Experimenting With Writing Routines - The Creative Process

EXPERIMENTING WITH WRITING ROUTINES

It took me a very long time to get to the point where I had any kind of writing routine. For a long time, writing was something I did when I felt like it. Once I started publishing and began my career, it became something I had to squeeze in somewhere. It didn't always work out though, and I ended up taking about four years off writing when I was doing my degree simply because I didn't have the spoons to do both that, and still write. I say all that to say that it's completely normal for it to take time to find a way for you. It's also normal for you to switch routines at some point in your writing life.

For example, I was always an afternoon writer after my degree. I wanted to get all the things done in the morning, the chat with a friend, and then finally, get onto the writing. In the last four or five years, I've been very much an early morning writer and worker. It's currently almost 3am and I woke up at midnight with no alarm set, my body just went: okay we're awake now!

My point is that everyone changes the way they do things, and that includes set routines. There can be changes in your life, in your health, in your priorities, all of which can lead to you needing to try and find a new routine. My big change was my sleep schedule got all switched around and doesn't seem to be going back to where it was. So I flipped to working in the wee hours, and I actually prefer it. But it wasn't an instant thing, it took time, as does any routine and finding what works for you.

So what can you do to experiment should the need arise? Glad you asked, I'm gonna give you a handful of tips to try and work with.

#1 FIND A TIME THAT WORKS FOR YOU
For me, like I said, it's been all over the place. But that doesn't mean the same will be true for you. If you know that you do better creatively first thing in the morning, see about finding a time then when you will be able to write. If that means getting up a little earlier, and you're able to do so, maybe that's how it will work for you. If you know that you much prefer writing at night, and you're able to manage to do that, then focus on setting up your routine there for a bit and see how things go. I recommend a week as a minimum just so that you have an idea of whether it's going to be something that's sustainable for you, and actually works.

#2 IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T MANAGE, KEEP TRYING
It's really rare for people to hit on the one way that works for them straight away, so if that happens to you, if you find that the way you're trying doesn't work, don't lose heart, it's normal. Keeping switching little parts of the routine, whether that's the time, or the place, and see if these changes will allow you to keep writing on a routine. Don't worry if it takes time, it will, and that's fine.

#3 CHANGE ONE THING AT A TIME
By this I mean, it's hard to know what exactly isn't working. It might be all of it, or it might just be one little part. If you can change it one at a time, then you might find out just what part isn't working for you and land on something that does help. Like I said above, it can take time, and that's okay, it's about finding a way that you can sustain and also have a good time doing it.

So yeah, those are my tips for experimenting with writing routines, I wish you all the best of luck finding one that works for you!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Review of The Slope Rules by Melanie Hooyenga

 

Fifteen-year old Cally accepted her fate as one of the guys, so when she meets Blake, a hot snowboarder who sees her for more than her aerials on the slopes, she falls fast and hard. But their romance can only last as long as vacation.

Or so she thinks.

A twist of fate—well, her Dad opening another brewery in a new town—lands her in Blake’s school, but the charismatic boy she fell for wants nothing to do with her, and worse, the Snow Bunnies, the popular clique, claim her as their newest recruit. Cally must learn to be true to herself—all while landing a spot on the ski team and figuring out who she is without her old friends. And when she finds out what Blake is hiding, she learns the rules on the slopes apply to more than just skiing.

Amazon 

My Review: 5 STARS

I’ve seen Hooyenga’s books around before but never picked one up and this one just sounded so sweet and fun that I had to grab it. The cover and blurb pulled me in and then the story itself had me hooked from the first page. I ended up devouring it in one sitting and I plan to read the rest in this series. Cally is adorable, and her and Blake make an amazingly cute couple. I loved the heavy hitting topics dealt with in a way that allow you to sit with your feelings, and not lose the momentum of the story. I adored it and will be reading more of Hooyenga’s works! Very much recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Review Of The Year: 2024 [CC]

Going over the goals I set myself last year for the year and see what I managed! #Authortube

 

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#TeaserTuesday

Tara isn't used to making friends easily...

