to be a duology. However, a second book isn’t a guarantee even if the first book sells well. So, it is important that the book, especially a debut novel, is a standalone. Even if I have ideas about the second book in the series, I’ve been repeatedly advised not to write the sequel until Book 1 sells.

Some reasons for this advice are:

• Agents might ask, “What else are you working on?” It’s better to have a new, fresh project to tell them about rather than more of the same thing that might not sell.

• It’s okay to write the synopsis and maybe the first few chapters, but by the time Book 1 is published, what the sequel is about might have significantly changed. So it’s not worth wasting time on it.

• Bad: It’s the first in a trilogy, which I’ve already written all the books.

• Improved: It’s a standalone, but it has the potential to be part of a duology.

Getting Over the Hurdle

I was dreading writing my query letter because it’s often the only thing the agent sees when they’re determining if they’re interested in my story. That’s a lot of pressure. But when I sat down to write, it was actually fun.

Clearly and concisely articulating the main ideas of my manuscript was a helpful exercise and made me consider whether I’m clearly articulating these same points in my manuscript. Additionally, I appreciated receiving feedback from other writers and an agent. That helped me stay motivated to continue improving it. 

However, I haven’t tested my query letter yet, so I don’t know if it is successful. I’d define a successful query letter as one that prompts agents to request my partial or full manuscript. If it is a successful query letter, I can share it later on. It can be helpful to see examples of successful query letters. 

Book Talk

I enjoy fantasy, but I tend to prefer stories about witches over those about vampires. And yet, I somehow ended up reading two books about vampires.

The Let’s Get Cozy Book Club podcast is reading Bride by Ali Hazelwood. You can read along with us and listen to the podcast to hear our thoughts on it.

While reading Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab, it gave me The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue vibes. If you liked Schwab’s previous book, you’ll definitely enjoy her new one. The novel follows the narratives of three different characters—two from the past and one from the present. It’s fun trying to figure out how they’re all connected and where the story is going to go.

Conclusion

Writing my query letter was a big goal that I wanted to complete this summer. Dipping my toe in the upcoming stages of my writing journey is exciting because I get to imagine a day when Book 1 is complete and my work is out in the world. With the query letter and synopsis done, I can focus on finishing my manuscript so I’m ready to query in Spring 2026.

Taking a course on how to write a query letter from an agent and receiving feedback from both an agent and fellow writers was super helpful. I highly recommend including this as a step in your writing journey to becoming an author.

Sending you lots of cool breezes and fairy dust, 

Liza

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Becoming more organized has set me up for success. Having less time to waste, the more I take action on the things I want to take action on, like finishing the draft of Book 2—I’m on Chapter 8! The more I follow through on my commitments to myself, the more I trust myself, and the more my confidence grows. The cycle builds on itself.

Recent Discoveries

I was afraid to trust myself. I was afraid to trust my writing plan. I was afraid to believe that I had everything that I needed right now. It’s scary because I’m relying on myself to step up and show that I can do the work, putting one word in front of the other. 

The kicker is I don’t know how things will turn out. Only .01% of writers get the big fancy traditional book deal. I like achieving the impossible, but my desire to be special stems from a place of lack and scarcity. I needed to prove that my life was worthy because I survived cancer. Yuck! I know. I am enough. My life is enough. 

Because I was approaching life, in this instance writing, from the lens of lack, no matter what I achieve—selling Book 1 at auction, going on a book tour in Germany, getting a TV show or film adaptation—none of that would ever be enough. As I’m reevaluating why I want to publish my books traditionally, I’ve been implementing some practical methods to build self-trust.

Falling in Love with My Voice

One of the reasons I write is because I have important things to say. To get more comfortable expressing myself, I’ve been practicing falling in love with not only my writing voice but also my speaking voice. 

My sisters and I started a podcast! I wanted to create a podcast so I could practice using my voice more. That’s also why I narrated this post. For those of you who prefer listening to my fairy dustings, you can (via the voiceover button at the top). How cool?!

With writing, I can edit and revise the text until it says what I want it to say. But speaking is a lot harder to modify. I have to trust whatever comes out and love myself despite all the weird, awkward, cringeworthy things I say. 

I have time to add a podcast into the mix because I finally started making a schedule, which has freed up a lot of time. 

Setting a Schedule

I don’t set a morning alarm. I love the freedom to wake up whenever I want. However, by the time I get up and start my day, the morning is already gone, and mornings are when I write the best.

So, I started being more intentional with my time and scheduling myself time to work on each item on my list. I don’t always get it right, and I’m often behind schedule. But structure gives me parameters to complete the work within and stay organized.

It’s been working. I’ve been getting up to write. I’ve been making progress on Book 2. I’ve been wasting less time getting sidetracked and distracted. I’ve been spending less time judging myself and being pissed at myself because I am doing what I say I’m going to do and making progress on my goals. 

