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Lindsay Elizabeth

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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Last week, I did a solo day at Magic Kingdom to do

Last week, I did a solo day at Magic Kingdom to do a video chat with my writing group and work on my notes for my upcoming revisions for 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 (officially starting the second draft on March 1st!).⁣
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I’d been wanting to do a solo date at the parks for a long time and kept putting it off, but a growing sense of ennui finally pushed me to do it. I’m so glad I did.⁣
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Not only was it a fun change of pace to inject some freshness and inspiration into my writing, but it also reminded me how important it is to balance work with relaxation.⁣
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𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙣𝙥𝙪𝙩.⁣
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When we put too much emphasis on production and force ourselves to 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦, we leave little to no space for ideas, inspiration, and opportunities to flow in.⁣
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Relaxation isn’t laziness—it’s not a lack of something, a deficit of discipline/ambition/effort. It’s nourishment. It’s getting out of the way and creating space for the seeds you’ve planted to breathe and grow. To soak up what you’ve prepared yourself to receive. ⁣
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Not everything has to come from you by force in the creative process. It’s an exchange of energy. In order to do your part, you have to allow the universe to do its part. Flowers don’t bloom spontaneously; they need the sun, water, nutrients.⁣
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Filling up your cup, letting your mind rest, living life—these are all crucial parts of the creative process.⁣
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After I did some writing, I went on some rides. Did some reading. Took in the beauty of the world around me, watched people enjoying themselves and experiencing a sense of wonder. In between those moments, ideas randomly flowed to me on their own time. I didn’t have to push or force them.⁣
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The next time you’re feeling blocked, burned out, or resistant to relaxation, remember: 50% output, 50% input. Don’t block the natural flow of creative energy—out, and in.

Happy February! Since Valentine’s Day is coming

Happy February! Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I thought it apropos to post some romance writing tips for the month of ~love~.

To kick things off, here are the 7 main ingredients for creating a well-structured romance novel. ♥️

𝙷𝙾𝚆 𝚃𝙾 𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃 𝙰 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝙽𝙾𝚅𝙴𝙻
⇢ CHARACTERS. Who are your main characters, how do they complement each other, and how do they challenge each other?

⇢ TROPES. What tropes will you include?

⇢ SUB-GENRE. What sub-genre(s) will it be? What are the genre conventions?

⇢ SETTING. Where does the story take place and how does it affect it?

⇢ INTERNAL CONFLICTS. What are each characters’ internal challenges?

⇢ EXTERNAL CONFLICTS. What are the external challenges?

⇢ THE HOOK. What’s the most interesting element of your story that will intrigue readers?

Follow for more tips ✨

Replaying the past and future tripping (obsessing

Replaying the past and future tripping (obsessing over “what if’s”) are things I’ve clocked a lot of mental hours on. It’s safe to say I’m a pro at it.⁣
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Staying grounded in the “Now” has always been one of my greatest challenges. My fears/anxiety would much rather have me subscribing to the myth that I can control the outcome of everything if I just try hard enough. (Spoiler alert: we can’t. 🙃)⁣
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“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle is one of the resources that’s helped me better understand this important mental shift and gain more clarity on how to practice it. Gradually, it’s becoming more natural to me.⁣
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𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝙼𝚈 𝙵𝙰𝚅𝙾𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙴 𝚃𝙰𝙺𝙴𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚈𝚂 𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙼 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺:⁣
⇢ Our lives only ever happen in the Now. The future is not an actual destination, just another Now that will have its own gifts and challenges like any other.⁣
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⇢ Waiting for a future point in time in order to feel like you can really start “living” will put you in a perpetual state of waiting because once you get “there,” you’ll want something else. What do you have right now that a past version of yourself desperately wanted and was waiting for?⁣
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⇢ We’re only ever guaranteed the present moment. The past no longer exists and the future is only an idea that lives in your imagination.⁣
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⇢ You actually have more control when you’re fully present in the Now, clear-headed and action-oriented, than when you’re obsessing over a past you can’t change and trying to predict an unwritten future because you can’t control things that don’t actually exist.⁣
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⇢ Knowing what you want and having goals are great for giving you a guiding light to follow, but focusing solely on that destination robs you of hours/days/weeks/months/years of life that cannot ever be returned to you. It also trains your mind to always “live” in an imagined future so you’ll never be fully satisfied with the Now. Life will always consist of good and bad — there is no future paradise to “make it to.”⁣
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𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆?

Everyone knows you need to hook readers with the f

Everyone knows you need to hook readers with the first chapter (no pressure, right?) so it’s often one of the most challenging to write. Try these tips to help strengthen your opening chapter so readers get swept away from the very first page.

𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙸𝙿𝚂 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝙵𝙸𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽
⇢ Start where the action is.
⇢ Establish tone & genre.
⇢ Make the protagonist’s goal clear.
⇢ Introduce the protagonist.
⇢ Introduce the antagonist (or allude to them).
⇢ Use a strong, vivid setting.
⇢ Hook with the first line.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌?