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[ID: A green background with yellow flowers overlaid, with the title DYING THOUGHTS - THIRD WISH at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just above the title The except reads:

I nodded just as Steve reappeared with my cup of tea and Lilly headed to her desk to start work. “What did Lilly want?” he asked, setting down my tea on my desk.
“To ask me if I’d like to get together with her sometime,” I told him, not really sure what it had to do with him.
“She must like you, Lilly rarely talks to anyone.” So, I’d made a friend, my dad would be proud. Now, if only I could stop someone killing this one, I’d be set.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

You Can't Do It Wrong: Publishing

YOU CAN'T DO IT WRONG: PUBLISHING

I've been doing pieces about how there is literally no part of the writing and publishing process that you can do wrong. I talked about editing last week (found here) and I'm going to focus on publishing this week. I will just say that I'm more talking about the publishing process, as in whether to go indie or trad, as there's a whole lot involved in publishing that would be way too extensive for me to cover in one of these pieces, so I'm honing in on that part.

For background, I have never been trad published. Early in my writing career I started off with the only option being trad, and I went for it, but it never worked out for me. I was first published in 2005 and then when the advent of indie came in 2011 time, I started being an indie author properly. That said, I do have some idea what it takes to get a trad contract, and I also know that while people look down on indie, there are some indies looking down on trad like only one option is valid.

That is completely false. There are so many reasons for making whichever choice you make. I've found success with indie, and I don't know if I would have with trad. I don't know if books I've published would have died on sub because the story and genre at the time did not meet the marketability, and so I'm happy with indie and feel like I've made the right choice for my works but that's a me thing. It's not an everyone thing.

I've always felt, and believed, that there is an audience for every story. It might not be a huge mainstream audience, but there are always people out there for whom your story will speak to them, and be the thing they crave. Yes it can take time finding them, but that's a problem that happens to both sides of the spectrum. After all, not all trad books receive the same amount of marketing and not all indie authors are able to splash out when it comes to marketing either. It's all about doing what works for you.

While both options are valid, both come with a different kind of list of pros and cons. Like I like having the control of when a book is released. I like being the one who chooses my editor, my cover designer, and while some of that is true with trad as well, at least that you have some input, it's not only your choice. Doesn't make it wrong though, there are authors who find it more stressful to have those kinds of decisions in their hands alone. They flourish when it comes to trad because people are making the hard decisions themselves. And that's valid.

Too much of the time, it gets turned into an us vs them situation and to be honest, I don't like it. I don't like the idea that one is supposed to be for the 'real' authors and the other is not. I don't like that indies sometimes talk about how they're decision to go indie should work for absolutely everyone and it just does not. I know trad authors who much prefer being trad and would never go indie, I know others who have thought about indie but have no idea where to start, because it's a lot of work.

So when it comes to publishing, just remember that YOU CAN'T DO IT WRONG. You find what works for you, and your books and go from there. All forms of publishing are valid and I wish you the best of luck no matter what path you choose to use.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Review of The Keeper Of The Crystal Blade by Nathan Taylor

 

Destiny balances on a dagger’s edge, and where it will tip is anybody’s guess.

The Knights of Despair are free to invade Euryma—if there is anything left to conquer. Remnant Magic continues to scour the land, obliterating everything in its path.

While the Dominion crumbles, Declan’s attention turns to the magical blade that has taken so much from him: Winterthorn.

As alliances shift, the dead rise, and the nature of magic itself comes into question, Declan is left with a terrible choice.

It is easy to kill your enemies. It is harder to murder your friends.

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

Having read the first two books in this series, I was happy to see the third book out and dove into reading it. I love the way Taylor has built this rich world within parts of our own and drawn you into a story that takes you through all the highs and lows. I didn’t realise there was another book after this, and I need to know what happens. The characters are engaging and relatable and the whole series just leaves you hungry for more. I ended up reading it in one sitting, and I can not wait for the finale. Very much recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Life Of Joey - December 2024 [CC]

Looking back over the past month and letting you know all I got up to! #Authortube

 

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#TeaserTuesday

Lynne has no idea how this happened, but she's going to find out...

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[ID: A pale pink background with the title LYNNE & HOPE at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just below the title The except reads:

“I hope you can understand why we had to pull you out of work,” he told me.
“My boss explained some of it to me, though I think this is just all some big mistake.” Even if my boss and my own frigging parents didn’t believe me.
“Yes, sure. Now, we’re going to record this interview for our records, is that okay?”
“Sure.” Like I have a choice.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

You Can't Do It Wrong: Editing

YOU CAN'T DO IT WRONG: EDITING

Last week I talked about how you can't do revision wrong (found here) and this week I thought that I would apply that to editing as well. At the moment I am going through the dev edits stage for my next book and while I've worked with a handful of editors, all of them have had a different process for how they give me their corrections and how I go about making them. None of these are wrong or less valid.

