How does the Red, White & Royal Blue movie compare to the book?

One of my comfort reads that I return to time and time again is Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. It’s a bookstagram and booktok favorite, and so when it was announced that it was being adapted into a movie by Amazon Studios, I wasn’t the only one excited (and a little nervous) about the news. After years of small updates, the movie was finally available to stream earlier in August.

Five Questions To Ask When Dealing with Writer’s Block

There are lots of things that are frightening to a writer, but at the very top of that list is writer’s block. That feeling of being stuck, like nothing is working, and it’s hard to see your way out. I have felt this a couple of times throughout writing, and I don’t think the line that “writer’s block doesn’t actually exist” is true or very helpful. Instead, I think it’s more accurate (and helpful) to say that what we call “writer’s block” is really an umbrella term for lots of different issues, and subsequently, there are lots of different possible solutions. To help you figure out the cause and potential solution to your writer’s block, here are some questions to work through.

What else is going on in your life?

Our creative life is not separate from the rest of our lives; each aspect is woven together. So if you feel stuck in your writing, take a step back to look at what else you’re dealing with. It might be something obvious, like dealing with grief or a major life change like moving or getting married. But it might also be something more subtle: Did your job get busier? Are you not sleeping as well? Did your habits change for some reason? Are you on social media more? This is part of the reason I like journaling – it gives me a reference point of how I was feeling and what I was doing in the past, and how things might have changed.

Once you narrow in on something that might be the cause, there’s still not always something you can do about it. If it’s dealing with the loss of a loved one or moving to a new city or just a busy season at work, mostly, it will just take time. The best answer might be to take a break, and test out new routines. The key is to treat yourself gently; continually getting mad at yourself for not reaching goals that are unattainable at this point is only going to make it more difficult to get back into a healthy rhythm.

On the other hand, the issue might be something you can take steps to address: Building an evening routine to help you sleep better, setting a timer on social media to be less online, etc. Ultimately, you can’t start to figure out the solution until you have a better idea of what the problem is.

Is there something wrong with your story?

If the issue doesn’t seem to be something going on elsewhere in your life (or if it seems like that might be only part of the issue), it’s time to look at your manuscript. Your inability to move forward or feel motivated to work on it might be your subconscious telling you that something isn’t working in the story, and you’ll need to fix it before you can really make progress.

Of course, identifying what exactly is wrong can be the truly hard part. To help, think back on when your story last felt like it flowed. It might not have been easy, but what was the last point in your writing before you started wrestling with writer’s block?

Once you’ve figured that out, start thinking through what you’ve been working on since that point, and see if you can narrow in on what’s causing the trouble. Maybe you’re trying to stick to an outline that no longer fits your story, or maybe you don’t have a plan at all and you’re stumped with what comes next.

Often I find that the issue is that I’m trying to force my characters to do something that is necessary for the plot, but doesn’t actually fit with what that character would do. The story no longer feels like a natural progression of choices the character would make, but rather me wrangling plot points together. It almost feels like the book is “resisting” me, which obviously makes makes it difficult to work on! Whatever the issue is, like I said above, knowing the issue is the first step to solving the problem. Having a clear problem allows you to know what sort of writing craft resources (such as the ones I’ve written!) to turn to.

Has the joy gone out of your writing?

When I was writing The Mistletoe Connection, I hit a period of writer’s block. After feeling resistance to writing the story every time I had planned to work on it, I took a step back to see why I had lost motivation. I ultimately came to the conclusion that the story had lost the spark that I loved when I first started it–it no longer felt fun to write, which was my main goal!

I realized that because of some self-imposed deadlines, I had put too much pressure on myself and the unnecessary stress was sucking the joy out of writing. I was able to rework those deadlines, and I also brainstormed how I could add some of the spark back into the story and make it fun again. This meant working in some of my favorite tropes that I hadn’t had a chance to write before. Ultimately, they were relatively small tweaks, but they made the story fun for me to work on again, which was crucial in breaking through the writer’s block. So it may be that nothing is technically wrong with your story, but if you’ve lost the spark, it can be just as detrimental to your writing life. What things can you take away (like pressure or deadlines) and what can you add (like new characters or tropes) to help bring some of the joy back into writing?

