Payton Hayes 11/13/20 Payton Hayes 11/13/20

Book Writing 101: How To Write A Book (Basics)

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This week in Freelancing, we’re going to start a new series: Writing How To’s and today, we’re starting off strong with what is essentially Book Writing 101 —how to write a book. We talk an awful lot about editing, writing, publishing, marketing, and everything in between but we’re going to be bringing it right on back to the basics. How do you actually write a book? It’s a badge of honor for some and a checkbox for others, but one thing is certain: writing a book is not easy. It’s a feat of strength, really. It requires a lot of planning, months and even years of writing, and dedication from start to finish.

There’s really no set way to write a from the first word to the last. The truth is, the writing process varies from writer to writer. In this guide, I will explain the basics of writing a book and a general order to follow, but of course, experiment, try different methods and figure out what works for you!

So, how do you actually write a book? What goes into it?

Research, brainstorm, and come up with an idea

Think about what you might like to read and or write about and even look up what is selling in that genre. For instance, if I want to write a murder mystery for young adults, I might check out some of the popular books that are out at the time and see what the hype is about for myself. Reading is a great way to improve your own writing and familiarizing yourself with your desired genre will only help you.

I will have a more in-depth post for this next week when we cover book brainstorming, but essentially, you want to try and come up with a compelling premise that you can write roughly 50,000-75,000 words around, depending on your genre. Don’t get too bogged down by the word count, right out of the gate; this is just a simple guideline to shoot for. So, do some brainstorming and see if you can come up with an idea that will yield roughly 50,000 words. If you don’t think you can stretch your story idea to book length, consider writing it as a short story or a novella instead. If you believe you do have a solid story idea and you think you can write an entire book from it, consider if your idea is somewhat original. Of course, none of us are out here doing new things under the sun per se, but you can put a new spin on old ideas and resurrect dead story tropes by breathing new life into them with your unique voice, writing style, and twist on clichés.

Establish your prevailing theme and subthemes

I wish someone would have given me this advice when I started out writing. It’s one thing to come up with a premise and a plot, but themes are the driving force in a story and every good story has at least one important theme at its core. Consider your story idea and what the main theme of it is so you can write that into your outline in the next step.

Outline/Develop your plot

Some people prefer to plan out their novel with an outline while others enjoy writing as they go. I used to be the kind of person who would just write as I went and often my story would become jumbled and confused as the consistency slowly melted away. Now, I sit down with a firm outline and I know exactly where the story is going start to finish, even if I jump around and write out of order. Even if you prefer not to get to crazy with the outlining, I would at least suggest outlining the key plot points according to the 3-Act Story Structure. This is a tried and true plot outline that is present in almost all successful works of writing and if you only used this to outline your novel, it will make all the difference in your consistency. That being said, if you’d like to try the pantser route as opposed to the planner route, you can try writing freely and taking some notes as you go, to try out the alternative process and see how it works for you. A pantser is someone who, “flies by the seat of their pants,” meaning they don't plan out anything, or plan very little. For some writers, the thrill of telling themselves the story as they write it is part of their creative process and what making writing fun for them. If you do decide to go the pantser route, I would suggest that you come up with at least a vague idea for how you want the novel to start and end and then plant yourself somewhere in the middle and write from there. Instead of going from point A to point B to point C, you’re considering point A and point C while you write point B and then connecting them all as you go. At the end of the day, find out what works for you and stick with it.

Develop your characters

As mentioned previously, there’s really no set order to follow when writing a book. For some, the characters are what sparks the inspiration for a novel idea, whilst for others, the premise or the theme inspires characters along the way. Either way, you must have a clear idea of who your characters are and what they are like when writing a book. Characters are the lens through which the story is told and writers must create compelling characters for their readers to connect to while reading. Consider your main character(s), supporting characters, antagonists, and background characters as well. Think about how they will come into play with one another to drive the plot, how their unique personalities both move them forward and backward in their goals, and how it makes sense within the realm of your premise, theme, and genre. Put simply, who is your main character, who is getting in that character’s way, and does it make sense with your story idea?

I have an in-depth blog post for How To Write Compelling Consistent Characters here, so make sure to check that out if you want to know more!

Establish the setting

Book with a view. Photo by Kourosh Qaffari.

Piggybacking on the idea that the story idea can come from anywhere, sometimes, establishing the setting is the first step in the process. Try to imagine all kinds of different terrains and zones and see what stories emerge from these places. I got the idea for my short story, The Sieka of Sahn’Jatar when imagining a vast desert in the greater setting of my ongoing fantasy series. I was just imagining the windswept sand dunes one day and the idea struck me. Suddenly, it wasn’t just a desert I was seeing —no, it was a girl dashing through the dunes, being chased by a warband mounted atop camels against the backdrop of the setting sun. Its crazy how stories can just come to us like that.

So, if you’ve already got your story idea in mind and don’t really need the setting for inspiration, consider where you want to set the story. Consider whether or not worldbuilding is something you’d like to do, or how realistic you want your story’s setting to be. Sometimes, the setting can even be a character all on it’s own, depending on how much of a role it plays within your novel. If you’re writing realistically, do you research, look at maps, and if you can visit the place you’re writing about, so you can write it accurately.

Break out the writing tools

Now, I know what you’re thinking —Payton, what writing tools do I need? I have a laptop.

And you’re totally right. While some people do enjoy writing their first draft longhand with pen and paper, most of us write digitally. However, I’m not just talking about the physical writing implement; I’m talking about you’re writing environment, your word processor (the program you physically write with), your writerly resources, and more.

For starters, where do you write? Do you write at home, locked in your bedroom with a tea and mood music? Or do you prefer to write at your favorite coffee shop with your trust headphones and a croissant nearby? Think about where you can get your best writing done and make it happen.

On that note, I have a helpful blog post on 8 Ways to Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your Productivity. It’s really more geared for freelancers and those working from home during the pandemic, but I think it has some great information on how to tailor a space that is both comfortable to work in and also is conducive to productivity.

Next, what kind of word processor will you use to write your novel? Do you use Mac or Windows? If you’re a Mac user, you might want to use Pages, but if you’re a Windows user, you might want to use Microsoft Word. (I think you can use MS Word for both, but that’s besides the point!) If you’d rather keep all of your writing in the cloud, maybe Google Docs is better for you. Perhaps none of these options sound quite right so here are a few more to check out: Scrivener, Apache OpenOffice, LibreOffice Writer, or Word Perfect. There are many others out there, so make sure to try them out and see what works best for you and your writing needs.

Following the word processor, the next tool you will need in your writerly toolkit is a note keeping system of some sort. I hear many people use Scrivener, Notion, or Evernote for keeping their novel notes organized and in one central location. If you’d rather keep the notes tactile and not in the digital realm, consider using a Story Binder to keep all of your hand-written story notes safe and organized.

Next, figure out what other real-world items you’re going to need when you sit down to write your novel. Of course, this might be a figure-it-out-as-you-go-along kind of thing. I personally always need some kind of soft music in the background while I write to help keep me in the headspace of my story. I have a blog post on Get Immersed With The Five Senses, but I think it’s also applicable to writing because it can help you stay de-stressed and inspired throughout the process. Likewise, I highly recommend you make a playlist for your novel so you (and your future readers) can get into the right headspace for your story as easily as clicking play. Additionally, consider what snacks, drinks, and other items you might need to write effectively. I’ve also linked my Yoga For Writers post here, just in case you need a little writing break.

Lastly, prepare your accountability tools. This could be a writing partner, a critique group, your editor, a friend, or even a writing schedule. If you know you will need some external accountability source to keep you writing on the days when it gets tough, then get that ready well before you sit down to write. Consider joining a writing group online if you are having trouble finding a writing community in your area. Maybe NaNoWriMo is just the thing you need to keep the forward momentum going in your writing. Whatever you decide to use, have that accountability crutch ready beforehand so you can lean on it when you need to.

Create a writing schedule

This might be the single most important step in your entire writing career because if you don’t establish a habit of writing regularly, it might not bode well for you as a writer. However, it is likely also the hardest step in writing a novel, because many writers struggle to find the time to write. The truth is that if you want to write, you have to make the time to write. This is a special, designated time where you sit down and write, for however much time or however many words you decide and you do this consistently to progress your project and better your writing skill.

Writer planning her schedule. Photo by Marissa Grootes.

If you can, write every day. Some writers will tell you that you absolutely must write every day, while others will advise writing once a week. If you can, try to write a little every day, and if that’s just not possible for you and your schedule, try to write as often as you can. Don’t use being busy as an excuse for not writing. Ultimately your writing, your writing career, and your novel’s success is on you, and if its truly important to you, then make it a priority in your life. Writing is just like anything else in life that requires exercising a skill and practice. You must work your writing muscles to improve your writing in the same way you have to work your upper arms to get better at push-ups.

Like with the writing space, you can use the 5 senses to trigger yourself into what I like to call “writing mode.” This is the headspace you get in when you write, and it becomes easier and easier to trigger this mindset shift with time and practice. It’s a lot like Pavlov’s dog, in that, with time, effort, and practice, you will subconsciously train your brain to expect that when it’s writing time, you will sit down and write and nothing will get in the way of that. For example, as mentioned, I like to have tea and music when I write. For some, that might be a certain candle or aromatherapy or dimming the lights in your writing space. I personally like to set an alarm for my designated writing time and the alarm itself is actually the music that I listen to while writing. This immediately gets me in the mood for writing and like the dog mentioned earlier, drooling for some black tea.

There are many ways to make writing a habit for yourself and while it will take some self-discipline and patience at first, it certainly is doable. You could even use a incentives or a rewards system top keep you motivated to write. Whatever you decide works for you, just make sure that you are writing regularly and making consistent strides to better your craft and make progress on your projects. Th reason a writing schedule is so crucial to the writing process is because writers will have to learn to push through when the writing process becomes difficult. We can’t always write just when we want to or wait, twiddling our thumbs for the creative spirit to strike us. It is great when we have those moments for sure, but the reality is that most days, writing is hard. There’s going to be so many moments when writing is difficult and you won’t feel like writing, but if you’ve created the schedule and the habit, you’ll write anyway. Writing when it’s hard, or when you don’t feel like it, or when the words just won’t flow is what enables you to push through, finish the book, and accomplish your goals.

On a similar note, don’t try to force yourself into a box or create unrealistic expectations for your writing habits. If you work two jobs and are a mother of three, it might not be realistic to expect yourself to sit down and write for four hours out of the day. Many people recommend writing first thing in the morning, but if you’re not a morning person, this simply will not work for you.