A lot of the time, writing advice, and yes this does apply to editing as well, is tailored to the mainstream, or the most common ways of doing things, and it can lead to the belief that if you don't do it the way all these other writers do it, then you are somehow not a valid writer, or doing it so wrong that everything is going to be ruined and you might as well give up now.

Over my, almost, twenty years of publishing, I have done things a myriad of ways. I've done in line comments. I've done getting the whole document back with comments, I've done making corrections with my editor there to help. I've also done getting edit letters and making those corrections on my own. None of these are wrong ways to do it. Some are more common in indie, some are more common in trad, but they are still not wrong. They are valid ways to go about the editing cycle and you gotta do what works for you.

Too often the emphasis is to emulate a popular writer with the idea that since their book(s) sells, then if you do everything the way they've done it, you'll be an instant success, and writing and creating just doesn't work like that. It never has, and it never will. One great thing about writers, about all creatives, and humans in general, is we all work differently. We all have our own unique way of thinking, of doing things, of solving problems, and of creating. And they are all valid.

I have taken literal years to find a way that works for me with all parts of the writing and publishing process, and even then, I still find new ways to make it work. I will still come across advice that sparks an idea and I sit down and try it, sometimes putting my own spin on it, and find it works, but the same can be true for finding it doesn't. It's all about finding what works best for you personally.

It's all very well and good starting out and looking for advice, I get that, I write these posts every Monday because I know how daunting it is for a newbie to suddenly be handed an edited manuscript and told to fix it, and have no idea where to even begin. When I first started publishing, way back in 2005, I didn't have things like social media for me to garner ideas and advice, I had to learn as I went. I am so happy that there's the ability to pass information onto new writers now because while not every piece of help will actually speak to you, the abundance of it means you're more likely to find a way that does, or at least, end up combining this way and that, and coming up with a brand new way that is just yours.

My point is basically that no matter how you go about it, you can not edit wrong. Lemme say that louder for the people in the back: YOU CAN'T EDIT WRONG.

It's all about finding what works for you and applying it to your own way of working. Good luck!

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Review of Love And Other Champagne Problems by Sarah Sutton

She meets the only man who's ever been able to make her melt...but it's not her prince charming.

As the ice queen heiress to a multi-million-dollar luxury hotel chain, Margot always knew her parents would choose who she was to marry—whichever candidate had the deepest pockets and the most business assets. So when the time comes to either enter an engagement with a man she’s never met or lose her sparkling fortune, Margot knows there is only one answer.

To keep her impulsivity in check, and to avoid ruining the business deal of a lifetime, Margot’s parents enlist Sumner Pennington, a new hire at the hotel, to play her secretary and to keep the leash on her tight.

Sumner, part-time cater-waiter and now apparent part-time babysitter, is a breath of fresh air from the elegant and cutthroat world around Margot. Optimistic, cheery, warm-hearted—everything she isn’t. But as the two grow closer, and Margot finds herself falling for his cinnamon roll exterior, it becomes clear that there’s more to Sumner than meets the eye—and she begins to wonder if she even knows him at all.

With her first meeting with her fiancé drawing nearer, and her parents’ grip on her becoming tighter, Margot’s faced with the realization that romance isn’t always a guarantee for someone in her position, and that falling in love may be just another champagne problem.

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

Having read all of Sutton’s books, when this one popped up on my radar, I had to read it. I adored Margot the more you got to know her. Sumner was adorable, and you couldn’t help but cheer for him, wanting her to see that she could have a happy ending with him. Her parents and the way they controlled Margot’s life just had me floored and hoping for that happy ending. The book was beautifully written and had me laughing, crying, and hoping that things would work out for them both. That ending was perfect and it’s a book that I very much recommend.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Wrapping Your Writing Year [CC]

Talking about wrapping up your writing year! #Authortube

 

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#TeaserTuesday

Tara is learning that she has to be careful who she tells about her gift...

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[ID: An out of focus sky shot  with the title DYING THOUGHTS - SECOND SIGHT at the top and out now in ebooK, paperback & audiobook just above the title The except reads:

“Seriously, if you’d been charged with murder and you found out the police used a psychic person, and a FIFTEEN year old psychic, how would you feel?”
“Pretty pissed off.”
“Yeah, but would you believe it?”
“Well, yeah, coz I know you, but if I was your everyday nutter, I might not.”
“My point is proven.”
“Spoilsport.”