At the end of the day, life isn’t about checking off every item on my list. However, creating a schedule has helped me honor my commitments to myself, which in turn has made me feel better about myself. 

Comparison Kills Creativity

What was stopping me from keeping my commitments to myself was the pressure to build my author brand. I liked looking at author’s social media to motivate myself. If they could do it, so could I. Instead of feeling inspired, I’d feel bad about myself and my progress. 

Plus, nothing kills my ideas faster than looking online. The once sheer genius idea transforms into something dumb and stupid. I squash the idea instead of executing it. Yuck! No fun.

Marketing and building my author brand is part of being an author, but I don’t want it to feel forced and unfun. Being an author is something I want to do in the long term, so I’m figuring out my own way to do it. 

Currently, I’m not looking at other writer’s stuff. I’m being very selective about what I allow into my creative bubble. Eliminating distractions that suck my energy helps me be more productive, which increases my self-trust and gives me more time to spend on my creativity.

Creative Time

I’ve been allocating more time for creativity in my schedule. Creative Time is a space where I can work on my blog, create social media posts, paint, or do whatever I want to do. I’m really enjoying painting. It’s fun not to overthink things and not have to be good at something. 

I took the writing class Just Do It! at the Highlights Foundation. The teachers recommended using art to improve writing. If I paint the protagonist’s house, a scene, or whatever, the story comes to life, making it easier for me to describe it to my readers. 

Book Talk

For July, the Let’s Get Cozy Book Club podcast is reading The Cinnamon Bun Book Store by Laurie Gilmore. Feel free to read along with us and tune in to hear our discussion about it. Here’s a link to it.

I am an English Literature major who loves 19th-century British literature. So, I enjoy a good Regency romance from time to time. Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater has magic and faeries mixed with balls and marriage proposals. All of my favorite things combined into one!

“It may be true that you only have half a soul, Dora,” he whispered, with a surprising abundance of empathy in his voice. “But that does not make you half a person.” Who knew a moody magician could be such a heartthrob?! It’s such a good book.

Conclusion

Developing self-trust and confidence is a muscle. The more I work it out, the better I feel. I hope this gave you some ideas on things to try. If you have any other practical tools that help you, send them my way! It’s been a lot of trial and error learning how to be a creative entrepreneur, but the more I take action, the easier things have gotten. 

Sending you seagulls and basking in summer afternoon lulls, 

Liza

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When fully immersed in writing mode, things like cleaning and laundry fall by the wayside. After checking every last item off my to-do list, including the chores I dislike, such as cleaning toilets, I finally ran out of things to do besides return to writing.

To my surprise, when I opened the documents for Book 2, I’d completed more work on it than I remembered, but I still struggled to make progress on the draft.

Lessons Learned

For Book 2, I have an outline! Having structure is so nice. With my first book, I was a total pantser, which is a writing approach that means I write by the seat of my pants. For example, in the first draft of Book 1, I’d open a blank page and write whatever came through. I had elves, sloths, and all kinds of random things happening. 

Eventually, once I had a better understanding of the story, I wrote an outline. I went scene by scene to ensure everything flowed logically and wasn’t jumping around. For my fellow pantsers, I highly recommend completing the exercise of creating an outline.

Because I have an outline and know my characters, writing the first draft of Book 2 should be easy. Plus, the story combines everything I love. A general recommendation for writers is to write the book only you can write. Book 2, for me, is that. So, I couldn’t figure out why I was so resistant to digging into it.

Being Afraid of Another Book: Stories I Was Telling Myself

When I went into my cave, aka my closet, screamed into a pillow in frustration, and then got quiet, I gained a better understanding of what was happening. I’d gotten into my head and was telling myself stories. Some of the stories were:

1. I was apprehensive about the work involved in writing another book. I hope the learning curve isn’t as steep for Book 2, but writing requires time and effort. I imagine Book 2 as a four-book series, which is a new challenge for me.

2. I was afraid of the commitment. If I write the first book of the series, I have to write all four. I’m making a four-book commitment, which is a lot!

3. I wasn’t even sure if I could write another book. It’s one thing to have an idea. It’s a whole other beast to execute on the idea. I wasn’t sure if I had what it takes.

When I realized what stories I was telling myself, I quickly realized they weren’t true. Yes, writing is hard, but it’s a ton of fun. I don’t need to get so far ahead of myself. I can take things one step at a time, and the first step is finishing the first draft. Then I’ll see what happens.

Of course, I can write another book. I want to write all the books. However, because pursuing my dream of becoming a traditionally published author is scary, procrastination was keeping me safe. If I don’t put in the work and write, my dream won’t become a reality. Womp. Womp.

Getting Over My BS

I got caught up in my BS and talked myself out of doing something I wanted to do. What helped me finally get over my excuses and rip off the band-aid was getting together with my writing buddy. Each week, we meet for an hour on Zoom, update each other on our progress, and then silently work for the remaining time. 