I’m raising my hand over here. I’m actually a night-writer and I prefer to write during the ungodly hours of the night, but I can see how that is an unrealistic schedule for many writers who have day jobs. The point is, just go with what feels right with you and what fits feasibly and realistically into your schedule.

Set realistic goals and a deadline

Of course, this ties in with your writing schedule, finding what works for you, and building the writing habit, but having something to work towards can really help you when you’re first starting out with writing. Having loose, but clear goals can help you plan your writing schedule and celebrate milestones as you encounter them. This will also help you in breaking down the daunting process of writing an entire novel to smaller, more manageable parts. For example, if you want to write a 50,000 word novel, and you want to try and write 500-1000 words a day, then if you wrote every day, you can expect to finish your novel in 100-50 days. Write as much as you can as often as you can but if you find that you really just cannot bring yourself to write 1000+ words a day, that’s okay, do what you can. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon and you don’t want to burn yourself out trying to reach these impossibly unrealistic goals. Likewise, you can reverse-engineer this method by setting a deadline first. Maybe you want to participate in NaNoWriMo? If you’re writing a 50,000-word novel for the National Novel Writing Month Challenge, then you know you’ll have to write an average of 1,667 words a day to meet that goal. Some people like to write one chapter a week while others will write one a day. Some books take a month to write while others take years to write. No matter what this looks like for you, setting deadlines and loose, yet realistic goals can help you stay on track throughout the novel writing process.

Writer feeling stressed. Photo by Energepic.com.

Be kind to yourself throughout the writing process

This is probably one of the most overlooked parts of writing and I believe many writers could stand to practice some self-care throughout the writing process. Remember, writing a book is insanely hard to do and most people never accomplish this feat of strength. It’s not meant to be easy. As mentioned, writing can get really tough sometimes and its important that you exercise patience and kindness with yourself when writing. You will feel like the words just aren’t working or everything you write is an absolute dumpster fire, or you can’t pull yourself to the desk to write because you know these next scene is going to be really hard to bring to life. It’s okay. Breathe. Forgive yourself for writing garbage writing. Forgive yourself for not meeting your daily word count goal for that day. Forgive yourself for struggling because writing is a process.

I have a blog post for When Writing Becomes Difficult that goes more in-depth into this topic, but for the most part, just be kind to yourself and take the process one day at a time. Eventually, if you keep at it, you’ll have yourself a book! Following through and finishing the book is the hardest part of actually writing a book, but trust me, there is no better feeling that finishing a book.

When writing gets tough, check out these articles I wrote for some grace and self care.

And that’s it for my guide on How To Write A Book! Remember, this is going to be a 20-part in-depth series, so stay tuned for the next one. These blog posts will be coming out every Friday from now on, so make sure to subscribe to my newsletter if you want updates when the next part of this series is out! Good luck to all of you aspiring writers out there! I believe in you! Thanks for reading and don’t forget to write!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 11/13/20 Payton Hayes 11/13/20

7 Fun, Useful, Quirky, and Cute Non-Book Bookish Items

Here’s a bunch of fun, weird, non-book bookish things that you may not have heard of before!

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This week in Current Faves, I’m showing you a bunch of fun, weird, bookish things that you may or may not have heard of before! Some of these have been recommended to me time and time again while others I only recently discovered and now that I’ve got a pretty good stack of quirky bookish objects, I figured I should share them with you!

Bookly App

You might not have expected an app to make it onto a weird bookish things list but it was so good I couldn’t not put it on the list. If you don’t know, Bookly is a gorgeous app that helps you track your books, read more and improve your reading over time. You can scan your books or simply search for them online to add them to the app, from there you can track to whom you lend them, add favorite quotes and thoughts, and see insightful data that can help you improve or read even more.

I personally love this app because it really gets me motivated to read more books and it keeps me reading regularly because I don’t want to break my reading streak!

Book Sleeves

Does anyone remember using the paper book sleeves or the 99c spandex book sleeves to protect their textbooks back in middle school? No? Just me? Okay.

These book sleeves from Love You More Studio are absolutely stunning. They even come in holiday prints and everything! I’m going to have to snag myself a few of these!

Goodreads App

Okay, I promise this list isn’t all apps. But I had to put this one on the list too, because I recently discovered a surprising amount of my writerly friends had never heard of Goodreads even though its basically been around forever. Goodreads is an American social cataloging website that allows individuals to search its database of books, annotations, quotes, and reviews. Users can sign up and register books to generate library catalogs and reading lists. Similarly to Bookly, I really like tracking my reading progress, read, currently reading, and to-read book lists, and engaging with other readers on Goodreads.

Clear Panel Booklight

While this booklight is more of a necessity than a quirky object I had to include it as well because it’s amazing. If you read my Bookish Things blog post for this week, How I Read Books/ My Reading Routine, then you might remember this little gadget from that post. I raved about how awesome it was to have when the power went out last month during the Great Oklahoma Ice Storm of 2020. It was an absolute lifesaver. I found my light on Shein, but you can get them just about anywhere.

Bookish Home Décor

I found these items on the ebookfriendly.com blog where Ola Kowalczyk put together a list of bookish home décor that was just too cute to ignore!

Kowalczyk says,

“In times when most of the books can be stored on a single e-reader or tablet, there comes a problem book lovers haven’t experienced before: how to express the love for books? Hundreds of books on the Kindle means you won’t need a classic floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, or, at least, you won’t need a bookshelf that large. But it’s good to have things at home that remind you of the evening you will spend with the book and a cup of delicious tea.”
—Ola Kowalczyk, Eboookfriendly.com

You can read the full blog post here.

While I personally enjoy physical copies of books, I can certainly see the appeal of keeping all of your favorite reads stored in the cloud. From book-shaped cutting boards to ceramic pencil-holders, these cute, practical, bookish home décor items are sure to serve as a warm reminder that your next read is only a swipe away.

Peter Pan Book Pillow by biseyhandmade on Etsy.

Bookish Pillows

What’s cuter and cozier than a book sleeve or cuddling up with a good book, you ask? Book-shaped pillows! These adorable and surprisingly soft bookish throw pillows on Etsy make a wonderfully whimsical addition to every book lover’s reading nook.

Solid Wood Book Shape Coasters by Cutting Boredom on Etsy.

Wood Book-Shaped Coasters

Not the cozy type? That’s alright! Maybe you’re into entertaining or you’re a craft brew aficionado? Next time your friends come over games and booze (post-pandemic of course!) whip out these beautifully made, handcrafted wooden book-shaped coasters. They have some hilariously witty twists combining the classics and alcohol which are sure to entertain.

I hope you liked my list! Please let me know in the comments what quirky and fun non-book bookish items you’ve been into lately and make sure to check out my other posts in Reader Life!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 11/13/20 Payton Hayes 11/13/20

How I Read A Book / My Book Reading Routine

I always love seeing how other people curate their perfect reading experiences and I know it seems to be a popular topic in the bookish world, so I figured, why not? So, snuggle up, get cozy, grab a warm beverage, and let’s take a look, shall we?

Hi readers and writerly friends,

This week in Bookish Things, we’re taking a look at my reading routine. I always love seeing how other people curate their perfect reading experiences and I know it seems to be a popular topic in the bookish world, so I figured, why not? So, snuggle up, get cozy, grab a warm beverage, and let’s take a look, shall we?

Vegan gummies and green tea. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Sips and snacks

I can never read on an empty stomach, and especially not if it’s a book that talks about food often or makes you crave certain dishes. I’m looking at you, Night Circus, with your caramel corn and other carnival treats! I probably just made you hungry for that, huh. Sorry! Anyways, I usually eat before reading or bring a snack with me and I always bring a drink either way. If you read my blog post, 20 Bookish Facts About Me, you might know, my go-tos for bookish beverages are either a hot black tea, a hot/iced mocha latte, or a nice glass of rose. Lately however, I have been enjoying Arizona Green Tea and these adorable and yummy candy kittens. (Yes, they’re vegan!) If this blog post is making you hungry, stay tuned for next week’s Bookish Things post because I will be covering 10 when a book made me hungry.

Cozy reading space

Of course, I also can’t read in an uncomfortable position, because that gets old really quick. Instead, I opt for a cozy armchair by the furnace, a nice, shady spot outside, or a good ole pillow nest if it’s a bit chilly. Either way, comfy clothes and blankets are essential. I prefer to read in a pillow nest on my bed, with blankets and my favorite pair of pajamas. I’d also recommend reading in the woods, on the beach, and some place new to you! These are all great ways to spice up your reading experience.

Clear panel booklight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Ambiance and lighting

This one sort of ties in with the previous item in this list, but if you want to amp up the coziness factor, candles, mood lighting, and aromatherapy are key. I light either soy-based candles or put on my essential oil diffuser for a two-birds-one-stone kind of solution. String lights or other soft lighting such as salt lamps are a great way to bring in some warmth and light to you reading space. Of course, if you have a fireplace, that’s always a great place to read. Piggybacking on that, reading lights can be a great way to keep the reading going late into the night. I am currently loving this flat reading lamp from Shein. (Later in this post, I mention how our power is currently out due to the ice storm, and I just have to say, this reading light has been a life-saver!)

Book and a notebook. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Taking notes while reading

I keep track of information during my reading process in a few different ways. Lately I have been using a plain, lined journal to keep words and definitions in. I sometimes like to jot down words that resonate with me so I can reference them later on. In my bullet-journal (and on Goodreads, let’s be honest here) I like to keep track of my reading progress by writing down how many pages I read each day. I sometimes like to highlight particularly striking passages and then leave a sticky tab on the edge of the page so I can find it easily and quickly if needed.

Books, a booklight, vegan gummies and green tea. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Reading regularly

I have been trying for years to establish a daily reading routine, but I’m still not quite there yet. What can I say? I am a mood reader, not an escapist reader! Anyhow, I try to read as often as possible and never let myself go more than two days without reading. Sometimes life gets in the way— for instance, I am writing this as the great Oklahoma Ice Storm of 2020 is happening and our power is currently out all over the Midwest City area. We are running off a generator at the moment, but before we got that set up, all I could do to pass the time was read. Suffice it to say, I was well-prepared to read for a few months…

I digress. My point is just that, as a mood-reader it is extremely hard for me to get myself to read daily, but that’s no excuse to not read regularly. Like I said, my 2-day rule is what keeps me reading often. If you are a mood reader too, consider trying this method to see if it helps. Additionally, keeping track of your reading progress might incentivize you to keep working through your TBR.

And that’s it for my reading routine! How do you read? What is your preferred reading environment like? Do you eat/drink while you read or prefer to just soak in the book instead? Let me know in the comments below!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 10/16/20 Payton Hayes 10/16/20

20 Bookish Facts About Me

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This week I wanted to bring things in a little closer to home and share a bit about myself here on the blog. I thought sharing twenty bookish facts about me would be a fun, on-brand way to do that so without further ado, lets get into the list!

