Tag Archives: writing craft

Writers’ Tools: Journal vs. Notebook and How to Use Both

May, 2024Blogging, Stress Management, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing tips, Writing Toolsblogging, Gratitude, tips, writing, writing craft, writing toolscarolyn

Have you ever wondered about the difference between a writer’s journal and a writer’s notebook? Or how best to use one versus the other?

Because the writer’s journal and the writer’s notebook are two different implements. With two different purposes that can improve your writing, which I’ll explain.

I first started thinking about the notebook/journal question while working on my recent newsletter. I’d written of two writerly “celebrations” in June: Ballpoint Pen Day (6/10) and National Typewriter Day (6/23). That reminded me how much I love the old-school tools of the trade. And what tools go shockingly well with ballpoint pens? (Preferably ones with blue ink because blue makes me happy. 😉) Why notebooks and journals, of course.

Even though I’m definitely old school, I didn’t use a typewriter often. I grew up in the transition years between typewriter, word processor, and computer, none of which I had quick access to back in the day. My writing instruments of choice, then and now, are pen and paper. And you’ll find them in close proximity to me pretty much everywhere I go.

So, what’s the difference between the writer’s notebook and the journal? And how can you best use them to great effect? Both are invaluable for writing and thought processing.

In the simplest meaning, a writer’s notebook is the place for ideas, writing snippets, scene information, plot suggestions, and all sorts of other helpful details that can be used in any and all types of your writing for the public.

The notebook is an idea book where anything you encounter can be jotted down for future reference and use.

It also can be a place for business ideas, marketing info, blog suggestions, and other craft-related work.

The journal, on the other hand, is a more personalized place to unleash your creativity.

A private space, safe from the need to share with the world, where you can let your thoughts run free. Your stream-of-consciousness home where things don’t have to make sense. And there’s no one to censor you. Journaling is a great way to express yourself with art, too, not just words. And with color, when you feel so inclined.

If you’re like a lot of people, your journal might be a very extraordinary snapshot into your personal creative process and thoughts. But you certainly don’t have to be a “creative” to enjoy and benefit from journaling. The calming effect of keeping a journal or diary has been shown repeatedly. Here’s a link to an old post of mine where I go more in-depth on journaling and how it can help destress and focus you.

And you don’t have to be a list-making fool like me to benefit from notetaking. As I mentioned, I usually have at least one notebook with me at all times. (At the moment, I have six on my desk within easy reach! Different purposes, of course!) And another notebook lives in my purse, along with my pen and a Sharpie, so I’m good to go at all times.

I keep a separate journal, as well, for all those private thoughts and feelings. I’m a big fan. My current one includes a mostly-daily gratitude practice, too, which I’ve found very helpful. For the most part, I keep only one journal at a time. Occasionally, though, I’ll tote along a strictly-travel journal to keep track of the amazing trips, vacations, and sights that I’d like to recall in detail.

If you’re interested in reading a bit more, while poking around the internet, I came across two articles on writers’ journals and notebooks. The first I skimmed gave the author’s take on the differences between the two formats. This second post offered suggestions specifically for the notebook. (I have to admit, when I glanced over #6, I thought it said to add duct tape and scissors! I immediately thought it was a tip on planning a murder for your novel!! Doh! It wasn’t. 😉 Curse of the mystery-writer’s mind.)

Before I wrap up this post, here’s a link to a great and thorough article from an old fave, Writers Digest, by Ran Walker, about the benefits of writing longhand. Love this.

By the way, though I don’t have easy access to it, I love knowing there’s still a typewriter in the family: Grandma’s Smith-Corona is back in NYC, being well cared for. <3

So, as I head back to my notebooks (spiral bound, to lay flat!), I’ll leave you with a question: how do you prefer to write? With a blue Pilot G2, perhaps? 😉 I’d love to hear from you with your thoughts, so please leave a comment below or send a quick email to: carolyn@carolyngreeley.com. Until then, Happy Writing and Reading!

Writing Craft: What Happens Next?

March, 2024Blogging, Indie Publishing, Self-publishing, Series writing, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing locations, Writing tipsblogging, draft, editing, Manuscripts, tips, writing, writing craftcarolyn

Do you ever ask yourself, what happens next? My brother Phil shared a video with me the other day. He often does when he comes across something he thinks I may enjoy or find useful (thanks, Phil!). I only had time to watch a few minutes then, an interview with writer/producer Andy Guerdat. But right off the bat, his subject reminded me of a key element of storytelling: getting your audience to care about your story.