I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing for an hour. Technically, I could have, but I would have felt guilty not having anything to report at the end of the call. Having accountability helped me overcome my BS. I’ll write about the importance of building a writing community in another fairy dusting!

Reinstating My Morning Routine

Because it’s been a while since I’ve been in writing mode, I’d fallen out of the habit of doing my morning routine—doing a breathwork meditation, screaming into a pillow (yes, I do a lot of screaming. It’s a great way to release anger and frustration), and journaling. That’s how I wrote this fairy dusting! I’d forgotten how much I missed my morning quiet time until I ripped the band-aid off.

Book Talk

Once I read a book I like, I tend to read through the author’s backlog. I’m currently into Kimberly Lemming. I love her playful romantasy novels. That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon doesn’t disappoint. For some reason, the world she created reminds me of Shrek, which is so much fun.

“You don’t remember?” Fallon put his arms behind his head and settled back down. “Last night, you demanded we bring you cheese and then stated that you were the cheese queen.”

How hilarious and ridiculous! Reading her books before bed is just such a pleasant way to wind down.

Conclusion

So, if you’re sick of your own BS, whether you’re working on another book or facing challenges in another aspect of your life, don’t be afraid to do the thing you’ve wanted to do. It might not be easy, but it will get easier as you go. Getting support from a friend is a great first step to rip the band-aid off!

Sending you lots of blooming blossoms and fairy dust, 

Liza

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What is a block?

A block is something that causes resistance. I’ve learned that a block isn’t a bad thing. It’s often a great teacher and means that I have something I need to work through. But it can be tricky to spot.

My block presented as exhaustion. Part of why I felt exhausted was because I needed a break. Since becoming an entrepreneur, I’ve been working pretty much nonstop because I love my work. But I never really turn it off. When I finished my draft in May, I planned on taking a break from Book 1, but things changed, so I had to pivot.

While I considered taking a break before I finished these edits, I only had about a day of work left. I knew it’d be easier to rest if I crossed off the remaining bits and bobs on my list before I set my manuscript down. Completion felt important because I’ve been working on my manuscript for a long time, and “finishing” it to get more eyeballs on it is a big step in getting it query-ready.

Editing

As I read through the printed version of my manuscript, I hand-wrote notes and things I wanted to change on the pages. Additionally, while reading, I kept a list of things I needed to update in the entire manuscript. The list included consistency, decisions on names, and feedback from my parents. 

For example, my dad mentioned that I used the word “like” too much. I used it 579 times, to be exact. I’ve no idea if that is a lot, but if that’s what stuck out to him, I figured it’s not a bad idea to look into this. For each sentence with the word “like,” I erased comparisons and similes I disliked or rewrote sentences. As a result, I reduced my use of the word “like” to 367. While that still feels like a lot, and I probably need to decrease my usage more, I’m happy with my progress thus far. 

The other reason I got stuck crossing everything off my list was that I knew what was coming next—feedback. 

Feedback

The other part of my block was having people read my manuscript. I’ve had book coaches read it before, and I’m in a critique writing group, but whenever I get feedback or comments, I want to curl up in a ball and hide under a blanket, which probably isn’t a normal response. And feedback is SO important because it’s a great way to improve my writing. Plus, I’m at the phase with my manuscript where I need feedback to spark new inspiration on what isn’t clear and needs to be changed to make my story even better. 

To get unstuck, I worked through how feedback triggered some stressful situations from when I was younger in school. I realized my fear wasn’t about feedback per se but using my voice. Understanding how my nervous system associated feedback with those situations explained why my first response was to freak out. Once I reached peace and non-attachment to these stressful situations from my past, I’m excited to get feedback, even if it means I have more work ahead of me!

Book Talk

I love reading series where all the books in it are published, even if that means I’m “late to the game.” Being able to consume the entire series at once and immerse myself in the world the author creates is my favorite. Rebecca Roanhorse’s Between Earth and Sky series is amazing. I love that the inspiration for her world is the pre-Columbian cultures of the Americas. I’m obsessed. It’s giving me lots of ideas for my book. I wish I’d read them sooner!

Good News

I’m unblocked. Once I worked through the resistance, I could finish my list, which took over a day, but I feel good about the changes, so it was worth the extra time. While I would have eventually worked through things on my own, it never hurts to reach out to someone for help!

While beta readers read my manuscript, I’m taking a much-needed break from working on Book 1. During my break, I plan to read, of course. What else would I do? My sisters and I are starting a podcast just for fun. It’s going to be a book club of sorts. I’ll update you once we’ve gotten the ball rolling. Also, I will finally write the first draft of Book 2. It’s a new story that combines everything I love. I can’t wait!

Side Note: While my dad was getting his oil changed and reading my manuscript, he saw a photo of Plymouth, Wisconsin, where one of my protagonists lives. That’s the photo above. I just loved the synchronicity!!

Here’s to no longer hiding under the blanket! Sending you lots of synchronicities and fairy dust,

Liza

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