I started Send My Love to Anyone January 2021 when I was suffering from severe writer’s block. I had a book on contract, and I was really stuck. So I started a newsletter thinking it would force me to write, which did! But better than doing my own writing it allowed me to share the work of others which kept me going and inspired.
And I'm happy to say I finished the book which was published in September 2023.
Now I’m working on a new project, a novel, and I’m feeling the same panic that I did when I was working on my story collection. For me, the fear of a new project just never goes away.
My new attempt to deal with it is to just commit to ten minutes a day. That’s all I have to do. Ten minutes a day. Hopefully I’ll do more, but I will have reached my goal if I just interact with my novel ten minutes a day.
I tried doing word counts before, and it never worked for me, so I’m hoping this approach will get me some movement without being overly structured.
I would love to write fiction. I used to write smut. I have a short story collection and a novella in the world and another draft of a novel and numerous starts of novels . But...I can't get grants for fiction, only for poetry. I have to make money. To be honest I prefer not to write within genre boundaries at all. If I had time and didn't have to make money I would work on this thing called Companion Reader, a response to stuff around me in the form of letters, memoir, essays, poems, dialogue, theatre, collage,doodles and visual poems. I also have a collection of essays/memoir about health, polyamory etc in the works called Gutless Wonder that I can't get funding for either. It needs a good editor.
I'm enjoying working on a long poem about loathing winter that I'll apply for grants with. I do like writing poetry. It's my main thing. Your 10 minutes a day plan is a good reminder that maybe I can spend 10 minutes daily on one thing I want to write. It's such a drag being broke.
I’m in Goa on a DIY writing retreat, pulling out a project I started a couple of years back. I’m really enjoying my unscheduled time and the beauty of my surroundings.
I'm planning for 2025 to be a big year for my writing journey. After spending 15 years writing screenplays and pitching TV shows, I've transitioned to prose because I wanted to finish something for myself. I've committed to writing one short story a month since October last year, and I'm on track.
I've also started three short series, one of which I published this month for Valentine's Day, a Rom-Fi (low on the science, high on the Rom)... you can read part 1 here - (don't worry, total word length for all three parts is only 5000)
I will spend the rest of the year completing two short series and another eight short stories, and then I will begin work on my first Novella Series—if I haven't given up and run screaming to the hills.
for the past few months I've been obsessively poking away at a long poem entitled desire,.a footnote, sparked by my return to dating apps at 61. it is turning into a poem-essay about radical love, relationship anarchy & cherished friends.
I am on draft 7 of a novel I have been writing forever! I am getting close to sending it out into the world. (I hope.)
In the past, I have published poetry, feature articles, essays and book reviews. In 2016, I won the CANSCAIP/National Writers Union prize for best picture book manuscript.
All my writing time has been devoted to the novel for the past few years, with the occasional book review thrown in for fun.
When I am not writing, I am either at my day job, walking the dog, or hanging out with family and friends. My garden is woefully neglected.
I’m a retired teacher whose love of writing is now fully unleashed. I write essays, poetry, and have completed two novels, the first of which I’m publishing at the end of 2025 or start of 2026. Entitled Chapel Bay Secrets, it’s the story 3 people: A lesbian librarian who has never known her father and who has just been threatened by anonymous book banning haters, a wealthy widow who wants to restart her writing practice yet feels unwelcome in the small coastal community in which she lives, and a retired male psychologist who has never forgiven himself for having an affair with a former patient. The three learn that they must form a bond to heal from their wounds.
Thanks, Kathryn! It’s been quite a journey, and continues to be interesting, challenging, and filled with joys and sorrows. This week, I’m sending the MS to my copy editor. Next, I’ll get ISBNs, format, and so forth. I hope to get more Substack subscribers for my email list, work on pre-launch strategies, and finally hit “publish” in January or February. This book is the first half of a duology, and I’ll put book #2 out in about April of next year.
I started Send My Love to Anyone January 2021 when I was suffering from severe writer’s block. I had a book on contract, and I was really stuck. So I started a newsletter thinking it would force me to write, which did! But better than doing my own writing it allowed me to share the work of others which kept me going and inspired.