1. I am not an escapist reader but rather a mood reader. I am not the kind of person who reads to escape reality and especially not when I am stressed or busy. I don’t read to procrastinate or anything like that. I am what you’d call a mood reader because I have to be in the right headspace to sit down and become meaningfully engrossed in a book for any period of time.

2. Certain songs remind me of books and books remind me of certain songs. Like for instance, I think the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson pairs really nicely with any of Juliet Simms’ work from when she was in the band Automatic Loveletter, namely her song “Let It Ride.” I mean how on-brand is that? Likewise, in middle and high school I used to listen to music while I read (don’t ask me how I did it, I couldn’t do that now) and so now, some songs transport me back to that time when I listen to them and I can still vividly remember how whatever I was reading made me feel.

3. I’m a chronic book-starter and I’m typically reading about five books at any time. In 2021 I want to be better about this and hopefully try to read more than one genre at a time because it seems like I just keep starting fantasy books and slowly chipping away at them as my TBR pile grows in the background.

4. I’m better at finishing a series than finishing stand-alone books but its harder for me to get invested in a series because I know it will take longer to finish.

5. I cannot read horrors or thrillers before bed or I will not sleep. I save the scary stories for daylight reading.

6. My bookish beverage of choice is usually black tea, but sometimes I’ll spring for a coffee or if I’m feeling really fancy I will have a glass of rose’. I will also welcome the occasional Thai bubble tea.

7. I don’t like reading in public because someone always interrupts my reading by asking me what I’m reading and proceeding to have a conversation about it even though I try to make it quite obvious that I want to get back to my book.

8. I’ve never read Harry Potter. I know, I can hear the angry mob with their pitchforks coming for me as we speak. The thing is, as a kid I wasn’t a super strong reader and I also wasn’t into mainstream media. I just didn’t want to get into it because everyone I knew was obsessed and I wanted to be different. I know, I was a rebel from the start. I would like to read it sometime soon, though because I am almost done watching the movies and I’d like to see how the movies compare to the books.

9. I am a HUGE book crybaby. I cry during happy and sad scenes. I cry when characters die or when lovers break up or even when the book ends if it was particularly good.

10. I don’t like to know much about a book before I start it. I really love the idea of having a blind date with a book. (Not the actual book buying service, but that too!) If a book is spoiled for me, I will avoid reading it for years to try and forget whatever spoilers I read/heard.

And you thought I wouldn’t mention Hush, Hush. Rookie move, tch, tch. Rookie move. — *The Hush, Hush Saga* by Becca Fitzpatrick audiobook and paperback. Photo by Payton Hayes.

11. I love audiobooks. Some people will say they are hit or miss or that the narrator will make or break a book for them, but I personally have loved every audiobook I’ve ever listened to. I might just be lucky but still, I think I don’t really have a preference unlike most readers. I’m a really auditory person—I love music, nature sounds, ambient noise, ASMR, and podcasts so it makes sense that I’d love audiobooks as well. They’re so great for multitasking when you want to read and do menial tasks around the house or listen to a book while driving. However, if I am listening to a fantasy audiobook, I must be reading a hardcopy along with it or the story will just not stick in my brain.

12. I am not a car reader. The aforementioned audiobook is great because I cannot, for the life of me, read in the car. I get dizzy and carsick and it’s just not a fun time.

13. I am not a journal-keeper. Though I am planning to change that. I have never been one to keep a journal or diary. There was a brief stint in middle school when I wrote my heart out about your run of the mill angsty teenager stuff but other than that, I’ve really not done much chronicling of my life and I think I’d like to start doing that. I’d really love to be able to look back on more than just ticket stubs and photos.

14. I will read in the bathtub and in the pool. I ain’t scared! There’s something so relaxing sitting in the pool on a warm summer day with a good book and a mimosa or just chilling in the bubble bath with a nice rose’.

15. I have to put my phone away while reading because I will just get too distracted. Ironically enough, I usually just end up on bookstagram or booktube.

16. I primarily prefer reading adult/young adult fiction. Paranormal romance, romantic thrillers, horror, psychological thrillers, motivation/entrepreneurial advice, and fantasy are my favorite genres to read.

17. I love well-loved books. Granted that they’re still in good condition, I love books that have been dog-eared, written in, highlighted, etc. It’s so fascinating finding out what stuck out to other readers as they consumed a story. I actually paid the difference for one of my rental textbooks in college instead of returning it because there were so many interesting notes in the margins. It just fun seeing how books take on new lives and to be able to connect with other readers through the notes they’ve left behind.

18. I love reading at night or while its raining.

19. My bookshelf is a mess. I mean it might be due to the fact that I only have one bookshelf and over a hundred books, but still. There’s some organization going on, such as with series—I like to keep series together—but other than that, there’s no real rhyme or reason. Not even by genre or book cover color scheme. :/

20. I absolutely judge books by their covers. :D

And that’s it for my twenty bookish facts about me! What are your favorite genres to read? What’s your bookish beverage of choice? And do you judge books by their covers? Let me know a little bit about you and your bookish quirks in the comments below!

— Payton

Payton Hayes 10/16/20 Payton Hayes 10/16/20

I Visited The Full Circle Bookstore In OKC

I took my bestie on a bookish, friend date to the Full Circle Bookstore in OKC…

And we loved it.

Yeah, we’re hitting the ground running in Reader Life this week, because I just cannot wait to tell you all about it.

Neither me nor my best friend Allie have ever been to Full Circle before and needless to say, we a first-time FC converts, if there is such a thing. When we rolled up to the shop at the bottom of the 50 Penn Place building, we were greeted with a quaint little storefront, painted mint green and black with chalkboard signs and jazzy music playing softly from an outdoor speaker. We were already so excited, and we hadn’t even entered the building.

Full Circle Bookstore’s Storefront inside of the 50 Penn Place Mall. Courtesy of the Full Circle Bookstore Website. Click here to visit the site.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

I took my bestie on a bookish, friend date to the Full Circle Bookstore in OKC…

And we loved it.

Yeah, we’re hitting the ground running in Reader Life this week, because I just cannot wait to tell you all about it.

Disclaimer: Yes, we went while the pandemic is still going on, but we went early in the week during a time when hardly any people where there, we wore masks and we kept our distance from people while we were browsing the store. We tried our best to keep ourselves and others safe but it was a nice little treat for us to go and spend time together and enjoy a wonderful, bookish place we’ve never been before.

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

An inside peak into the Full Circle Bookstore where guests can get lost in the seemingly endless shelves of books. Courtesy of the Full Circle Bookstore Website. Click here to visit the site. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Then, when we did go inside, we were greeted for the second time, only this time it was by a very friendly employee named Brent who told us all about the bookstore—some of the events they have on weekends, the different types of books they had available and where to find them, and where to find the café in the back of the shop. Did I mention they had a café? Hello—book nerd/coffee addict heaven!

The inside of the store was much like a Tardis from the hit series, Doctor Who, in that it seemed much larger on the inside than it did on the outside. And on the other hand, it was also like a hobbit hole, in that it had all these wonderful little winding hallways and hidden alcoves tucked within one another. It was like and endless maze of books and I wanted to get lost in there forever. I was constantly enchanted by all of the books there were, all of the fun little bookish knick-knacks, and even the signed first edition copies and box sets of some books. It was everything I’d ever dreamed it would be.

And can we just take a moment to talk about the incredibly vaulted ceilings, the enormous floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled to the brim with books of every size, shape, and color, and the ladders scattered all throughout the bookstore so a book can never be out of a guests reach? It was incredible. It reminded me so much of the Hogwarts library, only it was a little less dusty and a lot more modern. Also, there weren’t screaming faces coming from the pages of the books…

Bookshelf with a ladder at the Full Circle Bookstore. Photo by Payton Hayes.

So, we stopped for coffee first, and I must recommend the toasted marshmallow latte—get it hot or cold, either way will be scrumptious. Allie and I shared a chocolate mouse and a cheese danish, both of which were delicious. We would have stayed for lunch, but the kitchen officially closes at 2pm every day, so we’d just barely missed it when we arrived around 3pm.

Then we made off for the books.

Stack of the books I bought from the Full Circle Bookstore. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Like I mentioned, the shop was seemingly endless—I found myself drooling over the fantasy books one second and suddenly, I was in the classic literature drooling over the books there too. They had just about every book you could imagine, and we certainly snagged a few for ourselves. I think Allie ended up with a few classics— A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, and The Call of The Wild by Jack London. I sort of went overboard and ended up with six books—Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Ghosted by Rosie Walsh, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, and The Languages of Tolkien’s Middle-earth by Ruth S. Noel. There were so many more books I wanted to buy but I was reminded by that little voice in my head—my TBR Conscience, if you will, who kept reminding me that I had over a hundred books at home, most of which I still have not read yet. So, I figured I’d take what I could carry and come back later, because I am absolutely coming back again later.

When we got to the checkout, the cashier gave us a bunch of bookmarks, a pamphlet that described upcoming events for October 2020, and stamped a couple of rewards cards for us to use when we inevitably returned (every $10 spent contributes to a total of $200 spent which rewards customers with a $30 off coupon to use in-store when they’ve met that goal).

Suffice it to say, we had a truly wonderful time, and hopefully we can go back again once things are back to normal. It would be really fun to attend a live reading from one of our local authors or stop in for a concert from one of the regular bands that play every couple of weekends or so. If you’ve never been to this book store before, be sure to check it out next time you’re in Oklahoma City and say hi to Pearl the Buffalo for me!

The Full Circle Bookstore is Located in 50 Penn Place, 1900 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Phone: 405.842.2900 or 800.683.

Visit the Full Circle Bookstore’s website here. Hours are located on their home page and events can be found here.

Neither this website, nor Payton Hayes are affiliated with The Full Circle Bookstore. I just really enjoyed my first trip there and wanted to share my experience with all of you. There are Amazon affiliate links present in this blog post.

Check out more posts in Reader Life!

Have you ever been to the Full Circle Bookstore in OKC? Where is your favorite bookstore? What bookstore should I visit next? Let me know below! Thanks for reading!

— Payton

Payton Hayes 10/16/20 Payton Hayes 10/16/20

Book Writing 101: How to Develop and Write Compelling, Consistent Characters

Characters are the beating heart and soul of any story. Books with lackluster writing or major plot holes can get away unscathed (mostly) if they at least have believable, loveable characters—not that writers should cut corners, though. Readers will follow these types of characters anywhere which is why Fanfiction is such a big interest to many readers.

Friends holding each other at sunset. Photo by Helena Lopes.

