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Fantasy/Romance Fiction & Creative Living

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I’m Lindsay, an author 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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Another NaNoWriMo on the books. 💪🏻 This was

Another NaNoWriMo on the books. 💪🏻 This was my 5th or 6th time competing, and my 3rd time winning. This was, by far, the best experience I’ve had so far.⁣
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The first time I won in 2019, I loved the story and was incredibly proud of myself for reaching a HUGE milestone after “failing” at NaNo multiple times, but the draft I ended up with was almost entirely unusable. The second time I won in 2020 was for the first draft of Project Coastline. Much more of that draft was salvageable and served as a great foundation for the second draft, but it was still a long way away from my vision for it. Plus, both of these drafts were VERY stark in terms of prose—I had outlines, but rushed through the drafting to get the words down on the page.⁣
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This year, I worked from an outline again, but I took my time with each scene as I drafted. I didn’t rush myself to get the words down. I wanted a cleaner, more solid draft for this book. Granted, it was easier to do because of the nature of the project (a standalone contemporary romance novel with one POV), but I still could’ve rushed it more if I wanted to just get through NaNo faster like I did in the past.⁣
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Each time, I’ve learned something about myself and my writing process. Each time, I’ve brought more writing experience to it than the last, and each time, the project has been different so by nature, new variables have come into play.⁣
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One thing I can say for certain: there is no “one size fits all” approach to NaNoWriMo—between writers, between projects, between Novembers. This whole creativity, writing a book business is fluid and ever-changing. The magic is in the commitment, learning what habits/conditions help you thrive, and calling yourself out on your bullshit when you need to. It’s NOT in forcing yourself to meet unrealistic standards and deadlines.⁣
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I’m exhausted but fulfilled. The good kind of exhausted.⁣
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Thank you @chellethewriter & @thestorycoordinates for sprinting with me — & congrats on reaching the finish line, I’m so happy we all did it together!! And special thanks to @thecommutingwriter & @ariellejanvier for supporting us through it. It was the most fun NaNo I’ve ever done because of you guys. 🖤

November is the month I always look forward to mos

November is the month I always look forward to most because of my birthday and the holiday season beginning.⁣
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Birthdays always have me reflecting on the past year (and where I’m at in life in general). The fact that it coincides with NaNoWriMo is kismet in a way, because when I check-in with myself and ask what matters to me most (and whether I’m focusing on it enough), it’s always my writing.⁣
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Life is moving fast. In the wise words of Smash Mouth, the years keep coming and they don’t stop coming. 💀⁣
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What’s in my heart, what feeds my soul the most, is storytelling. When I don’t prioritize it, I feel the dissonance—big time. When I do prioritize it, the difference is staggering. Something deep within me relaxes and I feel a sense of alignment.⁣
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I don’t want to harbor any regrets because I let fear, self-doubt, and society’s expectations get in my head about what I “should” be doing. I have to constantly fight that voice and steer myself back to the soft, quiet one coming from my soul.⁣
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𝙽𝙰𝙽𝙾𝚆𝚁𝙸𝙼𝙾 𝚄𝙿𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴⁣
I hit the 30k mark today. 🙌🏻 I have to maintain at least 2.2k words daily to hit the 50k on time, which is a little tight, but I’m reminding myself that it’s not about the word count, anyway. It’s about showing up for my writing consistently.⁣
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I’ve missed some days, only written a few hundred words on others, had to shift things around in my outline a few times — it’s been messy, but I’ve shown up, and that’s what’s important.⁣
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Let this be your reminder, too, if you’re feeling burned out or disappointed with your progress. ANY progress is worthwhile. It’s not ever going to be a perfect, smooth, linear path. And thankfully, it doesn’t need to be.⁣
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Commitment to progress (not perfection) will gradually get you where you’re meant to be. 🖤

One of the most challenging parts of #NaNoWriMo is

One of the most challenging parts of #NaNoWriMo isn’t just getting the words down — it’s not losing your mind in the process. 😅

I already had my first freakout moment just two days in, and I know I’m not the only one feeling the pressure. I talked it out with friends and they helped coax me off the ledge.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. I hope these tips help you manage your stress around the challenge and consistently guide yourself back to the fun, inspiring reasons we’re doing this in the first place.

You’ve got this, friend!! 🖤

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒐-𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒅𝒔?

Happy first day of #NaNoWriMo! If you’re like me

Happy first day of #NaNoWriMo! If you’re like me, you’re feeling all the emotions—excitement, anxiety, simultaneously ready to take on the world and crawl into your bed. (insert Ross Geller “I’m fine” gif).⁣
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To start things off on a fun note, @c.rann.writes’s #nanodarlings challenge also kicks off today. The first prompt is to share my WIP’s mood board, so here’s a little taste of Project Reality’s flavor.⁣
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It’s a second-chance romance that’s part of a series of connected but standalone contemporary romance novels (with hints of magical realism). The MC’s are a struggling musician and an ex-professional baseball player, both of whom are reeling from recent failures. Despite their rocky past together, they agree to enter a mutually beneficial situation to help each other get their lives and careers back on track.⁣
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It’s already fully outlined, so here’s hoping I don’t hit *too many* snags along the way this month.⁣ 😅
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𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓?