Guerdat talks about maintaining an audience/reader mindset when storytelling. He uses the three-word question: “What happens next?” as the storyteller’s tactic to engage your readers, keep them entertained, and keep your story from becoming formulaic and predictable. Those three little words should be at the crux of writing engrossing tales.

The video continued in a film-related vein, and I’ll be honest, at first, I didn’t watch the entire clip. Primarily because as soon as Guerdat mentioned that three-word question, I stopped and thought about the novel I’m currently drafting, Book 3 of the Treasure Quest Series.

I considered it great timing to have heard that question this week.

I’d been planning to post an update on where I’m at with writing Book 3. I planned to share how the work is going, what my hopes and expectations for this draft are. And, truthfully, I’m struggling a bit with how the work is progressing.

So those words, that question, “what happens next?” gave me pause and helped me spend some time mulling a key point of why I write: to entertain and engage, inform and divert and escape.

Hearing the question stated so succinctly reminded me where and how to focus my efforts as I continue writing my WIP.

At the moment, I’ve hit a few snags. But I also have written more consistently than previously. One of the reasons—though I’ve told myself time and again to “just spit out the first draft, damn it, things will be fixed in edits!”—is because I’m writing key scenes that are set in Ireland. While some description and details can be added later, other info is relevant to the story and its progression. Additional research needs to happen up front in order for the tale to progress logically.

And, truthfully, doing that research also helps spark unique ideas. That’s one part of writing (of many!) that I truly love. I can have an idea on which I’ve built parts of a story, but then new research helps inform a cooler, better solution/outcome. Love, love, love that!! Though, of course, that can and does change other elements of the tale, so it’s another reason editing is so crucial. The story still has to work with however the new information has changed it.

So, writing is a struggle to balance research, completion (of draft #1), and plot/pacing. But, with all of that said, I am making progress. Check out this photo of my basic plotline.

Writing Corkboard and What Happens Next? — Writing Corkboard with Green and Pink Notes

I finally had to put this together to see what I had left to write and where I had holes. Especially because Book 3 is just that, the third of the series, and it has many loose ends to tie together. This isn’t everything, but these are the main moving parts. The green post-its are what I’d finished writing last year, and the pink notes are what I need to write to have a mostly finished first draft.

The good news is, I’m all the way through the pinks except for the final four!! Yay!!! Which is not to say I’m done when I finish those, but that will leave me very close with the first draft. I will be soooo freakin’ excited when I get there.

But, as I mentioned at the start, the essential question (or one of them) is still key to remember and view from the readers’ perspective: what happens next? I’ll need to make sure I keep you, dear reader, engaged with my story and characters. And hopefully you’ll enjoy this next story as much as the first two!! Fingers (and toes and everything!) crossed!!

For those of you interested, I went back and listened to the rest of the ten-minute video clip. Guerdat had other useful, writerly tidbits he shared. Check it out here and let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Given a couple cool items I uncovered with my online explorations last week, I’m hopefully on a surer path to completing the first draft. And I think as long as I keep asking “what happens next,” I’ll be able to convey the excitement I felt at the beginning of writing this story. What does my ideal reader want? To be engaged and enthralled and maybe even enlightened just a bit. 😉

So, dear readers, I’d best get back to work, hadn’t I? I’ve more to write and more to surprise you with. Thanks for reading and supporting … and stay tuned! And stay in touch, too. I really appreciate your thoughts and comments, so please say hi below or drop me a line at carolyn@carolyngreeley.com.

Coffee House Writing Space and What Happens Next? — Coffee House Writing Space

PS–If you’re curious to journey back in time with me, check out this older post of mine It’s True, I Do Exist. But TB Is Half Missing. – The Mystery of Relevance (carolyngreeley.com) from when I was writing Book 2, Treasure Bound. Oh, how the times have not changed! 😉 I’m still asking, what happens next?

Writing and the Benefits of Critique Groups

September, 2023Editing, Self-publishing, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing tipsaccountability, Critique, critique groups, editing, Gratitude, motivation, writing, writing craftcarolyn

There are many benefits to writing critique groups. I’m a massive fan of them, as you may’ve noticed from previous posts (and book dedications 😉). First and foremost, I hugely appreciate the accountability aspect of meeting weekly to share my work with other writers. That goes a long way toward engaging my creative muscle and keeping me motivated to write.