Hi readers and writerly friends,

Today, I want to talk about how to write and develop compelling, consistent characters. Characters are the beating heart and soul of any story. Books with lackluster writing or major plot holes can get away unscathed (mostly) if they at least have believable, loveable characters—not that writers should cut corners, though. Readers will follow these types of characters anywhere which is why Fanfiction is such a big interest to many readers. Writers can really bring a story to life with vibrant, relatable characters. The first half of this blog post that covers creating compelling characters is geared towards writers who are still in the drafting phase while the second half that covers writing consistent characters is more geared towards writers entering the revising and editing phase, so just keep that in mind as you go.

So, first, let’s discuss how to develop characters.

Character development

This is always the fun part, right, dreaming up your ideal characters, giving them names and backstories and building a fictional life for them? But this is also where a lot of key, fundamental, foundational work goes into your story and the characters within it. This part of story-building is crucial. There are so many more factors that come into play that will make your characters seem realistic and yet enchanting or cause them to be one-dimensional, forgettable, and poorly thought out. There are many things you’ll want to consider when developing characters that make sense.

Character backgrounds and worldview

What racial background do your characters come from? What gender background, religious background or economic background do they come from? What kind of upbringing did they experience? What kinds of views were they raised with? What kind of experiences did they face during their most critical stages of development as children and teenagers? What familial background do they have? What kind of education levels do they have?

Consider yourself for a moment. You are the culmination of all of your experiences, memories, backgrounds, and external and internal influences, up to this very moment. This is called your worldview. Everything you’ve ever experienced has come together to bring you to this moment in space and time. And that even started before you were born. Think about how your parents factor into this or even your grandparents. Everything that happened to your grandparents brought them together so they could bring your parents into this world, and thus, you. So not only does your upbringing influence your story much like the characters’ upbringing influences their stories, but you literally might not be here now if things hadn’t worked out just the way they did. This worldview is a critical element of each of your characters whether or not they ever make it onto the page. Consider your characters parent’s worldviews and goals and how they might influence your characters.

For example, if your character’s mother wanted to be a ballet dancer as a young girl, but her mother never let her, maybe she might push your character into ballet other extracurricular activities to make up for the lack of experience with such things in her life. Another example, if your characters grandparents were insanely rich and the character’s parents realized how all the money could corrupt people, they might chose to cut themselves off from the rest of the family and struggle through life instead of allowing themselves to succumb to wealth and the vapid nature of the parent’s family.

Consider character goals

Piggybacking on that last point, you want to consider your characters goals both internally and externally. Consider what goals they might have and how the interact with plot points. Consider what kind of self-imposed and external expectations might come attached to these goals. Consider what is at stake for failing to complete these goals and how that failure might make your character feel. Consider how one character’s goals conflict with the goals of another character in your story. Basically, determine what are your characters greatest desires and deepest fears and what lengths will they go to, to achieve the former and avoid the latter?

Perfect characters are boring

There is no such thing as perfect—not in real life and not in fiction. One of the biggest selling points of vibrant characters is the level of relatability the reader has with those characters. Characters should have both good and bad qualities as well as character-specific, unique quirks that set them apart from each other. Think about the things that make us human and figure out how you can weave that into your characters. Perfect characters are unrelatable and boring so leave those unrealistic expectations out of your writing. A fun way to figure out character personality traits is to write as many of them down as you can. Then close your eyes and point to a random one. Do this a couple of times to see what kind of character trait combinations you get. Then see how you can write these traits into your characters.

Gabriel Picolo’s Icarus and The Sun Comic. All rights go to Gabriel Picolo. Used for educational purposes only. — *Icarus and The Sun* artwork by Gabriel Picolo.

Strengths and weaknesses

Branching off from writing perfect characters, we need to talk about character strengths and weaknesses because it’s quite closely related. Since we know there is no such thing as a perfect character, then surely your characters must have some flaws you can work with. See how their strengths interact as well as how their weaknesses interact. Is one character really insecure but another has enough self-confidence to cover for the both of them? Are two characters toxic people towards one another but madly in love with each other and unstoppable when they’re together?

I like to think of Gabriel Picolo’s (@_picolo on instagram) Icarus and The Sun comics, where the sun is a radiant woman with so much passion and love to give, but her flaw is that she’s selfish and she will treat Icarus poorly until he leaves her and she starts the cycle again. And Icarus is so painfully lonely that he welcomes the toxic relationship back into his life again and again even though it is literally and figuratively killing him every time.

Consider the characters’ strengths and weaknesses and how these traits can either be steppingstones or roadblocks for completing their individual goals. Additionally, many times, a character’s greatest weakness can also double as their greatest strength. Much like in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, where Percy has struggled all his life to read and focus and chalked it up to dyslexia, but that weakness proved invaluable when it turned out he could read fluent Greek without and previous practice and it eventually saved his life. So, as you’re writing your characters, consider how their strengths and weaknesses can interact and either help them with or keep them from reaching their goals.

Character interaction

Now that you’re thinking about character strengths and weaknesses, you can start to figure out how characters interact with one another and how all of these character traits interact as well. If you start with your main character, how can you cast characters that play off the strengths and weaknesses of him/her? What kind of traits do they need to have to make a believable, relatable, and irresistible relationship between one another? Consider writing Foil characters, or characters that exists solely to frustrate and derail the protagonist’s goals. What kind of strengths would a foil character have if he/she existed purely to stop your main protagonist from completing his or her mission? In addition to character strengths and weaknesses interacting with one another, writers should consider what quirks, hobbies, interests, activities, and preferences their characters might have.

For instance, it might make sense that the bully in a YA boarding school fiction is a bit stronger than the main protagonist because she has played lacrosse for as long as she can remember and the main protagonist is more of a reader. But that might also make sense as to why the main protagonist is smarter or more cunning in a tight situation because she’s spent all her time reading and quickly formulate a plan for escape. This example is from Gillian Shield’s Immortal series and its just one of millions of examples of how to write character trait interaction and it really does boil down to just what worldview, interests, background, and strengths/weaknesses your characters might have.

Of course, you want to limit these traits to only a few per character and make sure they truly do make sense. Characters with too many dislikes, talents, hobbies, quirks, or what have you, are just not dynamic or believable—instead they are just too much. Pick a handful of traits that make sense for your characters and the plot and go with those. Additionally, it would be better to sprinkle these things in throughout the story instead of info-dumping on your readers all at once. Keep in mind that some hobbies are passive and might not make sense for your character or story as a whole—such as with reading. It made sense for Evelyn Johnson in Immortal, but it might not make sense for your story, so really consider how each character’s hobby fits in against the backdrop of your story, specifically.

Character hobbies and setting

“One donut doesn’t break a diet, babe.” — Vee Sky, Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Consider what your characters enjoy doing in their spare time and how that hobby reflects the world around them. Some settings/stories are easier to develop hobbies in such as Contemporary because anyone in that genre could just as easily (and believably) be doing the same activities any of us do, such as reading or playing video games or anything else we do in 2020. However, designing character hobbies for a futuristic story set in 3059 might be harder to do because you have to think about what people might actually be doing in that setting. The same thing goes for historical fictions, where you absolutely wouldn’t be reading about characters playing World of Warcraft or making videos for Tik Tok (rip Vine) because it just wouldn’t make sense for the setting and story. Likewise for Fantasy where many things that exist in our world might not make sense for a fantasy story, especially not high fantasy. The list goes on and on. Just think about how your character’s hobbies reflect the world about them and how they fit in with your setting.

Character relationships

Another element of compelling character design that ties into everything we’ve already discussed is how characters interact with others and what kind of relationships are present in the story. Something has to drive the plot forward and that is usually likes, dislikes, talents, hobbies, or relationships. Relationships are often the driving motivation for a character and can really move the plot along in an inconspicuous way to the reader. Such as, in Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush where on the first day of school, Nora’s coach and Sex Ed professor assigns a seating chart and forces Nora to be partners with the new transfer student, thus putting her in an awkward position and potentially jeopardizing her grades if she can’t get her partner to cooperate on assignments. There’s all kinds of tension here from Nora missing sitting next to her best friend Vee, to her reluctance to engage with the intimidating transfer student, Patch, and to the stubborn teacher who refuses to change the seating chart at Nora’s request. This immediately creates some kind of relationship between Nora and Patch whether they want it or not and that’s exactly what drives the plot along until the real plot points are revealed.

There are many tropes in which something happens to a characters relationship with another character that drives a plot forward. For one, the trope of the character who must save their sibling (or a lover) from a terrible fate so they go on their quest. For two, there’s the trope of a character’s family member dying and the angst, rage, and confusion propelling them into their quest. Character relationships directly impact character motivations. For example, why does the villain always capture the superheroes’ love interest? Answer: because they know the hero will come running to the rescue of said love interest. That’s one of the most blatant uses of character relationships as plot devices.

When you’re crafting characters think about all of the characters in your story as an entire cast and plan them out as a whole. When you’re developing a cast, consider each relationship and how everyone relates to one another, what function they serve, and whether or not its dynamic. However, much like the issue of having too many hobbies or talents, steer clear of having too many characters. You really only need enough characters to drive the plot and then have a few extras here and there to make your world seem bigger/believable as needed. Try to avoid veering into Martin territory where there are just so many characters that all of them are disposable and even the readers know not to get their hopes up since they will all die anyways. Some stories warrant a large cast of characters such as with Tolkien, Martin, or Riordan where there are complex subplots and worldbuilding at play. As you can probably gather from these examples, massive casts of characters are best left to fantasy and mythological fiction. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but air on the side of caution and avoid creating a character soup, where there’s just so many characters that their details get muddied and confusing.

Character names

This very well might be the single most fun items on the list, yet but I implore you dear writer, to take time and care with choosing your character’s names. There is so much readers can learn from a character’s name. Names truly do inform a large part of a person’s identity—they serve as markers of racial or cultural backgrounds, family names carry centuries of history, certain names carry with them certain connotations and ultimately names can impact how people are treated, so select your characters names with care. Consider why the character’s parents might have picked that name for them, what it says about them, how other characters might treat them because of it, and so on.

Pro tip: One of the easiest ways to get started with believable names is to look up a culture your character might be based on and try to find names that might have been popular during the time you’re writing your story. Obviously, this might be difficult with fantasy or futuristic stories, but for those, you can get extra creative by adding in vowels or consonants, changing spellings, and weaving elements of different languages into the name. Such as with some of the names/words in my fictional language in the world of Avyiien which pulls inspiration from Xhosa, a Nguni Bantu language that uses tongue clicking, and French which uses a lot of excess letters.