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

 

You Can't Do It Wrong: Revision

YOU CAN'T DO IT WRONG: REVISION

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about how you can't draft wrong (piece found here), and this week I thought I would turn to one of the other parts of writing and publishing, and that's revision. Right now I've taken a break from drafting so that I can work on revising and possibly rewriting older projects. The past four or five months have been spent with my going through both projects from start to finish and finding out what needs to be changed, what can be scrapped and what needs to be expanded upon. It's been an eye opener to me as to how I approach revision, and I kinda felt like this piece was also one to write.

See, I always found it hard to both edit and revise. I think it was because I didn't have a set process for it. I always found the editing process hard, and I just much prefer drafting because I kinda know what I'm doing there. But revision is something else entirely. I'll stick to just that rather than editing as well, and probably will talk about that beast next week.

But revision is something that, like drafting, everyone approaches differently. I don't know if it's inherent in how we draft, or whether because the story is told, we're just more able to find a way that works for us when it comes to tightening things up and closing plot holes and the like. My first time revising I struggled to find out what I needed to do and what process I needed to adopt. I'd done self-editing passes, and they seemed to be pretty straight forward, but revision? Nah that was a completely different beast!

So I took advice from this person, read books about it from other writers, and sat down to find my process. I knew that as a mostly pantser, I would probably have a whole lot of threads that were both left dangling or weren't needed any more because they went nowhere and added nothing to the plot. I honestly got caught up in doing things the 'right' way that it kinda overwhelmed me.

There's a lot of ways to do all the things in the creative process, and like I've said before, everyone is different. Everyone has their own way of working, and that's okay. That's normal. That's how it is. But I think the problem comes when people, with large platforms or not, try to give the idea that their way is the only way, and that if you can't or don't work like that, you are wrong, and can't be a writer.

Which, to be frank, is just crap! We all work differently, it's part of the human experience that s really humbling and awesome at the same time. It's normal to do things differently than your peers. It's normal to have a completely different process compared to any other writer. It's okay to approach revision in a way that no one else you know does. That's okay. That's how you work and doing the best for yourself is the right approach. There is little point in twisting yourself into knots trying to work how someone else says is the only right way, when actually it's never going to work for you, because you don't work that way.

We all draft differently. We all write differently. We all revise differently. That's okay. You're not doing it wrong. You're doing it your way, and that's not a bad thing. We all have to find our own way of doing things, and that's okay.

So remember that and remember this: YOU CAN'T REVISE WRONG.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Review of Sirens & Blades by Amanda Kaye

 

Bound to defend the man her family swore to destroy.

When her first mission as an assassin ends in disaster, Marina finds herself stuck protecting the prince she was going to kill. And they both hate it. Sebastian’s busy fighting to save his kingdom, he can't afford to be distracted by the beautiful red-head with a mysterious past.

To Marina’s amazement, spending time with the charming prince-turned-pirate isn’t the punishment she thought it would be. Soon, she’s more concerned about Sebastian stealing her heart than keeping him alive. But when tragedy strikes and the Sea Witch attacks, Marina finds herself trapped by her web of lies.

Can Marina save Sebastian from the Sea Witch, or will her secrets destroy them both?

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

Having read Kaye’s work before, I saw this one and had to read it. Kaye has a way of pulling you into the story, while sprinkling worlds that seem so very real and characters that are completely relatable. I adored Marina and Sebastian and I loved the way their story twisted and turned and left you guessing and hoping for that sweet happy ending. The whole idea of it all was perfectly crafted and it was a book I flew through because I had to know what happened next. I adored it, and it’s another one that I very much recommend!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Year Of Writing Count: 2024 [CC]

Giving you the count for all the words, pages, and chapters I wrote and revised this writing year! #Authortube

 

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#TeaserTuesday

The more Tara finds out about her mum, the more she wonders about herself...

