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Lindsay Elizabeth

Fantasy/Romance Fiction & Creative Living

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hey beautiful

I’m Lindsay, a writer, writing coach, and creative living blogger. I'm sharing advice on writing, tackling creative blocks, and building a life around what you love.

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A few days ago, I posted a poll to see who used st

A few days ago, I posted a poll to see who used story beats when outlining a novel and who didn’t. Multiple people chose the “what are story beats?” option, so here’s the answer!⁣
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Basically, story beats are significant moments or shifts in a story. Most stories follow a basic structure that creates a strong foundation and flow of storytelling, typically in a three-act structure (though there can be four or five acts if you prefer).⁣
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Using a story beat sheet is a great study of the art of storytelling. Of course, you don’t *have* to follow this structure (anything goes in art!) but you’ll find that most well-loved books, movies, and TV shows closely follow this structure so it’s a solid place to start.⁣
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It’s also helpful if you tend to get little lost when outlining. When following story beats, you always have prompts to inspire you and get you back on track.⁣
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There are multiple story beat guides out there but my favorite is the “Save the Cat!” story beat sheet from the fabulous book by Blake Snyder. Highly recommend checking out the book (as well as “Save the Cat! Writes a Novel” by Jessica Brody) and going to savethecat.com for hundreds of beat sheet breakdowns of famous books and movies to get an even deeper understanding of the structure.⁣
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𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔?

I’m hosting a 6-week group coaching experience f

I’m hosting a 6-week group coaching experience for female writers who are ready to commit to their writing goals and finish 2023 with a huge step toward their dreams. Together, we'll prepare for #NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in October, work together throughout November to make sure everyone reaches the finish line (and HAS FUN along the way), and then celebrate in December.⁣
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My goal is for this to be a really uplifting, chill space for a small group of women so this NaNoWriMo experience can be fun and inspiring rather than stressful/overwhelming. There's less than three months left in 2023 — let's make the most of it!⁣
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𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙴𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙻𝚂⁣
⇢ Three 45-min group coaching calls on Google Meet (you can send in your questions ahead of time & recordings or a transcript/summary will be available if you can't make it live): one to help you prep, one halfway through NaNo to keep you going, and one to celebrate and plan your next steps at the end! 🥂⁣
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⇢ One private 20-minute call per person⁣
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⇢ Group chat for accountability, support, encouragement, questions (such as when you get stuck and need help overcoming a roadblock), and optional writing sprints⁣
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⇢ Program will last 6 weeks and start either October 20th or October 23rd⁣
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✨ 𝗘𝗻𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹. If this resonates with you, send me a DM or follow the link in my bio for more info!

October: the magical month of fall, Halloween, pum

October: the magical month of fall, Halloween, pumpkin spiced lattes, and #NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) prep.⁣
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The more you prepare, the easier it is to hit the ground running on November 1st. These tips have been some of the most helpful for me over the years to get me to the finish line.⁣
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My printable planner inserts for writers from @shop11thhouse (previously ShopLindsayElizabeth) will help you get everything organized from character and story planning to tracking your goals and word count. You can fill them out digitally or print them out to put them in a cute binder (available in standard 8x11 and A5).⁣
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What genre is your #NaNoWriMo2023 project this year?

As if I wasn’t going to jump on the 90s yearbook

As if I wasn’t going to jump on the 90s yearbook AI trend. (App is called EPIK)⁣ The second to last one is giving me Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes. Time for a rewatch!
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P.S. Do you know the 90s movie the quote under my name in the second slide is from? If so, comment with another quote from it

I’m digging this #blackoutfirstpage trend. I’v

I’m digging this #blackoutfirstpage trend. I’ve loved seeing what everyone has come up with so I had to give it a try myself! It turned out to be such a great creative exercise—highly recommend if you’re feeling stuck or just want something fun to do.⁣
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This is from Project Reality (a second chance romance):⁣
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𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡⁣
𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣
𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭⁣
𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧⁣
𝐒𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐝⁣
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫⁣
𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐩⁣
“𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠.”⁣
𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝⁣
𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥⁣
𝐃𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭⁣
𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣
𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞⁣
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For all my fellow creatives who have braved the ups and downs of being an artist pursuing their dreams—I see you, I believe in you. Keep going. We’ve got this. 🙏🏻⁣
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𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏! 👇🏻 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒐𝒏?

If you’re someone who struggles with perfectioni

If you’re someone who struggles with perfectionism, imposter syndrome, or fully embracing your truth, you’ll want to check this one out.⁣
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𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸𝚃'𝚂 𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃⁣
"Becoming Flawesome: The Key to Living an Imperfectly Authentic Life” is the debut book from Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani, the co-founder of @mindvalley. It explores the journey to living with true authenticity and the meaning of it beyond its status as a buzzword. Kristina digs deep into what authenticity actually looks like as a lifelong practice in the real world to achieve more freedom, confidence, and happiness.⁣
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❝It is my hope that this book supports you as you sever the connection between your self-perception and the outside world in one fell swoop.❞ — @kristinamand⁣ in #becomingflawesome
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𝚆𝙷𝚈 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳 𝙸𝚃⁣
There is no shortage of books out there that talk about “embracing your flaws” and “living authentically” but this one actually delivers a solid collection of lessons and practices. Kristina’s voice is refreshingly grounded and honest, and her approach to personal development is the same.⁣
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She openly talks about her struggle with what she calls “Hermione Syndrome”—tying her self-worth to being an over-achiever and always doing the “right thing”—and how she’s gradually cultivated a healthier relationship with herself.⁣
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𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝙳⁣
⇢ The exercises/reflection points — In every section, she provides genuinely helpful exercises and journal prompts to help you internalize what you’ve read and go deeper.⁣
⇢ The practicality — Every bit of advice she provides is very practical and actionable without the burden of toxic positivity.⁣
⇢ The comprehensiveness — She covers a wide range of topics that makes this both a great starting point (if you’re new to these concepts) and a great refresher (if you’re deep into your self-growth journey).⁣
⇢ The bonuses — It comes with an “expanded emotional vocabulary” of over 300 words to help you develop more emotional intelligence and bonus materials such as free guided meditations and a companion course.⁣
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𝙎𝙬𝙞𝙥𝙚 → 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠.