Writing is largely a solitary art form and occupation. But there’s also the need for feedback on your work and support from fellow writers. Some authors excel at working solo; others thrive with human interaction. I’m sort of a mix, an introverted extrovert. I enjoy working on my own with minimal supervision and distractions, but I absolutely need and value the input of my writing colleagues.

Even though I love writing, (maybe too much? 😉), I find it very challenging at times. Writing, especially for an audience or to sell your books, is both a joy and an act of will at times. The discipline needed to sit and create is huge. Adding to the pressure, I self-publish my books. Which means I set my own deadlines and strive to achieve them without the incentive of formal, real-world repercussions. There are, of course, those personal penalties my brain dishes out in the form of self-castigation, but let’s not linger on those. 😉

And for me, as for many, though the desire to create is always there, the creativity itself, the spurt of inspiration, the flood of words, is frequently and frustratingly elusive.

Sometimes, I just don’t have the energy or resourcefulness to motivate myself all on my own. Sometimes, I need the enthusiastic shove in the bum that my writer pals have given me over the years. When I feel I’m slogging along, spewing garbage, caught up in all the craziness of everyday life, their encouraging, insightful words are more galvanizing than anything I can do on my own.

Enter the Critique Group.

Yes, critique groups can be a challenge to find, join, start, and fill, but the benefits are considerable when you discover the right fit. Mind you, there are loads of blog posts about how to find and/or form your own group. Here’s a link to a thorough article on Novlr.org that covers many of the steps: Writer’s Critique Groups and How to Form Them – Novlr.

There’s also a good bit about these groups that’s helpful to understand before participating. To that end, here’s another good, longer read that dives into the pros and cons: The Truth About Critique Groups. Lessons learned by writers on the many… | by Teri Daniels | The Writing Cooperative.

So, what’s my story? When I first began to seriously write and edit, I found a couple of local writers’ meetings to participate in. Though large, infrequent, and multifaceted, they taught me many writing basics, and those general meetings were the jumping-off point for finding my first critique group.

Over the years, the first group slowly evolved into the second, and the second unfortunately dissolved as members stopped writing, drifted, or passed away. Ah, life. Some would say the transitions are inevitable. They were precious to me, though, and I’m forever grateful to you guys for everything … you know who you are!

Through those first two forays, I learned not only how to write better, but also how to more usefully interact with other writers, readers, and editors.

I learned the discipline of sharing weekly writing, I grew a thicker skin with the helpful criticisms I received, and I discovered how to offer positive assessments to others and what to look for in their writing. So, I became both a better writer and a better reader and editor myself. In short, I learned a lot.

Now, after a couple years of mayhem (AKA, life), I’ve started a new group. We’re fledgling still, but we’re beginning to find our own groove, our own rhythm. And everyone is so enthusiastic … it feels great to once again be part of a band of writers who want to help each other improve their craft. I’m grateful to start this next journey with these guys (and you know who you are!).

So, where am I going with all this? Having these weekly critique meetings forces me to plant my butt in the chair and either write or edit. Every week. (I can’t say every day, because though tons of fab authors/writers do write every day, I don’t want to force my writing until I hate it. My discipline is to produce working material every week, Monday to Friday.)

Knowing I have an external deadline, and interested, encouraging partners who want to read my work, is what keeps me accountable and keeps me motivated to produce. And the more productive a writer I am, the more the creativity flows and the smoother. Like lubricating the lovely creative cogs.

So, for those of you struggling with the discipline, maybe it’s time you find a critique group. More so than the general, all-encompassing writers’ groups, you may just find a circle of supportive, encouraging, thoughtful, and inspiring writers who motivates you to keep your bum in the seat, and who gives you the straightforward means to stay accountable. This is huge for me. Let me know if it is for you, too … please drop a comment below! Happy trails to you and keep writing! 😉

Before I sign off, in a similar vein, here’s a link to an old post of mine about finding a mentor. This is another great way to work with someone who’s been around the block and can teach you more about writing and the business. Keep this in mind!