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[ID: A yellow cracked wall background with the title DYING THOUGHTS - FIRST TOUCH at the top and out now in ebooK, paperback & audiobook just above the title The except reads:

July 21st
They’re getting more frequent now and I can’t control them. I’m going to have to say something to Colin soon, before he really gets worried about me. I had a vision in front of him and he called an ambulance. The hospital was the worst place – everything I touched set me off. I wanted to cover everything in disinfectant first but I couldn’t, of course. You would be amazed at how long the echo of people’s deaths hangs around. Grandmother told me the length of time depends on three things.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Deciding On Success - The Creative Process

DECIDING ON SUCCESS

Success isn't something someone else can define for you. I mean there are universal definitions, like if you hit a bestseller list, or if your book gets made into a movie, or a monetary goal. But at the end of the day, those things happen to so few writers and authors, that they're kinda the dream big, but be okay with knowing you might not hit them. I have never hit a bestseller list. I doubt my books will ever be made into a movie, and I like the idea of making more money, but it's also not where I, personally, would claim success.

You see, no one can tell you when you've 'made it'. That's something you have to know for yourself. I always try and set goals that I don't really tell other people about for my books. Like hitting a certain number of sales in a time period, or having this happen with a reviewer or whatever. I've won awards for my books, three, and was listed for another. That could, to a lot of people, define success, and it does for me too, but here's the thing no one really tells you when you're just starting out: definitions change.

I don't mean that the things that come before are meaningless. Nope, my awards are in pride of place on my wall. I have it in my bio that I've won awards. I have a whole page on my website about them. I am proud of my awards, and I earned them. My books earned them. But that doesn't mean that therefore I've reached the height of my career and there's nothing left to do.

What I'm trying to say is, that with the way the world works, there's always going to be something new and shiny that will redefine success for you, whether you want it to or not. My last award was in 2020 I think, and I've released other books since then, and the reading and writing world has moved on. That's not a bad thing, we can't always be looking back at the past, but you need to define, and decide what success means for you.

I know I just said that it will change, and it will, but you need to be the one to make that choice of when you will feel like you've made it. For some authors it's more about just knowing their book is out there. For others, it's hitting a certain sales goal. For even more, it's about being able to quit the day job and be a writer full time. I'm talking generally there, for a lot of people, indie and trad, the thought of putting all your eggs in one basket and living off your books alone, is terrifying because that income is not guaranteed. But I digress, whatever that definition is for you, that's what matters, that's what you're working towards.

At the start I mentioned universal definitions, and they remain true, but I would caution you of only dreaming big. While yes, it's a great thing to be able to aim towards something like movie deals, or bestseller lists, and if that keeps you on track, go for it, but also remember to have the realistic and the smaller ones too. No one else can define success for you. Even if you're a writer who is full time, has movie options, has more sales than you know what to do with, you will still keep looking to that next goal, because we're human, and it's what we do.

So make a conscious choice to decide and define what success looks like for you, right now. Keep moving forward, keep your eyes on the goal, and just remember that it will take time. No one is an instant success, even those who seem to be have a lot going on in the background. Decide your success, and keep working on it. You will get there, it just might take a while.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Review of Camp Nightfall by Kira Moericke

 

Being a disgrace to her family name, Gemini Dracula is sent to Camp Nightfall to help her get over her fear of drinking blood. There, she meets other supernaturals trying to correct their flaws, including Heath Wilder, an annoying but tempting werewolf, born to be the future leader of one of the most prestigious packs in North America. But there is a lot more that happens after dark than Gemini realizes. Girls at camp are being murdered, and Gemini knows that if she’s not careful, she could be next.

 

Amazon 

My Review: 4 STARS

I picked this up because the blurb sounded interesting and the thought of a camp for supernatural creatures to get better intrigued me. I loved Gemini, and all the other characters, and while the story was engaging and well written, I felt like it could’ve been expanded upon and drawn out. The mystery was well done, and I loved the twists and turns through the plot. Overall it was a good book, and one that I enjoyed.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

 

Writing Challenges While Chronically Ill [CC]

Talking about doing writing challenges while being chronically ill and/or disabled! #Authortube

 

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#TeaserTuesday

Lisa might have a point but Tally isn't going to admit that...