Ultimately characters are like icebergs—this is an analogy we see used a lot for plot and it works well there, but it works well for characters too. The visible tip of the iceberg is the written information about your character that is present in the book and the other 80% below the surface is what you use to inform the way you write your characters, but doesn’t necessarily always make it on the page. This is exactly how you write vibrant, rich, compelling characters that readers just can’t get enough of. These are the kinds of characters that find themselves in fanfiction and beyond.

And now, lets talk about how to maintain a consistency among your character’s their unique voices, worldviews, quirks, hobbies, strengths, weaknesses, goals, and relationships. If you’ve spent all this time designing rich, deep, believable characters, you want to ensure their actions throughout the story align with them as people and make sense to the reader. This is typically a revisions/editing issue so if you’re still working on that first draft, don’t get too bogged down by inconsistencies early on—simply write and go back to iron out the details later.

However, these are all important points you should take into consideration if you’re looking to write consistent characters across chapters and/or multiple books. In order to avoid giving readers emotional whiplash, it’s the writers job to ensure a character’s actions align with their personality. Failing to do this can result in confusion and distraction for the reader, which we of course, want to steer clear of. Its perfectly okay for characters to do things that are our-of-character for them as long as it makes sense for the story and has the proper set up beforehand, thus it no longer becomes out of character for them. Potential Spoiler: Such as with my short story, the Sieka of Sahn’Jatar, where one character has plans to kill another for profit, but after a series of events, changes their mind and decides to work with the person they’d initially planned to kill. This shift in character makes sense because of the shift in events leading up to this conflict. As a writer, you can choose to keep the plot points that conflict with the personality of your character so long as you’re willing to tie them together and make it make sense. Otherwise, it might just be a better move to cut it out and change directions altogether.

Inconsistent main characters are the worst

Of course, all that has previously been mentioned concerning inconsistent characters thus far, has pretty much only had to do with supporting characters or antagonists but if you’re finding inconsistencies with your main protagonist, you have some fundamental discrepancies with your book that will absolutely need to be worked out for you to achieve believable, relatable characters. Inconsistent main characters can potentially create a lot of distance between the characters and the reader. This can end up causing some serious issues for your story because it deprives the reader of that emotional reading experience, and since the characters are the vehicles by which the story is told, having that disconnect can really break a story. That being the greatest of your worries, having inconsistent main characters or POV or what have you, can cause frustration, confusion, and anger in your reader. All of these issues are just distractions for your readers and ultimately something you as the writer, should be trying to avoid.

So, how do you solve an inconsistent character? Well, you have to bring it back to the basics. Consider what that character’s fundamental motives are. Think back to everything we’ve covered in the first half of this blog post. What goals does he or she have and how do their (inconsistent) actions fit in to those goals? If they don’t fit, how can you write them so that they do? What other background information and characterization can you supply that will make these actions not so far fetched for your character? If these actions aren’t necessary for that character, can you write them for another character? Can you cut them out entirely? If they are necessary to the plot, how can you change your characters to fit around these inconsistencies? Consider how your characters would organically respond and react to the actions of the other characters and how they all fit together.

This is where you have to do some serious soul searching and determine whether or not these character actions are integral to your plot and story as a whole. Like I said, if it’s a deal breaker, you might have to recast that character or sprinkle breadcrumbs throughout your story, so their inconsistent actions don’t seem so out of character for them. If it’s not a deal breaker, how can you change those actions to fit your carefully crafted characters and make their actions and reactions believable? As you can probably tell, this is why its critical to make sure you have your first draft completed before digging into inconsistencies and rewriting because you just get stuck in a vicious rewriting cycle and it’s just not pretty. If there’s discrepancies throughout your writing, a finished draft will allow you to make decisions on how you can solve those issues, but if you’re just rewriting, it can quickly get confusing and hard to know where your story will even end up.

Characters are incredibly important and should serve the plot just as much as the plot serves them. Characters must be well-rounded and balanced and everything they do should make sense within the framework of your story. Compelling, consistent, and loveable characters are the backbone of any great story and can often carry a sub-par plot if they are believable and relatable enough and if their actions match their personalities. However, writing enchanting characters is easier said than done and it’s why a lot of writers struggle with character development.

And that’s it for my extensive blog post on writing and developing compelling and consistent characters. What are your favorite and least favorite parts of character development? What do you think about character backstories and names? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

— Payton

Payton Hayes 10/9/20 Payton Hayes 10/9/20

8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your Productivity

Not only is my new workspace such a refreshing place to be in now, but it serves as a fabulous backdrop for my video calls and meetings. If that’s not enough for you, a room this beautiful just makes me so excited to show up and get to work.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

With all of the craziness of the pandemic and most people working from home now, it has become more important now than ever to tailor a special, intentional space for you to do your work and to do it well. Whether you work in an office with a team or from the comfort of your own home, your workspace can have a major impact of the quality of the work you produce and how you feel physically and mentally while you work. Since people are working from home more in 2020 it’s absolutely crucial that you set up your home office for success.

Stay tuned to check out these 8 must-haves for your at-home or in-office workspace so you can always accomplish your best work:

Get the right chair

Making sure you get your best work done starts with a comfortable workspace and a comfortable workspace begins with your seat. A comfy desk chair is an absolute must-have when you’re spending a lot of time seated in deep work and its certainly not an investment you want to skip.

Do some research on what features come with the desk chairs available to you. Consider quality, comfort, aesthetic, and pricing. I’d love to recommend my IKEA Kimstad White Millberget Swivel Chair because it is so comfy! And if you’re wanting something a little fancier, the Furmax Ribbed Office Desk Chair is a great alternative. If you’re looking for a few other chair choices, Forbes has an amazing list of office chairs from best quality to budget options.

desk 1.png — Bright and airy workspace. Photo by Adrijana Bozic.

desk 5.png — Bright and airy workspace. Photo by Adrijana Bozic.

2. Wallpaper or new paint

Friends, it’s time to ditch the drab drywall and add some color to your space. I recently renovated my home office by painting the walls and changing out the curtains. I went from a horrid creamy yellow color and black curtains (yeah, right? What was I thinking?) and opted for medium gray walls with a beautiful teal accent wall and sheer, teal curtains instead and let me tell you, it has made all the difference. Not only is my new workspace such a refreshing place to be in now, but it serves as a fabulous backdrop for my video calls and meetings. If that’s not enough for you, a room this beautiful just makes me so excited to show up and get to work.

As mentioned, you can add an accent wall if wallpapering or painting all four walls is just too daunting at this time. Removable wallpaper is a fantastic option for experimenting with different aesthetics— just stick it on and peel it off when you’re done.

You can find removeable wallpaper just about anywhere, but I recommend supporting fellow artists on Society6. You can find some unique and amazing wallpaper designs for a special, tailor-made workspace.

Pro tip: If you can’t commit to wallpaper or painting, consider checking out wall hangings and tapestries instead. These are a great way to add in a pop of color to your space in a less-invasive, less-permanent way. Society6 sells artist’s work in tapestries and wall hangings as well.

3. Lighting

It’s no secret that lighting is a big deal both in and out of the content creation world. Whether or not you’re working for someone else or yourself while you work from home, the quality of your work will suffer if you’re not working in the right lighting. Don’t strain your eyes. Good lighting is essential for focus and productivity. Science shows that poor lighting can ultimately impact your mindset—this study from the NIMH has found that light directly impacts mood and learning.

My Chesapeake Bay Pearlized Rain Glass Oil Diffuser. Photo by Payton Hayes.

It’s obvious that a dim, dull room doesn’t exactly do wonders for your motivation. The LE Dimmable LED Desk Lamp is one of my all-time favorite additions to my at-home workspace. With the adjustable brightness, low-profile footprint, and collapsible swivel arm, this light is perfect for both small and larger home offices. Himalayan Salt Lamps and Essential Oil Diffusers are great additions that have added benefits such as air purification and aromatherapy. I have this gorgeous Chesapeake Bay Pearlized Rain Glass Diffuser that doubles as a lamp when I want a softer light in the evenings. In that same vein, candles are also a great way to cozy up a bland office space —just make sure they’re all natural, soy-based candle, such as these lovely vegan candles from Halarosis.

If you’re going to be creating video or attending a lot of zoom meetings, this mini ring light and tripod stand is a must-have. You can easily level-up your professionalism in your online meetings or videos by upgrading your lighting and backdrop.

desk 2.png — Bright and airy workspace. Photo by Adrijana Bozic.

4. Desk Setup

I’d venture to guess that most of your work happens at or around your desk, so assess your current workstation situation. Is your desk cluttered and messy? Are there papers and pens scattered about? Is there a Starbucks cup graveyard in your trashcan? Is it completely bare and boring? Is it easy to locate everything you need, or do you need some more organization?

Level up your desk set up with some simple organization tools to help you waste less time searching for objects and spend more time doing what’s important. Monitor desk mounts and monitor stands can be a great way to create more diskspace if you’re working with a smaller set up. And if you really want to level up your desk, consider swapping out your current set up for a standing desk. This one can be raised or lowered with the press of a button, and it offers preset options so you can easily adjust it as needed throughout the day. One of my colleagues uses a standing desk and she swears by it. It’s a great way to break up hours of sitting with a little movement and get better blood flow to the lower half of your body.

5. Organization

Be prepared for anything by keeping all your essential office supplies nearby in your home office. Depending on what kind of work you do, it’s a pretty safe bet to stock up on all the office basics: paper, pens, printer ink, tape, staples, etc. Having these items readily available in your workspace helps you stay organized and productive. Filing systems, pen and pencil holders, are a lifesaver for keep all of your must-haves tucked neatly away but still within reach. This beautiful rose gold organizer is my go-to and can be a great addition to your space to keep you from losing important papers in all those would-be piles. It also has divided compartments for easy access of the supplies you reach for the most. Keep the bulk of your supplies stockpiled somewhere out of the way and keep only what you need at your desk.

Likewise, if you don’t want to use an on-desk organizer, consider using a bulletin board or in-desk filing system. This great corkboard is affordable and available on amazon here. You can also stay organized by using a white board, desktop calendar, or planner. The possibilities are endless! Just do what works for you and helps you to keep organized and productive.

6. Office plants

Where are my green thumbs at? Adding in a plant or two is a great way to purify the air while doubling as cute décor. If your workspace is feeling a little bland, an office plant might be just what you need. Good news for my friends who aren’t particularly plant-inclined: you don’t have to be a seasoned gardener to keep most office-friendly plants alive.

This article by Sophie Lee from NBC News, explains how Houseplants directly affect our health in a positive way:

At work, place plants, especially those with broad leaves, on your desk; they will help regulate humidity and increase levels of positivity — seeing greenery and nature help us feel more relaxed and calm, which in turn benefits your everyday mood.
— Sophie Lee, NBC News

You can read the full article here.