Writing Craft: Creative Shifts and Shorts

June, 2023Blogging, FWA, New opportunities, Refresh and reset, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing locationsblogging, short story, writing, writing craftcarolyn

Life really runs just so smoothly, right? Nah! I began writing this post in May, the month celebrating the Short Story. I planned to blog about changing formats to challenge your growth as a writer, in my case, writing shorts instead of working on my usual long-format novel. You guys know I can’t resist stretching my chops and working on writing craft.

But, now it’s June. I’m just posting this, and all I can do is chuckle. And grab a cold glass of something refreshing. Because here in Florida, the temps are rising, and summer has hit the ground running.

Despite the heat, I love to write outside on our screen porch, which is a tad cluttered—read: tools, coolers, spare deck chairs, and general et cetera—but the view of our jungle (AKA, the backyard) is great for a creative boost.

And oftentimes a change of scenery, even a small one like moving from office to porch, can make a big creative difference. As I write and study the craft, anything that can enhance creativity helps. Sometimes, that’s a scenery shift, sometimes a format change to write something brilliant and brief.

It’s from the wacky screen porch that I wrote two short stories these past two months. And guess what? One of those stories has been selected for publication in an anthology. Woo hoo! You might recall I mentioned the Florida Writers Association Collection contest. The contest is open to poetry and short stories of up to 1200 words, a length which is definitely not my strong suit.

This year’s Collection theme was the unignorable Secrets, so I decided to submit a piece. I have entered this contest in the past, to no avail. But you only get better with practice, and that’s definitely true of writing craft.

You all already know I primarily write novels. Long, descriptive, but hopefully compelling, page-turning novels. I love to plunge into action, adventure, characters’ brains and emotions, food, travels, all that good stuff that drives a reader through every page. Novels are my happy place.

So, for me to shift to writing a short story is a real trick, and one I’m working on doing better. Because the thing is, a short story is basically a very short novel, meaning, that tiny piece of writing must contain all the elements of the novel with thousands fewer words. Yikes. By contrast, my novels run in the 70-90,000-word range. You can see the challenge this presents for a writer like me.

And maybe now you can see the appeal, too. Every author wants to improve, wants to hone their writing craft and make it readable, enjoyable, or gripping. I’m pretty okay (so I’m told) at putting together decent imagery, fun vignettes, things of that nature. If you’re keen, I post some of those under the Writing Snippets section here at my site. But they’re not all short stories, with a story arc, character development, conflict, etc. and the other elements of a true SS.

Writing the shorts these past months really challenged how I wrote, what I wrote about, and how good my recall of Grammar 101 was (it wasn’t!). ;P So, I hit some hurdles while working on my submissions. But the experience of writing a full story, succinctly, was excellent. If you’re interested in some smart tips for writing shorts from uber-knowledgeable folks, follow these two links to learn more: Writer’s Digest and Grammarly.

I can say honestly—especially after hearing about my anthology contest selection—that the experience was really worth the effort of writing something outside my wheelhouse. It sure helps when that effort is rewarded.

I haven’t heard back yet about the second contest I entered, for AutoCrit, so I’ll stay positive on that score. Once the judging ends and all the legalities are sorted, I’ll share the news.

In the meantime, this creative shift should help me refocus as I return to writing Book 3 of my series. Sometimes all we need is that bit of clarity that comes from a change of perspective.

Thanks again for visiting. And please let me know in the comments how you like to mix things up with your writing craft. Would love to hear what works for you!

Starting Fresh. Again.

December, 2022Blogging, Gratitude, Refresh and reset, Writing, Writing timeblogging, writing, writing craft, Writing lifecarolyn

So. A little bit of time has passed between my posts once again. Shocker. 😉 For those of you rejoining me here as I’m starting fresh, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Many of you have followed my story online since I created my website and started blogging in 2015. Just before then, I’d done a major life reset by leaving my job of 16+ years, moving solo from NYC to Florida, and publishing my first adventure-mystery novel.

That’s what I call a pretty good reset. A pretty eye-opening one, too.

I’d spent most of my life prior in a semi-content stasis with little large-scale change, and oftentimes loaded with feelings of boredom and loneliness. That first major reset has been hugely wonderful—not without problems, of course—but worth the world to me.

Something I tried to learn from that shift is how to be comfortable with change.