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[ID: A dark blue/purple background with the title BLACKOUT at the top and out now in ebook, paperback & audiobook just above the title The except reads:

“You don’t know anything about me. I didn’t judge you when you came back to school did I?” she demanded. I hated that she was right. It’s true, she was one of the only people who didn’t stare at me or say anything. But then again up until a few seconds ago she’d never said anything to me before.
“No,” I replied.
“Then just leave me alone,” she told me. She pushed her chair out, tossed her bag over her shoulder, shot me an evil look and walked out. Wow, Lisa had a temper on her. I wonder why she’s so touchy.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

You Can't Do It Wrong: Drafting

YOU CAN'T DO IT WRONG: DRAFTING

I have, at this point, drafted 48 books to completion. I have pantsed, I have lightly planned, I have never outright seriously planned because it's just not the way I do things, but I have had books where there's more planning involved than others. I think it's pretty clear that I know what I'm doing when it comes to drafting, and I think it's pretty obvious that I've done my work and found a way that works for me. After all about half of those drafts were written in the last decade, just to give you some idea of how I've worked.

A lot of the time, I see people giving advice, and telling new writers, and old ones, that the way they're doing things is wrong. Either because they're a hardcore planner and thinking pantsing is the antithesis of writing, or they're pretty sure that their method is the only valid way of doing things because it works for them, so therefore it must work for everyone.

Of course it doesn't work like that, but I'm not a big name. I have my little corner of social media and the internet. I have my readers, and the people in my writing community, and I adore it. I love that I get to do something I love for my career, and I love that I can keep telling my stories and getting them out there to people, allowing them to explore and learn more about my characters and my way of doing things.

I will say this though, and I will keep saying this: YOU CAN'T DRAFT WRONG.

It doesn't matter if you are a planner with step by step breakdowns. It doesn't matter if you use a beat sheet. It doesn't matter if you wake up one morning and just go wherever you want with no plan whatsoever. It doesn't matter if you know the ending, doesn't matter if you don't. All forms of drafting are valid. You tell your story the best way you can, and there is no wrong way to do things.

At the end of the day, the job of that first draft is just to exist. If you find that the process you used doesn't work for you, that's different, but it does not mean that you have therefore done something wrong, like a crime against the writing gods or whatever. All of us writers are doing the best we can with the tools we have, and it's completely normal for that process, and those tools, to grow, change, adapt, and all the rest. It's normal to change your process, and it's also normal to hit on one that works for you and take it and run with it.

When I first started drafting all those years ago, I did a very very very bare bones outline. Like even more bare bones than now. I also sat down and fast drafted that book in ten days. When I sat down to write the next one, I tried to do the same process, and found that nope, it was not going to work for me. So I tried a few things, and changed this and that, and then hit on a process that has, pretty much, since then been the way that I work.

It's all well and good trying to tell people that your process is the one that helps you bring about clean drafts and brings with it minimal editing, and therefore it's a good process. It is... but it's good for you, not everyone. There is nothing wrong with finding your own process. You've not done something wrong, and if you find it doesn't work midway through the draft, ain't nothing wrong with changing it either.

We all have to work with what works for us. Nothing wrong with your process not matching anyone else's, that is normal. We all approach the creative side of ourselves differently, and that's completely okay. So if someone is telling you that you draft 'wrong', you don't. It might not be the right way for them, and it might turn out not to be the right way for you, but no creative process is completely wrong. It's just about finding the right one for the way you work. And that's okay.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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Review of I Wish I May by Adelyn Belsterling

 

Zelda Ravensdale wants to graduate from Madame LeBleu's School for Godmothers at the top of her class, but with her magic acting up, she must prove herself worthy by completing a special mission from the headmistress herself.

Lonely Crown Prince Leo has no interest in becoming king. When he wishes away his crown, he sets off a series of events that risk upsetting the balance of magic in the modern world. The fairies need an ally on the throne to keep magic under their control and as a lover of the magical sciences, Leo is the perfect candidate.

Now Zelda must convince Leo to keep his crown, but that's easier said than done. When they discover a magical organization bent on stealing magic for themselves - and taking out the crown prince with fairy sympathies - every Happily Ever After and even their lives are on the line.

Amazon

My Review: 5 STARS

 

I picked this up because the blurb sounded interesting and I settled in to get lost in a world with fairy godmothers, intrigue, danger, and romance. I adored Zelda from the start and the way it all quickly turned into a mystery with espionage and danger pulled me into the story. Leo and Zelda were perfect and amazing, and the way the story twisted and turned, finally coming to the ending had me cheering for them both. I adored the world, with hints of our own and the way it all cumulated into a happy ending that left you with a hint of maybe more. Very much recommended!