My go-to office plants are snake plants, ivy, and monsteras. Snake plants require minimal attention and can add some vibrancy back into your office space. Ivy plants can be a beautiful touch to any room with taller shelfs or high places for the plants long curtain of tendrils to cascade down. Monstera plants are great for bigger spaces and can give your home office a tropical vibe. Bamboo, succulents, and aloe plants are other low maintenance choices. And failing that, you can always spruce up your workspace with fake plants too!

desk 3.png — Pink desktop decor. Photo by Adrijana Bozic.

7. Customize your office

One awesome perk of working from home is the ability to design your office the way you want to. Add in your own style and make sure your workspace feels like you. Whether or not you’re actually your own boss, it’s much easier to focus and be productive when you feel at home in your office. Customize and decorate your workspace in a way that gets your excited to do your most important work. Add in some personal touches such as a photo with a friend or a note from a loved one. These kinds of personalized additions not only help level up your workspace but they can cheer you up on tough work days when you need an encouraging reminder of who you are and the people who believe in what you can do.

This photo holder is great for displaying multiple pictures in one small space. You can also create a mood/vision board with motivational quotes, positive affirmations and your personal goals for a custom collage that reminds you to keep pushing towards your goals.

8. Tidy up any and all clutter

If you’ve been around here for any amount of time, then you might know how much I love Gretchen Rubin’s book Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness and we’re going to touch on that again real quick. Too much clutter piling up in your workspace can eventually get to you, even if you’re an organized-chaos type of person. To stay efficient and productive, make sure everything has a place and regularly tidy up to keep everything in order. A great way to combat daily clutter is to use the tried and true ‘Leave the Room’ rule. Whether its your empty coffee cup after a day’s work or the overflowing paper bin, making sure to complete one tidying up task every time you leave the room will do wonders for keeping your workspace tidy with minimal effort. This practice takes seconds and will save you so much time in the long run.

And that’s it for my eight tips on how to level-up your home office or workspace! What do you think of these tips? What are your plans for sprucing up your workstation? Let me know what you thought of the post in the comments below!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 10/9/20 Payton Hayes 10/9/20

When Writing Becomes Difficult

I get it—trust me. I just came back from a writing hiatus and while I wish I didn’t take that time away from writing, it’s hard to picture me where I am now without it. So, as we get into it, let’s think of this as a group therapy session.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This week in Freelancing, we’re discussing a little something that hit close to home for me and that’s when writing becomes difficult. Writing is hard. Full stop.

Deep breath in and out. It’s going to be okay.

Now, let’s do this.

Woman covering her face with her hands. Photo by Anthony Tran.

Writing is hard. No matter how many times I say it, it doesn’t make the process any easier. Writing can be really, really, reeeeeally difficult sometimes. Most of the time, in fact. It’s a process that makes you swoon, cry, cringe, hyperventilate, and want to tear your hair out at every turn. It’s frustrating when you want to write but you just don’t feel motivated or inspired enough to do so. It’s frustrating when you feel motivated and inspired but you just don’t feel like writing. It’s frustrating when you don’t want to write but you have internal and external pressures on yourself that make you feel like you should be writing when you’re not, and that doesn’t feel good either.

And even if you managed to get past those hurdles, writing can be hard for a plethora of other reasons as well. It’s frustrating when the words just aren’t working on the page, or when you just can’t seem to iron out the kinks in your plot so that it makes sense.

I’m raising my hand here.

Writing is not an easy feat and it’s not supposed to be. Writing is a trial. It requires bravery and vulnerability, and a willingness to be consistent. It feels incredibly gross sometimes—like when you know you need to just sit down and crank out that first draft, but you keep self-editing your previous passages out of fear of inadequacy.

But I assure you, if you’re feeling the burn, you’re heading in the right direction. Writing is a process that is meant to make you want to pull your hair out sometimes, to make you feel like you’re going insane. (And if it’s any consolation, tons of famous writers were nutty.)

This hair-pulling, however is meant to help you grow as a writer. The frustration you feel is the fuel you need to burn through your writing struggles. When you’re feeling frustrated with how nonsensical your plot is, you’re forced to decide to scrap the idea or go down the rewriting path. This teaches writers about story structure and revising and self-editing.

Cumpled up paper. Photo by Steve Johnson.

The frustration you feel with creating unique, believable worldbuilding and setting that’s rich and just as complex and enchanting as the characters that dwell there forces you really understand your characters and the space you’ve created for them. It teaches writers how to really step into those worlds in their minds and envision themselves actually standing there. It forces you to travel to distant lands and capture these incredible places on the page because otherwise, no one but you would get to enjoy them.

The frustration you feel when writers block hits you like ton of bricks forces you to take a step back from your writing, to take a breather, and return to it with fresh eyes. This teaches writers to have a healthy relationship with writing. It teaches them how to take a break when things just aren’t working out and to return after mulling it over for a while. Your writing will be all the better for it.

There are many frustrations that come with writing and they’re exactly why writing is difficult. It’s not meant to be easy. But then again, nothing ever worth it is. Writing will test your patience, often. It doesn’t mean you should stop writing. It means you should find a solution to the problem you’re facing and then continue writing. Writing is a lot like horseback riding—the writing is the horse, you are the rider, and this incredible beast just keeps throwing you. But you get back up, again and again and again. Because writing isn’t a race. It’s a marathon. It’s a process.

Writing is for most, a passion. It’s an epic, tumultuous love. And if you’re feeling down and out about your writing, maybe all you need to do is rekindle your love of writing. You need to fall in love with writing again.

Single red rose on pages. Photo by Annie Spratt.

Think about what made you love writing in the first place:

Did you fall in love with writing because it was the best/only way to express your emotions?
Did you fall in love with writing because you had a burning story inside you, just itching to be told?
Did you fall in love with writing because your wild and uncontrollable Imaginate just couldn’t be contained?
Did you fall in love with writing because it helped you get through a difficult time in your life?
Did you fall in love with writing to escape or to feel free?
Did you fall in love with writing because of the way it made you feel?
Did you fall in love with writing to connect with yourself or someone else?

Why did you fall in love with writing? Does that reason still hold true today? What if anything, has changed for you? Because something, somewhere once drew you to writing and somehow you’ve lost sight of that. So, go back and fall in love with writing once again.

It doesn’t matter if your why has changed. It only matters that you still love to write. That’s what makes a writer. A love of writing is at every writers core.

If you need some help with inspiration, 500 Writing Prompts can help you to brainstorm some new ideas.
If you’re stuck on the details of your novel, try getting organized with The Novel Planner.
If you are still struggling to pick up the pencil, consider starting a journal or morning pages. This is a practice created by Julia Cameron in her book, The Artist’s Way and its basically a daily brain dump. Just write everything you can, the good, the bad, and the ugly. No one is meant to read this stuff so let all your reservations go and just write. This will help ease you back into writing, even if your journal/morning pages have no structure whatsoever.

And that’s it for my sappy thoughts on when writing gets difficult. I know it can get really tough sometimes. Just try to fall in love with writing and never let that little fire go out. It sometimes helps to have writerly friends who can inspire you and cheer you on as well. Let’s get a discussion going in the comments. What’s the most difficult thing about writing for you? What made you fall in love with writing? Let me know down below!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 10/9/20 Payton Hayes 10/9/20

Double Book Review - Before The Storm by Christie Golden and Shadows Rising by Madeline Roux

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This is a spoiler-free review!

This week in bookish things, I’m doing something a little different. I decided I wanted to cover two books in one review because I wanted to compare the writing style of the two authors, the way these stories set the tone for the two World of Warcraft expansions that followed them, and my thoughts on the way these authors wove virtual game lore into a palatable, fully fledged storyline. These books are part of the World of Warcraft canon. There will be links to everything mentioned throughout and at the end of this blog post for your convenience.

*Shadows Rising* by Madeline Roux and *Before the Storm* by Christie Golden. Photo by Payton Hayes.

I am so excited to finally discuss these books. I’ve read books from the Warcraft universe before and I’ve very much enjoyed them, but these books were different from the War of the Ancients trilogy or the Stormrage book and other novels by Richard A. Knaak. I unfortunately was out of the loop when previous Warcraft novels came out as storyline precursors to their following expansions such as Christie Golden’s Warcrimes that came before the Warlords of Draenor expansion. But this time around I was able to read the two most recent books that tie into the storyline and set the pace before the coming expansions.

My first run in with reading a book that precedes their video game counterpart was Christie Golden’s Before The Storm, which I absorbed via the audiobook while it was available for free on Blizzard’s YouTube channel. I really enjoyed reading this novel and it certainly amped up my own excitement for the following expansion, Battle for Azeroth to come out shortly after. While I wouldn’t say BFA was my favorite expansion by any means, it was really neat to get a look at the upcoming storylines and to get a better understanding of the overall tone and direction of the expansion in preparation for release.

Since I had such a great experience with reading previous Warcraft novels as well as Before the Storm, I thought why not read Madeline Roux’s Shadows Rising as well. I, as well as many of my friends and guildies were incredibly excited for this next expansion to come out, and while the news of the delay was not what many players wanted to hear, I can’t deny that I personally, was pleased to have more time to finish reading Shadows Rising before BFA is officially over. Now that I’ve finished reading it, I’d like to discuss my thoughts on the two books and how they compare.

Before the Storm

As mentioned, this was my first time reading a Warcraft novel in preparation of an upcoming expansion and I very much enjoyed it. Even though I did read it via audiobook, Josh Keaton did a wonderful job narrating the story in a clear, enunciated way so I could easily digest what I was hearing. Personally, I think the novel was expertly written, the pacing was excellent and kept me hooked the entire time, and Golden aptly captured the essences of all our beloved fantasy characters. However, as someone who plays the game on both sides—Horde and Alliance—I can very clearly see why many readers complained about the Horde side of the story not being adequately portrayed or there at least not being enough page time for the Horde experience. I personally agree that the story overall leaned quite heavily into the Alliance perspective and that of the Horde experience that was depicted, was mostly negative and revolved around Sylvannas being a bad person. I am not sure how much of this was intentional since the game itself receives a lot of criticism from Alliance players who believe Blizzard favors the Horde and therefore typically tends to give them the better stories, but I can’t help but feel for Horde readers who were looking for more out of this book. Overall, I would give it a 4-star rating since the writing is excellent, there are many heart-felt relatable moments, and the story is very well crafted. But it is true that the story leans heavily in favor of the Alliance perspective.

Shadows Rising

Can I just.