Do you need to take a break?

Sometimes with writer’s block, the answer is to just put your butt in the chair on a regular schedule, and the breakthrough will eventually come. But other times, it might be best to step away for a bit. Especially if you’re feeling burnt out or if you’ve realized there are some major life changes going on, you might just make things worse by pushing through.

That said, there are some guidelines to make sure your break is productive (and not permanent!) First, figure out some activities that refill your creative well. Be intentional about doing these activities as often as you can during your break, whether it’s spending time outside, going to exciting activities, talking with writing friends, or consuming media you love. Don’t treat it like homework, but do take the responsibility of refilling your well seriously, and be intentional about it.

Second, set a time limit. Whether it’s a few days or a week or even a month, set an end to your break. You may get to that point and decide you actually need longer–that’s totally fine! Set a new end, if you really need an extended break. But make sure you don’t let it go on and on–fear of getting back into writing can be another form of writer’s block. Set a time limit for your break, and make sure you dip your toes back into your writing project at the end, so you don’t leave it completely behind.

Do you need to switch to a new project?

I would call this a last resort, but sometimes there is really just a block with a specific project, and no amount of focused working through it or intentional time away is going to solve it. If you’ve tried everything else, it might be time to work on a different project.

That’s not to say the one you’re leaving behind is done for good! This, ultimately, can be another form of taking a break. Sometimes working on a different project, especially if it’s one at a different phase of writing (editing vs drafting, etc), can jumpstart your writing. Eventually, you’ll likely be able to return to your other project and find that your writer’s block is no longer an issue.

This post was in part inspired by the episode of Fated Mates featuring an interview with Loretta Chase, who speaks candidly about her bouts of writer’s block. If you want another perspective and more advice, be sure to check it out!

How Much It Cost Me To Self-Publish a Book

Here in the U.S., it’s tax season which means I’m once again scrambling to find all the paperwork that says how much I spent on publishing a book and how much I made from said book. Since I did all that work for the government, I figured I’d share those numbers with the internet!

I often see videos or posts like this, especially from indie authors, sharing how much they made in a year from their books. Usually they’re inspiring! To see authors making enough to live on, or even just a nice extra income.

But…it takes a while to get to that point. And seeing all those videos can sometimes be a little discouraging, even though they’re well-meaning and I truly do appreciate those authors’ transparency.

So I thought it might be revealing to show how much money I spent on publishing The Mistletoe Connection, how much I’ve made since it released in November 2020, and if I’ve turned a profit on it!

I’ll share more of my thoughts at the end, but one important caveat: I didn’t set out to make money by publishing The Mistletoe Connection. I talk more about my goals with publishing it in this post, but I knew from the start making money wasn’t one of them (though it’s nice!).

As such, there are two major things that I didn’t change about the story: One, it’s a holiday romance! There’s realistically two months, maaaaybe three, that I can market it with any real hope of people buying it. I still talk about it regularly online, but most of my marketing effort kicks in at the start of November.

Two: It mixes adult and teenage characters. With the ensemble cast, I wanted to include a wide range of the type of people stuck in an airport. So two of the storylines focus on teenagers. I love how they tie in with the rest of the stories, but I’ve gotten feedback that the book sometimes reads more like YA, and that people aren’t sure how to categorize/recommend it. Which is an important thing to note: Mixing age categories doesn’t widen your audience; it just muddles it. I knew that going in and was okay with it! But you may not be.

Whew! With that out of the way, let’s dive into numbers.

Expenses

Let’s start with all the costs that went into creating and maintaining The Mistletoe Connection. Some of these are from memory, but the total should still be pretty close.