Want to give your writing a boost this summer? How

Want to give your writing a boost this summer? How does some personalized advice and guidance to help you move forward sound?⁣
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If this has you jazzed, you’re in luck: I’m giving away a 20-minute coaching session to not one but TWO winners (one session each). We can work through a specific challenge you’re facing with writing or I can answer questions based on your needs. Topics can include:⁣
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⇢ Developing your creative process⁣
⇢ Dealing with self-doubt/imposter syndrome⁣
⇢ Overcoming blocks + creative anxiety⁣
⇢ Setting goals + increasing productivity
⇢ Dealing with stress + burnout⁣
⇢ Strengthening your craft⁣
⇢ Working through a story problem⁣
⇢ Building/maintaining an author platform⁣
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This quick power session can get you back on track, help you work through a problem, and/or breathe some fresh life/inspiration/motivation into your creativity.⁣
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𝙷𝙾𝚆 𝚃𝙾 𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁⁣
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1. Follow me on IG, then like + save this post⁣
2. Comment with one of your big writing goals + tag 3 friends⁣
3. Optional: share this post to your story for a bonus entry (be sure to tag me so I see it!)⁣
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𝙶𝙸𝚅𝙴𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚈 𝚁𝚄𝙻𝙴𝚂⁣
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The giveaway runs from July 11, 2023 through July 14, 2023 at 11:59p EST. Two (2) winners will be chosen at random and notified on July 15, 2023 via Instagram DM. Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize, otherwise another winner will be chosen in their place. Each winner receives one (1) 20-minute coaching session with me via phone or Google Meet (voice only) that can be scheduled within two weeks of claiming their prize.

🎧 𝙲𝚄𝚁𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙻𝚈 𝙻𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙴𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚃𝙾: @officiallymcconaughey’s memoir “Greenlights” (he’s a natural-born storyteller who simultaneously touches my heart, makes me laugh, and throws me into deep pools of existential musings which equals an A+ read for me—highly recommend the audiobook too so you can hear him tell it)
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📖 𝙲𝚄𝚁𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙻𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶: “Hook, Line, and Sinker” by @tessabaileyisanauthor (loved the first book “It Happened One Summer” and I’m enjoying the sequel just as much—her rom-coms are fun, sexy, AND emotionally fulfilling)⁣
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💻 𝚆𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚄𝙿𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴: I finished the first pass of Project Reality’s second draft (hallelujah!) and now, I’m letting it simmer for a bit before I go back in for the second pass which will be sent off to betas⁣
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🖖🏻 𝙻𝙸𝙵𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝚄𝙵𝙵: Got a much-needed reset with a mini Disney vacay that consisted of writing/revisions during the day, park adventures at night for a short break from my everyday routine (novelty helps so much with burnout and filling your creative well)⁣
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p.s. yes, on the last slide is a bathroom stall with Star Wars playing on the wall and there was even a mirror on the door so you could watch it from both directions (every other public restroom is now a huge disappointment)

Do you feel like there’s an artist within you de

Do you feel like there’s an artist within you desperate to be set free but something is holding you back? Are you overwhelmed, stuck in the comparison game, afraid you’re a fraud and everyone else knows all the secrets to this whole book writing thing but you?⁣
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First of all, you’re not alone. Writing a book is challenging for EVERYONE—*period*—and imposter syndrome is a bitch (and a lying one, at that).⁣
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Secondly, none of these blocks mean you aren’t cut out for it. They just mean you care.⁣
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𝟹 𝚃𝚁𝚄𝚃𝙷𝚂:⁣
⇢ We are all artists at heart.⁣
⇢ We all have a unique voice and perspective worthy of being seen/heard.⁣
⇢ We are all bigger than our fears.⁣
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To heal my own creative anxiety and blocks that held me back for years, I became certified in multiple areas of life coaching. For the past few years, I’ve been helping others liberate themselves from their own blocks and recently, I’ve started specifically helping writers empower the artist within.⁣
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𝙲𝙾𝙰𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 𝙱𝙴 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙸𝙵...⁣
⇢ You’re sick of feeling overwhelmed by the writing process + second-guessing yourself⁣
⇢ You’d like some accountability + help staying motivated⁣
⇢ You want to strengthen your craft + take your projects to the next level⁣
⇢ You’re ready to show up online as a writer but feel stuck on what to do⁣
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If you’d like some support and guidance on your journey, I’ve got you. A few spots for my private writing coaching are now open. DM me to chat about it and see if it’s a good fit for you or check out the link in my bio for more info. ✨🦋⁣
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"𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅." — JOHN CLEESE

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