Halloween at Magic Kingdom just hits different. 👻

What’s your favorite thing to do for Halloween?

I recently binge-watched The Sandman on Netflix an

I recently binge-watched The Sandman on Netflix and it’s now one of my all-time favorite TV series I’ve ever watched. (@Netflix, PLEASE get it together & greenlight season 2 already.) Some other works of @neilhimself’s I love are Coraline and Good Omens. (American Gods is still on my watch list).⁣
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Neil Gaiman’s @MasterClass is one of the best courses on writing I’ve taken. No surprise since he’s an actual Professor in the Arts at Bard College and an extremely successful bestselling author, screenwriter, and graphic novelist. Even if you aren’t familiar with is work, he offers some wonderful insight into the craft and his storytelling process that’s helpful for any writer to absorb.⁣
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Hope you enjoy these tips — his class was full of gems.⁣
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To get a preview of the class and read my full review, head to the link in my bio ✨

Hi friends! 👋🏻 #NaNoWriMo2022 (National Nove

Hi friends! 👋🏻 #NaNoWriMo2022 (National Novel Writing Month) is right around the corner and I’ll be participating this year. If you’re new here, welcome! If you’ve been following me for a while, thank you for sticking around through my sporadic posting this year.⁣
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Warning: you’ll be seeing a lot more of me throughout November so if you want to bail, now’s your chance. 💀⁣
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𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙸'𝙼 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙾𝙽:⁣
⇢ I write fantasy (with strong romantic subplots) and contemporary romance (with a dose of magical realism)⁣
⇢ My main current projects are an urban fantasy series and a series of standalone but connected contemporary romance novels⁣
⇢ The one I’ll be drafting for #NaNoWriMo is 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, a second chance romance about a struggling musician and a disgraced baseball star⁣
⇢ I’m also working on the second draft of 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 (the urban fantasy series) but I’m currently doing major rework on the story structure and overarching plots for the series as a whole, so I’m taking my time with it⁣
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Feel free to add me on the official NaNoWriMo site as a buddy if you’re doing it this year, too! My username is the same as here.⁣
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𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝑵𝒂𝑵𝒐𝑾𝒓𝒊𝑴𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓?

When @rainydayinmay invited me to read an advanced

When @rainydayinmay invited me to read an advanced copy of her memoir, 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴, 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘢𝘥 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴, I was so excited for the privilege. Mae is a wonderful, supportive presence in the writing community, especially when it comes to uplifting fellow female artists. It's an honor to have the opportunity to support a project she's clearly poured her heart into.⁣
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𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴, 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘢𝘥 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 is a raw, honest account of the profound effect motherhood has had on her life in its many forms. At times, it was hard to read (I wanted to hug her so many times throughout the book), but the courage in her vulnerability and openness to share her story is truly inspiring.⁣
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It's a story of perseverance, forgiveness, and self-love. One of the things that struck me most, over and over again, was the importance of kindness and compassion toward others — and toward ourselves. Mae is a beautiful example of the remarkable strength of the human spirit.⁣
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This book will undoubtedly make someone feel seen, understood, and less alone in the world. It's the kind you sit with long after you’ve finished the last page and will carry with you for years to come.⁣
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Thank you for opening your heart and sharing a piece of it with us, Mae, and reminding us that though life is a messy, painful, imperfect, and mysterious journey, we all share something in common: our inherent worthiness to be loved.⁣
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Be sure to follow @raindydayinmay and check out her book (available everywhere).⁣
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𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒊𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅?

Well, I was successfully Influenced and invested i

Well, I was successfully Influenced and invested in a sit/stand desk and a treadmill. 😅 ⁠⁣
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I was reluctant for a while because I thought it would be too hard to type while walking, and I was worried about getting motion sickness. But I'm actually loving it!⁠⁣
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Since I spend most of my day on my computer (for work and writing), it meant I spend most of my time sitting. Even getting in a workout or a walk once a day hasn't felt like enough. My body has been craving more activity, so I decided to give this set-up a try after hearing so many people sing its praises.⁠⁣
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Honestly, I was amazed by how much more focused and energized I felt the first time I used it. It helped me shake off the restlessness I often feel during the day. I've been doing things like answering emails/messages, content planning, and tasks of that nature while I'm walking⁣.
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I've had it less than a week and haven't tried writing my book while on the treadmill yet so we'll see how that goes. I'm feeling out what tasks pair well with the movement.⁠⁣
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𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔?

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