Hey friends 👋🏻 Since it’s a new year and t

Hey friends 👋🏻 Since it’s a new year and there are a lot of new faces around here (and I need to pin an ‘about me’ to the top of my feed 😜), it’s time for a shiny new introduction post!⁣
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𝙸'𝙼 𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙳𝚂𝙰𝚈, 𝙰 𝚆𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙼 𝙵𝙻𝙾𝚁𝙸𝙳𝙰...⁣
⇢ WHAT I WRITE: Contemporary romance (romantic dramedies) and fantasy (high & urban).⁣
⇢ WHAT I POST: My writing journey, book/TV/film recommendations, and tips on storytelling, publishing/business, and mindset.⁣
⇢ WHAT I DO: Run a blog and online shop with merch & printables for writers, fiction lovers & creatives (link in bio), coach other writers to help them bring their stories to life, and content creation.⁣
⇢ WHAT I LOVE: Art, magic (both of the fictional & real life persuasions), personal development, filmmaking, pop culture, Disney World, the sea, astronomy, mythology, history (especially ancient Egypt), animals, yoga, and French fries.⁣
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𝙰 𝙵𝙴𝚆 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚈 𝙸𝙼𝙿𝙾𝚁𝚃𝙰𝙽𝚃 𝙵𝙰𝙲𝚃𝚂™⁣
⇢ Extroverted introvert⁣
⇢ Scorpio sun, Gemini moon, Sagittarius rising⁣
⇢ Favorite movies: The Birdcage and Titanic⁣
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I love meeting new people, so please say hi and share your favorite book, movie or TV show (or all three)! 🖤

In 2022, I recommitted to reading self-development

In 2022, I recommitted to reading self-development books on a regular basis because I’ve noticed a substantial positive shift in my mental health when I’m consistently taking in new ideas (and revisiting lessons).

Here are 8 books that I loved last year (all are linked in my bio):
⇢ Braving the Wilderness by @brenebrown
⇢ Everything Is Figureoutable by @marieforleo
⇢ Untamed by @glennondoyle
⇢ The Power of Now by @eckharttolle
⇢ The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
⇢ Atlas of the Heart by @brenebrown
⇢ Atomic Habits by @jamesclear
⇢ The Daily Bliss by @ashlinakaposta

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚?

When the Disney staycation you had planned for you

When the Disney staycation you had planned for your birthday in November gets derailed by a hurricane, you cry and then pivot. 💁🏻‍♀️⁠⁣
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This is one of those instances where being forced to change plans worked out for the better — the weather was fantastic, the parks weren't busy, and even the room ended up being cheaper because instead of going during one of the busiest seasons of the year (November), we went during one of the slowest (January).⁠⁣
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It's a good lesson that I always appreciate a reminder of (because as a recovering control freak, I often need it): let go when things don't go the way you'd originally planned. You never know what it's saving you from or what gifts you'll discover in the process you couldn't possibly have anticipated.⁠⁣
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𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴 𝙷𝙸𝙶𝙷𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂 𝙵𝚁𝙾𝙼 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙿:⁠⁣
× Self-care night: mimosas, face masks, and tarot reading (with Queen Britney as our guide, of course)⁠⁣
× Movie night & a few rounds of "We're Not Really Strangers" — highly recommend this game if you're into deep questions and conversation⁣
× One of the most indulgent BBQ dishes I've ever had — pulled pork, coleslaw, mac n' cheese, and onion rings in one delicious pile of yum⁠ 🥵⁠⁣
× Meeting lots of wonderful people⁣
× Finally finding the Scarlett Witch ears 🙌🏻⁣
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Here's to the continued practice of going with the flow and welcoming good surprises in 2023 (and beyond). 🥂

We’ve all heard the advice to “show, not tell” when writing fiction and let’s be real — it’s one the easiest “rules” to break. 😅
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Even experienced writers can slip into telling in their prose, especially in first drafts. (And in some cases, telling actually IS the most effective method for a particular moment.) Generally, though, you want to paint a vibrant picture for readers that sucks them in and makes the story play like a movie in their heads, and makes them *feel* what the characters are feeling.
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Try these tips to help you bring your scenes to life on the page.

Every year, I pick a main word/theme/intention to

Every year, I pick a main word/theme/intention to focus on. My theme for 2023 is “be seen.”⁣
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I keep seeing this repeated in various places and realized it perfectly embodies something I’ve been struggling with for a while: the fear of being seen.⁣
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(Translation: the fear of judgment.)⁣
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I’ve waded out a bit from land but always seem to find myself retreating, holding back a little, never fully committing. Hiding. There’s a special kind of discomfort that nags at you deep within when you know you’re the one getting in your own way. When you have a purpose you aren’t fulfilling.⁣
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When you’re all out of excuses and all that’s left to blame your lack of action on is fear.⁣
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Then, you’re left with a choice: what do I value most, love or fear? The safety within my comfort zones, or the life I feel a deeper calling to beyond them?⁣
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Vulnerability is scary, but regret is scarier.⁣
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≫ Tap through for quotes that are inspiring me on this topic for the year. 🖤

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