I talk more about finding these freelancers in this post, and you can click on the titles of each position below to view the freelancer’s website!

Pre-publication:

Cover design: $350

Sensitivity reader: $141.70 (This is MUCH lower than normal, because with TMC I was able to just pick out the storylines that needed sensitivity readers and send those smaller pieces. With my current book, the reader is reviewing the full thing which will be around $1,200).

Proofreader: $82.91

IngramSpark fee: $49 (one-time upload fee for both print and ebook formats.)

ISBN: $0 – I used IngramSpark’s free ISBN feature which has its drawbacks, but ISBNs can be pricey if you don’t go this route.

Post-publication:

Amazon ads: $160.06

TOTAL: $783.67

This is QUITE CHEAP for publishing a book! The biggest area I didn’t spend on was editors. I relied heavily on my critique partners and beta readers. I’m sure there are ways the story can be improved, but I’m happy with it! That said, for my current WIP, I am paying an editor, but again my goals are different with this one. The Mistletoe Connection is also fairly short at about 55,000 words. The proofreader and sensitivity readers charged by the word, so that helped keep costs down.

Also, this is only focused on expenses directly involved with publication, and doesn’t include things like paying for a website domain, email hosting, etc.

Income

Quick notes: Because every market place takes at least 90 days to send you the income from sales, the first payment from my book didn’t hit my bank account until 2021, which is why I start with that year for income info.

2021: $555.82

2022: $172.78

2023: $12.04 (lol)

TOTAL: $740.64

Which means…

I’m still $43.03 in the red for The Mistletoe Connection!

Honestly, that’s about what I expected. After the first season of selling (aka in the start of 2021), I had made enough that I was running a profit on the book. But at the end of 2021, I spent more on ads that I intended (stay on top of your automated ads!!) and didn’t get much return for it, so I sort of figured that all told, I was right around breaking even.

2022 was also a major dip in sales likely because I took about a six month break from social media, and struggled to gain traction when I did return in November, and I also didn’t spend any money on advertising. Both of these things were great for my sanity! Just…not so much for my bottom line.

I’m trying to write a conclusion here, but it’s hard. As much as I didn’t write The Mistletoe Connection to be a moneymaker, there’s still always that secret part that hopes it’ll blow up on TikTok or something and be an actual source of income. So, I don’t LOVE sharing with the internet that my book has a pretty “meh” financial outcome.

But on the other hand…there are so many things about this book and the experience of writing and publishing it that matter so much more than making money. Seeing it on the shelves at my local bookstore. Doing Zoom book club visits and having people rave about my book, enough to message me afterwards about buying a signed copy. Having a coworker ask me if Adrian and June end up staying together, like they’re real people that my coworker cared about. The five-star reviews that talk about how people feel seen in the book, how it was exactly what they needed, highlighting quotes they loved that I remember writing and feeling proud of.

And it’s cheesy to say, but truly, when I hold onto those moments, I am so proud. Of myself, of the book, of all the bravery it takes to make something creative and put it out into the world. Look at me, this post started off talking about taxes and now I’m being all sappy. But I do mean it.

Also, literally every single author who has made a career out of this writing thing has the same advice: The best way to sell your backlist is to write the next book.

So, I’ll wrap up this post and move on to writing my next book!

Of course, if you want to help put me in the black with The Mistletoe Connection, you can buy it here!

Independent bookstores | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Apple | All ebook options

On Christmas Eve, ten strangers at the Denver airport are trying to make it home in time for Christmas when a snowstorm sweeps through, grounding all flights. Stuck in the airport together, they’ll help each other discover the magic of in-between places.