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

Life Of Joey & Bi-Monthly Goals - November 2024 [CC]

Letting you know what I got up to last month, as well as reviewing and setting goals! #Authortube

 

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#TeaserTuesday

Jonah has no idea how to deal with all of this...

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[ID: A blue DNA background with the title INVISIBLE at the top and out now in ebook & paperback just below the title The except reads:

“It's a long story, Jonah,” Jackson said, swallowing thickly. “You asked about your mum?”
“Yeah, but only because I heard her calling me,” I said with a smile as I turned to look back to where I thought she'd been. There was no one there. No hand in mine other than Jackson's. “Where did she go?”
“Jonah, you've been out for a day or so. I'm so sorry, but your mum died from the virus about three hours after we arrived here.” Jackson squeezed my hand.

At the bottom is Joey Paul and just below that the website www.joeypaulonline.com, in the bottom left corner is the Readers' Favorite review seal, and in the bottom right corner is the logo for Bug Books. END ID]

 

Spoonie Writer: Using What Works For You

SPOONIE WRITER: USING WHAT WORKS FOR YOU

One thing you will get a whole ton of in the writing community, and outside of it, is advice. Whether that's on how to draft, or how to revise and edit, or which publishing path to choose. There is all this advice out there, and while a lot of the time, it's useful, it's also, usually, tailored to the abled and healthy writers. One thing I learned very quickly when I started writing properly, was that a whole big chunk of that advice did not apply to me.

It wasn't because I didn't want it to, or because I thought I was some special snowflake/unicorn of a writer, it was because I wasn't physically capable of doing the majority of it. Now I've talked before about how writing every day isn't a favourite piece of advice for me, and also doesn't apply to a wide variety of writers, but there's other bits and pieces that just don't work, because they assume that you are capable of sitting for hours, or going out and walking distances. It assumes that you aren't going to be trying to fit things into this chunk of time when your body is finally playing ball and letting you work.

That's not a slam against the givers of that advice. They can only give advice with things they have experience with. It's one of the reasons why when I started this blog, and started giving advice, that I made sure to make it clear that I was disabled and chronically ill, because my advice is going to be coming from that place, and that's my experience. People who don't know what it's like to have to carefully plan for energy crashes, or bad days, or pain that makes it impossible to think, let alone do anything, aren't, necessarily, going to tailor their advice to that experience, and that's okay. It's why I do a lot of what I do, so that there are some voices out there who are thinking of those writers like me, and I know there are a lot of them out there.

So what do you do when you realise that the advice you've trawled the internet and community for doesn't apply to you? You can find ways that do work for you. Whether that's through trials and error, or reading through my posts, or just adapting the way everyone else is doing things to fit your needs and abilities. You find a way that allows you to keep within your limits, and still do the things you wanna do.

I know that sounds wishy washy, I know it sounds like I'm expecting you to automatically know what works and what doesn't, but this is where a lot of writing advice is hard to apply to your own process and work, because no one else works the same way as you do. While you may have a lot in common process wise with some of your faves, no one else deals with the situations you're dealing with in the exact same way as you do. It's why the majority of writing advice is not universal. It's why, when giving advice, I always make it clear that if it doesn't work for you, that doesn't mean you're doing it wrong, just everyone creates in their own way, and that's okay. That's normal. That's to be expected.

But when you're a spoonie, and you're dealing with limited time, energy, and everything else, it can be doubly hard to find a way that does work for you. It can be next to impossible to latch onto an idea and turn it this way and that, and find that it fits you. It's not easy. It's not something where I think you'll come across this blog post and be like: ah ha! Now I know how to do everything! I know it's not. But at this point, I can't tell you how to make it work for you. Only you can do that, which I guess might sound like a cop out, but it's also true.

I don't know your circumstances. I can give you mine, I can tell you what works for me, but I can't then apply all of that to your life, because that's not something I have the ability to do. My advice? The whole point of this? Keep trying new ways. Keep moving forward. Keep doing this and that, and while yes you should ignore the advice that has you pushing through and causing flares, you do need to do a lot of trial and error, and when you find that magic answer, that way that does work? Put it in your toolbox and keep using it.

We all want to be writers. We all want to succeed, and we all have to find our own ways of doing things, and if that takes a while, if that takes years compared to abled and healthy writers? Then so be it. As I've said often enough, it takes as long as it takes, and that's okay. The world needs your stories, and it will wait for you to get them out there.

Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!

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