This book was phenomenal. The writing incredible, the characters believable and compelling, and the story felt very, VERY well balanced between the Horde and Alliance perspectives. I really enjoyed playing through the Horde story in BFA and getting to see all the characters I came to love throughout that story come to life again in the novel was really great. I read this book via the audiobook and the hardcover and although Susan Wokoma’s character voices took some getting used to, her narrating was spectacular. I would give this book a 5-star rating because everything—from compelling characters and enchanting settings, to expertly woven plotlines and pager-turner pacing—was on point and that Horde/Alliance balance was certainly there as well. While I don’t necessarily think this novel contained anything we particularly needed to know for the upcoming expansion, it served to revamp my own excitement for Shadowlands.

I really enjoyed both of these Warcraft novels and I will likely read more of them in the future. I don’t think either writer is better than the other—they simply had different writing styles and different stories to tell. I think it is important for video game lore like with the Warcraft novels, that if there are two sides to the story, readers from either side feel equally included and there is equal coverage of the Horde and Alliance perspective throughout. If I had to pick one over the other, I would say Shadows Rising would be my favorite of the two. Perhaps I am just biased towards our Zappy boy.

One thing is true for both of these novels and that’s that they got me really excited for the expansions following in their wake. Before the Storm sowed the seeds of Sylvannas’ treachery and established Anduin’s altruism and Shadows Rising shows how the Horde and Alliance tries to mend themselves after the fourth war and sets the stage for players and readers alike to venture into the Shadowlands. Both stories serve as a hype device, but they also tie up loose ends in the stories, lend insight into character motivations, and help establish the tone and direction for the coming expansion.

And that’s it for my double book review special covering Before the Storm by Christie Golden and Shadows Rising by Madeleine Roux. What did you think of these novels? If you haven’t reads them yet, please check them out at the links below. How did the make you feel about the expansions coming after them? Are you excited for Shadowlands? Let me know in the comments below!

Before the Storm and Shadows Rising amidst Warcraft comics and poetry books on my shelf. — *Before the Storm* and *Shadows Rising* amidst Warcraft comics and poetry books on my shelf. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Mentioned in this blog post:

Warcrimes by Christie Golden

Before The Storm by Christie Golden

Shadow’s Rising by Madeline Roux

War of the Ancients by Richard A. Knaak

Stormrage by Richard A. Knaak

World of Warcraft Shadowlands Expansion Delayed

World of Warcraft Shadowlands

BlizzardWatch’s list of all Warcraft Stories in Print (Not Mentioned, but useful)

—Payton

Payton Hayes 10/2/20 Payton Hayes 10/2/20

10 Times I Was Attacked By the 5 Senses While Reading

Hi readers and writerly friends!

Last week in Bookish Things, I reviewed Karsten Knight’s Wildefire Trilogy and this week, we’re going over ten times I was attacked by the five senses while reading. I got this idea from C. G. Drews of Paperfury (she’s SUPER awesome so don’t forget to check her out!) Some of our experiences overlap and I’ sure you guys can relate so keep reading to find out more about ten times when I was assaulted by the five senses while reading.

From elaborate writing that triggers your sense of smell or makes you hungry to sticky library books—that elicit a far more physical response—I’ve had plenty of run-ins with the senses while reading. This is a phrase C. G. uses in her blog post about the same topic, and I can totally relate to how she feels. I personally feel like I’m equally as sensory perceptive as she is and many of her own stories of sensory assault while reading hit close to home for me. While I don’t easily remember math formulas or Pi in its entirety, there is a little corner of my brain dedicated to immortalizing these sensory experiences so I can drool and shudder at them for all eternity.

With that being said, let’s talk about

I’ve also written blog posts on Immersive Reading With Audio Books and Reading With the Five Senses. I must really love sensory posts, huh? I also plan to write one that covers books that made me really hungry in the future so stay tuned!

1. The time when a library book cover was sticky

I had to put this one at the top of the list for obvious reasons. Sketchy, sticky substances on library book covers are so beyond upsetting. *Gag noises* ugh, just give me a minute to collect myself here.

This hasn’t happened to me for a while since I’ve been buying my own books as opposed to happening upon a blood-soiled book cover in the library. It’s blood, isn’t it?

Don’t get me wrong, libraries and bookstores are incredible and quite possibly my favorite place to be, short of a secluded forest or curled up, cozy in my covers with a good book. But the truth is, this unfortunate occurrence has happened more times than I’d like to remember and it’s always with library books. I’m still shuddering.

2. The time a book fell apart when I picked it up

I usually get my books at half-priced bookstores, thrift shops, and library sales, but this actually happened to me in the sanctity of my own home. The audacity of some books, smh. My dad was going through some old items and told me I could have a book that had belonged to my mom. It was The Lady of The Lake by Sir Walter Scott, published by Maynard Merrill, & Co., published in 1908. I picked it up and the front cover came clear off the book.

*The Lady of the Lake* by Sir Walter Scott. Photo by Payton Hayes.

This 100+ year old book just…

DISENTIGRATED

IN MY HANDS

Yeah. Just like that.

R.I.P. Lady of The Lake.

3. The time a book I damaged a book’s cover

Here’s a throwback. This is an olddddddd photo of me with said book back in high school. Thank God for puberty. Photo by Payton Hayes.9

Okay, book police, cuff me and haul me away now, because yes, this most certainly is a travesty. For a good chunk of 9th grade, I carried around a trilogy that came in the form of one, massive tome of a book—the War of the Ancients Trilogy by Richard A. Knaak. It’s keystone story in the World of Warcraft universe and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It took me a long time to read it because a) the sheer volume of that thing. It had to be like, what, 800+ pages or something? It was A BRICK. and because b) it was my first year of high school and I was dealing with a lot as a freshman, so sadly reading got put on the back burner for a while.

That being said, this book spent a lot of 2012 sitting around in my backpack, being carried around with my less-appreciated school textbooks and binder, left behind in classrooms as I struggled to get from one high school hellhole to the next. And thus, that book was certainly worse for wear.

And it was totally my fault. I often considered stealing that book from MCHS because of it’s quaint, “well-loved” (let’s be real, I treated that book like garbage 😭.) quality and replacing it with a new version so students before me could appreciate the words with in it without being distracted by how dusty and bedraggled my copy was. Legend has it, that book is still in my old high school’s library to this day.

I don’t know, I just find something charming in a well-loved, worn book. I’ve added a quote from Jocelyn of the 52 Letters in the Alphabet Blog because she just so perfectly describes how I feel about this:

In these crumpled pages and broken spines are signs that these books have been loved, not just by me, but by my entire family. There is history trapped in these books, and to replace them in the name of cleanliness would destroy that history. When I see these worn-out books, I smile, because they make me remember just how much I’ve loved them throughout the years.
—Jocelyn of 52 Letters in the Alphabet

Read more of her blog post about broken spines and crumpled pages here.

And that’s just how I feel about the massive brick of a book I read back in high school and how I feel about many of my own well-loved books. I remember what it was like to carry them around in and out of school, to stay up into the unholy hours of the night ravenously devouring them, and to come back to the little imperfections they developed as a result of my reading them year after year and it’s special.

4. The time a book cover wasn’t even

When I bought Shadow and Bone, the first book in the like-named trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, I was absolutely stunned. This was my first time seeing the front cover of a book not line up flush with the edges of the pages and the back cover. AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITH THE OTHER TWO BOOKS, Ruin and Rising, and Siege and Storm. Honestly, what is the point of this? So, you can have those little strips of red and gold? I just don’t understand. My copies of Station Eleven and Ghosted are like this too. I can’t comprehend the purpose of this design choice. C.G. says she thought it was a printing error, and honestly, same. I don’t know if I can take another uneven book cover. 😵

*The Grisha Saga* by Leigh Bardugo. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Three Books with uneven covers. Photo by Payton Hayes.

A book with deckled edges. Photo by Payton Hayes.

5. My first time with deckled edges

Piggybacking on the note about uneven book covers, deckled edges are another book design choice that caught me off guard. I thought this was a print design error as well. My first run-in with deckeled edges was in the Midwest City Dollar tree where I found a ton of really neat books but they ALL had deckled edges. My first instinct was that they were imperfect copies or something, but noooo. They were like that on purpose.

I repeat:

WHY???

6. The time the cover was soft or pettable

Okay, so deckled is a word and pettable isn’t? Microsoft Word, I want a refund!

I’ve actually seen this a few times in my bookish adventures but the first time I stumbled upon pettable covers it threw me. I personally prefer glossy or matte covers, but the ones with the velvet-y, hairlike texture is another thing entirely. When my sister and I found ourselves in the book aisle at Walmart, we were met with this combination of upset, cringe, and intrigue as we picked up a velvet-covered, forest-green YA fantasy novel and it practically purred as we stroked the cover. Okay, maybe it didn’t purr, but it made my sister shudder in disgust and that was entertaining. I liked the texture, but it’s safe to say that she’s not much of a fan.

Also R.I.P.Kobe.

7. Raised Titles (Also Pettable)

On a similar note as the soft and pettable covers thing, raised titles are just the best. I mean you could probably think of a handful of books with raised lettering and whether its matte or glossy, it’s nice to just sit and stroke the letters while murmuring incoherently and drooling at the…

Oh, just me?

Okay.

But you can’t deny that raised letters are quite satisfying. The Angel Trilogy by L.A. Weatherly comes to mind for me. I may or may not spend time gently tracing the raised letters and lovely, intricate gold filigree as I read. Totally normal. Who would not do this? Also, raised titles always seem to make the book feel a whole lot fancier and shinier and more precious!

8. Broken Spines

*To Kill A Mockingbird* by Harper Lee. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Coming back around to broken spines and well-loved books, I have to mention my first time with a book that had a broken spine. This was actually pretty recent for me—about a week ago, I realized I was missing some classics from my collection and went to the half-priced book store to pick them up. I stumbled across a few copies of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mocking Bird and they were all pretty trashed. However, I did find one with it’s cover mostly intact and only the running, jagged lines down the spine serving as the only other indication this book had seen some things. I personally don’t think I have it in me to break a book’s spines but I know it doesn’t make a book any less whole if it has a broken spine. Just think of it this way—it’s a lot easier to read now, right?

9. Audiobooks

Okay, so this is an obvious one, but audiobooks are undoubtedly a sensory experience. And don’t even get me started on the dramatized versions. I once bought the Fellowship of the Ring dramatized audiobook and it caught me so off guard. There were character voices and music and all kinds of nonsense that I was just not ready for.

10. That good, good book smell

If you’re at all bookish, then you must have, at least once in your life, sniffed a book. I can’t explain it, it’s just heavenly. Brb real quick, I have to go find a book to sniff.

Inhale. Exhale.

Ah, there it is—that wonderfully paper-y scent with notes of ink and dead tree flesh.