Six intertwined stories explore what happens in the airport as the clock ticks closer to midnight: Landry runs into her ex-girlfriend Resa, and the two women hit it off like nothing ever happened—until things start to get serious. Unaccompanied minor June convinces Adrian to pretend to be her boyfriend for social media that evening, but what happens if she wants to stop pretending? Charles is struggling during the first holiday season since his wife’s death, and the resulting tension with his daughter only makes the night more difficult. Wes and Keely had hoped to sweep their fight about Keely’s career under the rug during the holidays, but being stranded at the airport will bring emotions to a boiling point. Airport employees Trevor and Kat have been best friends since middle school, but can Trevor work up the courage to tell Kat he wants to be more than that? Through it all, heartbroken Mariel is determined to end the worst year of her life on a good note, and ropes everyone into her scheme to make it happen.

Use the Rule of Why to Find Your Character’s Deeper Motivation

Think of your favorite character from a book (or movie or TV show). List out the reasons why you like them so much–or why you find them compelling, even if they aren’t very likable. Sure, it probably has something to do with finding them relatable or funny or clever or having a tragic backstory. But none of these things on their own make a character truly stand out.

Instead, what will make a character feel real, feel like an actual person that will stick in your reader’s mind long after the book is over, is the sense of depth that comes with a compelling motivation.

Now, what exactly do I mean by compelling motivation? There are three key components to a character’s motivation that makes them feel real and believable.

How To Organize Feedback On Your Writing

In order to grow as a writer, it’s essential that you share your work and get feedback on it. If you feel scared about sharing your work, don’t worry. You’re not alone! Check out this post I wrote about that.

But after you’ve done the scary thing and shared your writing and heard back from your readers…then what?

The most important piece is to make sure you have the right mindset for dealing with feedback, and I’ve written about that before here.

In this post, I want to share more practical tips for organizing and addressing feedback you get on your WIP, whether it’s from a professional editor or from a critique partner. This is my method, so likely every step won’t work for you, but having a starting point for dealing with reader feedback can prevent it from feeling so overwhelming.

The Best Books of 2022

Welp, it’s that time of year: book wrap-up season!

Here are my favorite books I read all year. My usual caveat: They weren’t necessarily published in 2022, just the ones that I read this year.

Without further ado…

Romance

5 Lessons on Writing from Susan Dennard

Susan Dennard, author of the Witchlands series and the recently released book The Luminaries, is known for her spot-on writing craft tips, found on her website and through her newsletter. So when I got the chance to see her on the Luminaries tour, it was no surprise that she was full of great writing and publishing advice as well. Here are just a few of the nuggets of wisdom she shared!

Four Tips for Developing Your Voice As A Writer

Something that I often hear in the writing world is that the one thing that can’t be taught is “voice” in writing. That although you can get better at almost every aspect of writing, voice is something that you just have to have.

And for a long time, that terrified me.

I was pretty positive I didn’t have a distinct author voice. And if I couldn’t learn it, couldn’t make my work stand out because of my unique voice, was I just destined only to write mediocre books?

Booklover’s Guide to Dublin

Whenever I travel somewhere new, I’m always looking for a new fun bookstore or anything writing-related. Dublin, Ireland already has a rich history and reputation of literature (it’s literally designated as a UNSECO City of Literature!), so I knew I was going to have lots to enjoy when I visited there at the start of September!

I was not disappointed. From bookstores to museum to landmarks, Dublin is every bookworm’s dream. If you have the chance to visit, here are some places to see!

Check out this Google Map of all the places I mention – you can save it to your Google account and access it via the Google Maps app!

Museums

Why You Need External Conflict In Your Story and How to Add It

If you’ve ever a read a book where you got halfway through and it felt like things were still getting set up, that might be a result of a lack of external tension.

I recently got feedback from a beta reader for my WIP The Sound of Everything, and it turned out I had this exact problem. This is what beta readers are for! I was so grateful she pointed out that problem, and we spent a while brainstorming fixes together, plus a lot brainstorming on my own since that initial conversation.

I’m working my way through fixing the issue in my novel, and I figured I’m probably not the only writer who has struggled with this problem before (at least, I hope not!) So here are some signs that your novel might be lacking external conflict, and what worked for me to fix that issue.