Because periodically since then, I’ve been hitting that reset button. Write and publish novels? Ding! Insinuate myself into the design and construction fields? Ding! Design and renovate fixer homes? Ding! Which of late has been both my major time draw and my creative outlet. Utterly challenging, utterly rewarding.

And now, close to 10 years later, I’m facing another potentially huge reset. In some ways, I feel I’ve come full-circle, because I’m now able to refocus on writing. This came about in a frustrating, wacky way—and let me tell you, it’s been a year, again—but I’m working on my flexibility and am focusing my creativity once more on writing. It feels a little like coming home. 🙂

So, starting fresh for me, with this, certainly isn’t starting from scratch. More, it’s revisiting where my heart took me before, and finding new avenues to happiness. It’s about keeping my head up as I wander, looking forward instead of down. Not because of FOMO, rather, because of the importance of paying attention to and appreciating what’s here and now. The little things, like ducks, and the big things. 😉 Of course, it helps to exercise that ol’ peripheral vision. Like the rest of you, I try to keep from stumbling on the sidewalk cracks or getting tossed by a rogue wave.

And as ever, focusing reminds me of all that I have to be grateful for: life, love, home, health, the list is long and worth reflecting on. Always, but especially when life throws those unexpected resets your way. 😉

Thanks again for spending time here with me. I’m still slow to dive into social media, but I’m gradually returning to a few bits I enjoy, where I can engage with my friends and readers. Hope to see you there. And here again, soon!

#grateful #keepwriting #keepreading #writingcommunity #readingcommunity

Creepy Scary Stories

October, 2018Halloween, Reading, Scary movies, Scary stories, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing and Emotions, Writing Craftblogging, Film, Halloween, Inspiration, Movies, Reading, Scary stories, writing, writing craftcarolyn

Happy October, dear friends and readers! I’m so excited for this month, because I love Hallowe’en and spooky things. If you don’t believe me, zip over to my About page and check out the lead photo. See what I mean? Haha. Love it!

And since this is the month of creepy good things, I decided to share some of my favorite scary stories, both written and on film. Time for a little levity in my blog, right?

While writing this post, I stopped for a moment to try to figure out why my Hallowe’en fascination has persisted over the years. I always loved dressing up and spooking for candy as a kid, and I still love the holiday today. And you know what? I didn’t come up with a good answer. Regardless, I love Hallowe’en and scary stories very much.

The one thought I had, though, was this: I’m no psychologist, but I gather there’s something to be said for enjoying a good scare while knowing you’re safe and that what you read or watched was fiction. Unless, of course, you’re into non-fiction!!! BOO!

And thinking about it, not everybody enjoys a good scare the way others do. My hub included; he does not like scary movies. And while I sure do enjoy many, I fully admit there are certain tales I don’t like and won’t read or watch. For example, I don’t watch torture movies (I’ve seen a couple, and not cool IMHO). I’m also not a fan of sad-scaries. And, ghoulish movies and stories that could possibly happen do sort of freak me out. 😉

But that said, there are scores of other well-crafted spooky stories I enjoy. Most of them of the suspenseful-thriller-moody-tension variety.

And so, I look forward to October every year, and this time’s no different. And just to set the tone, as I write, the sky has darkened to soot, flashes of lightning streak beyond the towering pines, thunder rolls almost as loudly as the drowning rain. I have the big house to myself. The doors are locked. So … here we go. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite scary stories! Happy Creeps!

Books:

Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe
The Turn of the Screw, Henry James
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Ghost Story, Peter Straub* caveat, currently reading
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving
Heart-Shaped Box, Joe Hill
The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red, Joyce Reardon
Dracula, Bram Stoker

To read: The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson

Movies:

The Uninvited, 1944
Psycho, 1960
Scream, 1996
Halloween, 1978
Poltergeist, 1982
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1956
The Shining, 1980
Silence of the Lambs, 1991
Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984
The Thing from Another World, 1951
Jaws, 1975
Rosemary’s Baby, 1968
Alien, 1979
The Birds, 1963
Ghost Story, 1981 *quite different than the book
The Changeling, 1980
The Fog, 1980
Them, 1954
Carrie, 1976
The Blob, 1958
The Amityville Horror, 1979

To see: Get Out; A Quiet Place

So, reader friends, what do you think? Which is your favorite scary story, and did it make my list? Which ones are you going to read or watch next? Mwuaaah-ah-ah-ahhhh! Hahaha. Let me know in the comments section. And try not to be too scared! BOO!!