And I'm happy to say I finished the book which was published in September 2023.
Now I’m working on a new project, a novel, and I’m feeling the same panic that I did when I was working on my story collection. For me, the fear of a new project just never goes away.
My new attempt to deal with it is to just commit to ten minutes a day. That’s all I have to do. Ten minutes a day. Hopefully I’ll do more, but I will have reached my goal if I just interact with my novel ten minutes a day.
I tried doing word counts before, and it never worked for me, so I’m hoping this approach will get me some movement without being overly structured.
What works for you?
I would love to write fiction. I used to write smut. I have a short story collection and a novella in the world and another draft of a novel and numerous starts of novels . But...I can't get grants for fiction, only for poetry. I have to make money. To be honest I prefer not to write within genre boundaries at all. If I had time and didn't have to make money I would work on this thing called Companion Reader, a response to stuff around me in the form of letters, memoir, essays, poems, dialogue, theatre, collage,doodles and visual poems. I also have a collection of essays/memoir about health, polyamory etc in the works called Gutless Wonder that I can't get funding for either. It needs a good editor.
I'm enjoying working on a long poem about loathing winter that I'll apply for grants with. I do like writing poetry. It's my main thing. Your 10 minutes a day plan is a good reminder that maybe I can spend 10 minutes daily on one thing I want to write. It's such a drag being broke.
Thanks for sharing Amanda. Love the title Gutless Wonder! I also prefer no genre boundaries too!
I’m in Goa on a DIY writing retreat, pulling out a project I started a couple of years back. I’m really enjoying my unscheduled time and the beauty of my surroundings.
That sounds wonderful!!!!
I'm planning for 2025 to be a big year for my writing journey. After spending 15 years writing screenplays and pitching TV shows, I've transitioned to prose because I wanted to finish something for myself. I've committed to writing one short story a month since October last year, and I'm on track.
I've also started three short series, one of which I published this month for Valentine's Day, a Rom-Fi (low on the science, high on the Rom)... you can read part 1 here - (don't worry, total word length for all three parts is only 5000)
https://open.substack.com/pub/theoortcloud/p/entangled-part-i?r=4c2xuj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
I will spend the rest of the year completing two short series and another eight short stories, and then I will begin work on my first Novella Series—if I haven't given up and run screaming to the hills.
Congrats for keeping on track. I never am able to do it! Thanks for sharing your story!
for the past few months I've been obsessively poking away at a long poem entitled desire,.a footnote, sparked by my return to dating apps at 61. it is turning into a poem-essay about radical love, relationship anarchy & cherished friends.
Thanks for sharing! Very cool!
I am on draft 7 of a novel I have been writing forever! I am getting close to sending it out into the world. (I hope.)
In the past, I have published poetry, feature articles, essays and book reviews. In 2016, I won the CANSCAIP/National Writers Union prize for best picture book manuscript.
All my writing time has been devoted to the novel for the past few years, with the occasional book review thrown in for fun.
When I am not writing, I am either at my day job, walking the dog, or hanging out with family and friends. My garden is woefully neglected.
Congrats on draft 7 that's wonderful!
Thanks for sharing! Welcome!
Hi!
I’m a retired teacher whose love of writing is now fully unleashed. I write essays, poetry, and have completed two novels, the first of which I’m publishing at the end of 2025 or start of 2026. Entitled Chapel Bay Secrets, it’s the story 3 people: A lesbian librarian who has never known her father and who has just been threatened by anonymous book banning haters, a wealthy widow who wants to restart her writing practice yet feels unwelcome in the small coastal community in which she lives, and a retired male psychologist who has never forgiven himself for having an affair with a former patient. The three learn that they must form a bond to heal from their wounds.
Hi Julie, welcome! Congrats on your book! It sounds fascinating!
Thanks, Kathryn! It’s been quite a journey, and continues to be interesting, challenging, and filled with joys and sorrows. This week, I’m sending the MS to my copy editor. Next, I’ll get ISBNs, format, and so forth. I hope to get more Substack subscribers for my email list, work on pre-launch strategies, and finally hit “publish” in January or February. This book is the first half of a duology, and I’ll put book #2 out in about April of next year.