PS–If any of you want to hear something truly scary, yesterday at one of the local stores, I walked past a humongous display of Christmas trees!!! True horror!!

PPS–Also, looking over the lists, you might notice I tend toward older stories. Reading-wise, I typically stick to the mystery genre in which I write, and movie-wise, I guess I just don’t get out that much. 😉 At least, not with the hub for a scary movie! Haha. Happy Hallowe’en!

A Writer’s Refresh

August, 2018Blogging, Editing, Indie Publishing, Publishing, Refresh and reset, Sequel Writing, Series writing, Writing, Writing Craft, Writing timeblogging, editing, Indie Publishing, Learning, management routines, Publishing, Refresh and reset, writing, writing craftcarolyn

Sometimes, I need to hit the refresh button. Both in life and in writing. How about you? These past few months, I’ve been pinballing fast once again. (Not that I’ve ever really stopped, I suppose.) 😉 But, rolling with that “work in progress” thing I’ve got going, I do my best to keep up.

But then you realize, it’s time to pause and flick that switch.

Pause

On the happy side of the zigzagging, I have some good news: I haven’t been idle writing-wise on my book. If you guys recall, it was a year ago June that I had my first cow, (click here in case you missed that blog), when I realized about half of my sequel novel to Emerald Obsession remained written only in my notebooks and my brain and not on the computer as it should’ve been. Oy, I tell ya! Then in February, I described my mini cow, which you can find by clicking here.

But on the plus side is that for these past few months, I’ve been writing away—yes, writing on the computer and adding to—the sequel, still lovingly referred to as Treasure Bound. And guess what?

I’ve added 19,000 words to the story! Woooo hooo! Which means I’ve finally gotten much of the secondary plot line from my head into the Word doc. YAY!! I’m so pleased!

But, okay, this isn’t the time for me to rest on my laurels, per se. This is simply my reset period. I still have tons of work to do. But………….I’m happy to feel I made the kind of progress I needed to at this stage.

My next step, and part of the refresh and reset—which I’m currently in the midst of, hence having time to focus on this blog—has me putting aside the edits for a couple of weeks to clear out my brain. (Not of everything, I hope, but of just enough to give me a breather from focusing all my writerly attention on TB.)

After these weeks are up, I’ll print out the current TB, and then I’ll reread EO and TB as quickly as I can in succession, looking for any holes and inconsistencies, checking flow, and overall reviewing everything. After that, if things go smoothly (please, please, please, and fingers crossed!), then it’s on to the next stage of professional editing. Whee!!!

But once again………let’s not put the cart before the donkey. (BTW, I love donkeys, check out this Instagram feed if you do, too.) I still have a few points rattling around my brain that might need to become minor scenes or added info bits. I’m definitely prepared for the possibility of more tweakage. That’s one reason I need this reset; to detach my brain from the project so I’m able to sharpen my focus when I return to reviewing the story.

Also, since this is Book 2, with Book 3 still to come, I have to look forward to the next story and build into TB any relevant details and teasers. Whee again, but not in the good way; this is more like: “Whee, what the hell was I thinking when I decided to write a series??!!”

All I can say, though, is I’m committed now. Or wait, is that supposed to read: “I should be committed now”? Probably. The men in the white jackets are waiting behind me to carry me away. Here we go again.

Just kidding already. What I really mean is I’m committed to telling you good stories, ones I hope entertain, excite, and engage you. If that takes more time and research than I’d originally planned so be it, as long as the outcome satisfies me and you. Thanks for your patience on that score.

Well, dear readers and friends, that’s about all she wrote for the time being. I’m not heading back to edits just now—whew, what a relief to say that’s done for the moment!—but it is time for a little walk to free the brain for some Book 3 brainstorming. Hmm … I’m finally excited to get started again. Yippee!

Before I go, tell me in the comments section below how you reset. Writing-wise, this was something I couldn’t do until the timing jived with completing a certain portion of my writing, but personally speaking, we all need periodic resets, too. Last week, I took my first, solo Me Day in years. It was fabulous and so necessary. Perhaps I’ll blog on that soon, too. In the meantime, I’d love to hear what you do to reset, so please fire away. Thanks again for reading and joining the convo.