Okay, now I know I sound like a crazy person.

But I see you, you book-sniffer, you. Don’t think I don’t know that you’ve done this too.

Enjoy these carefully selected book-sniffing memes for your viewing pleasure.

And that’s it for my ten sensory reading experiences. Are there any particular sensory memories that stick out to you? Can you relate to any of these? And please answer if you (a) sniff books, (b) enjoy petting textured covers, and (c) how you feel about deckled edges! Let me know in the comments below!

And don’t forget to check out C.G.’s post here! I wouldn’t have thought to write this post if it wasn’t for her!

Check out my post 10 Times A Book Made Me Hungry and read more from Reader Life and Bookish Things!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 10/2/20 Payton Hayes 10/2/20

5 Reasons Most Writers Quit

Hi readers and writerly friends!

While it’s easy to want to write and book and even easier to come up with an idea for a book, sometimes the follow through just isn’t there. Sometimes it’s hard being a writer—I get it. Sometimes we get writers’ block and sometimes we just don’t feel like pulling up to the computer and cranking out 1200 words a day for the month of November, or ever for that matter. It’s a rough balance between doing what you love and having the discipline to stick with it long enough to see your stories come to life. This week in Freelancing, I’d like to talk about five reasons why most writers quit and how you can avoid giving up when life gets in the way.

1. As mentioned, ideas are easy.

Ideas are cheap—a dime a dozen or less, honestly. And just about anyone and everyone can conjure up some kind of book idea. From prompt to full fledged plot is the hard part. I hate to say that some people just aren’t made to be writers because I believe everyone has a book inside of them. But the truth is, the difference between fleeting thoughts/short bursts of inspiration and fully-developed, rich, enchanting stories is the process of transporting the idea from your brain to the page—a process that’s just not for the faint of heart. There’s a reason why some people end up as prompt writers and others get six-figure book deals. It really just depends on whether or not you really believe in your story and if you have the drive to bring it to life.

2. Writing is hard

Touching on that, writing is hard. Trust me, I totally get your pain. I mean, hello—fellow writer here! But really, writing can be hard. Some days, we may feel like writing, but the creative juices won’t flow. Sometimes we force ourselves to write but the sentences just aren’t working out. There’s a lot of moving parts in the writing process and it takes a lot of time, effort, and energy to get all of those elements lined up just right. Not to mention, a book is a lot of words. That’s a lot of writing. Between writing the grueling first draft, revising, editing, cutting out the fluff, trying to balance storytelling elements with pacing, crafting compelling characters and designing enthralling worldbuilding, writers have so much more to do than just writing. The writing process in general is just a lot, okay?

Next week, I will have an article out about what to do when writing is hard, but for now, just take a step back, take a break, and do something that rekindles that passion for writing. Don’t let yourself get burned out, but don’t take a break for so long that the creative fire burning inside just goes out either. Know when the process isn’t working, step away, and come back to with with fresh eyes. Your writing and sanity will be all the better for it.

crumpled+paper.jpg — Cumpled up paper. Photo by Steve Johnson.

3. Writing can be and often is a full-time job

Piggybacking off of that second point, writing is a lot of work. Writing is a job. And for many writers who haven’t yet made it, it’s an unpaid, thankless job. Sometimes, writing can even be the job that money can’t inspire you to do. I know several writers who have turned down certain writing jobs because their heart just isn’t in it or because it might get in the way of their passion. For others though, it can truly be a lifelong career. And while sitting at a desk, typing and chugging coffee doesn’t seem so bad, its more of a mental and emotional labor that is taking place and it can be an intense job for most writers. It makes sense that most writers struggle to get even just one book out, much less a second or third or regular writing as a career (such as with blog writing or technical writing).

4. Writing comes with rejection.

Rejection unfortunately is heavily woven into the writing and publishing process and it’s never-ending. There are possibilities for writers to face rejection at every turn—from their own self criticisms during the actual writing, to finding an editor, to finding an agent or publisher and so on. It happens at every level of the publishing game and can still be a tough pill to swallow from even the most seasoned writers with years of experience. If you think big name writers such as Veronica Roth or J.K.Rowling don’t still face rejection today, then I’m here to tell you you’re wrong, because even after they’ve left the writing rat race, they still can be rejected by their own readers and critics.

The solution to the cycle of endless rejection is to simply let it roll off your back and use it as the fuel to your fire. If your first book gets picked up but your publisher rejects the second, consider how you can improve your book so they might pick that one up too, or do some looking into other publishers in case your current press turns out to not be a good fit for the next project. If you’re getting a lot of negative criticism online, first determine whether its hate or truly constructive feedback and if it’s the latter, see how you can use the information your critics are giving you to improve your writing next time. Writers must learn to protect their sensitivity and creativity with a tougher, stronger outer shell. I know building a thicker skin is easier said than done, but it’s required for the writing biz, because you’re putting your words, thoughts, and book baby out there for the world to see. You’re making your creativity vulnerable to even the most ruthless of internet vultures and that requires bravery. I commend all of the writers out there for doing this, one step at a time. Eventually, it does get easier. Sooner or later, the good begins to outweigh the bad and you remember that because you’re doing what you love, none of the rejection really matters if its not going to help you in some way.

mac and money.png — Cash on a laptop. Photo by Pixabay.

5. Money is a problem for writers too

Coming back around to number 3, there is never enough money. This mostly goes for writers who have made it into the full-time/part-time writing game and are getting paid in some way for their writing. Fiction writing unfortunately is not known for paying especially well, unless you make it so big, like J.K. Rowling or Suzanne Collins, but the chances of making it that big simply just aren’t fair for the average writer. Many writers take up side gigs as teachers or doing some other non-writing related job to make ends meet while working on their passion, but the sad reality is that writing can easily get pushed to the back burner when life gets in the way.

Some crafty writers have figured out how to employ multiple income streams so they don’t have to spend so much time working, and they can focus more time and energy on their writing. It really just comes down to how much you love writing and how worth it writing is to you. If it really means everything to you, and its your lifelong dream to be a successful, full-time fiction writer, you’ll find a way to make that dream a reality, one way or another. What separates the writers from the dreamers is the work a writer will put in to make their writing dreams come true.

And that’s it for my five reasons why writers often give up on writing and some advice/solutions on how to combat these sad writer realities. Hopefully, these opened your eyes to the darker side of the writing world and reminded you that it’s okay to be down about your writing process sometimes, just as long as you pick it back up. On a more positive note, this week in addition to this post, in Current Faves, I have a post called “20 Things Writers Can Learn From Dreamers” and next week in Freelancing, we’ll be covering “When Writing Becomes Difficult” so be sure to check those posts out!

And take it from me, a fellow writer, self-proclaimed coffee addict, and mother to a still-growing 15+ year old book baby, I understand the writing process is difficult and being a writer can be hard sometimes. Just take a deep breath, maybe treat yourself to a coffee, give yourself a hug (I see you rolling your eyes. Just do it, okay?) and know that YOU CAN DO IT. I believe in you and there’s thousands of eager readers out there ready for you to present your novel to the world. Just keep at it, take care of yourself, and remember to be a writer and not just a dreamer.

What do you think about the writing process? What do you think of this list? What writer struggles just make you want to pull your hair out? Let me know in the comments below!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 10/2/20 Payton Hayes 10/2/20

20 Things Writers Can Learn From Dreamers

Hi readers and writerly friends!

It’s no doubt, still a crazy time, even in October 2020, with another round of the pandemic creeping in and the election in November just around the corner, things just don’t appear to be slowing down any time soon. But today, we’re going to shove all of that gross-ness under the rug and talk about something fun, positive, and incredibly inspiring.

I got this idea from the lovely Shayla Raquel who wrote this kind of blog post first on her blog. You can check it out here! But I just thought it was such a wonderful and inspiring kind of post and I had plenty of amazing quotes myself, so I figured, why don’t I take a crack at it?

In her blog post, Shayla writes:

If you’ve ever been around someone who sprints toward his dreams, then you know he’s absolutely insane. Nothing will get in his way. Nothing can stop him. He will accomplish his goals because he knows no other way to live.
—Shayla Raquel, Curiouser Editing

I love this quote and it aptly describes me whenever I get in a writing mood. I can’t be stopped, not even by my friends and family, by hunger, sleep, or coffee.

Okay, that’s a little bit of a stretch. Coffee might be the only reason I stop writing when I get on a roll.

But it’s certainly true that us writers can learn a thing or two from dreamers:

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”– Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Failure is not an option. It’s inevitable.” — Randy Langley
“I address you all tonight for who you truly are: wizards, mermaids, travelers, adventurers, and magicians. You are the true dreamers.” — Brian Selznick, The Invention of Hugo Cabaret
“Dare to dream! If you did not have the capability to make your wildest wishes come true, your mind would not have the capacity to conjure such ideas in the first place. There is no limitation on what you can potentially achieve, except for the limitation you choose to impose on your own imagination. What you believe to be possible will always come to pass - to the extent that you deem it possible. It really is as simple as that.” — Anthon St. Maarten
“Maybe you are a poet and a dreamer, but don't you realize that those two species are extinct now?” — J.G. Ballard
“Some stories have to be written because no one would believe the absurdity of it all.” — Shannon L. Alder
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”— Robert F. Kennedy
“I just want to live my life less like a list and more like a lyric.” — Emily Freeman (If you’ve seen my Instagram, then you know!)
“The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you.” – Tom Bradley
“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon seem inevitable.” ― Christopher Reeve
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ― Harriet Tubman
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” — Paulo Coelho
“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?'” – George Bernard Shaw
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” — Maya Angelou
“All successful people, men and women, are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision. ” ― Brian Tracy
“I’m not just a storyteller. I am story.” — Ronne Rock
“The phoenix must burn to emerge.”— Janet Fitch
“Giving up is the only sure way to fail.” — Gena Showalter
“If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”– Henry David Thoreau
“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”– Stephen King

Wow, just wow.

I feel pretty darn inspired right now, what about you? Which quote was your favorite from this list? They were all such great quotes and amazing message, I’m kinda mad I didn’t come up with them myself! Buuut I did make this handy-dandy graphic so you can print it off and pin it up next to your writing space. This way you’ll have a ton of amazing quotes to pick you up when writing gets difficult.

Aren’t these quotes just everything? Click the collage below to download your copy so you can pin it up in your writing area so you never lose inspo!

Click here or click the image to download your free printable now!

Next week in Freelancing, I will have an in-depth, dedicated blog post for what to do when this happens, but sometimes motivational quotes about dreamers, writing, and overcoming failure can really help us gain a better perspective. Let me know your thoughts on this post in the comments below and don’t forget to check out Shayla’s post here!

Keep your head up and keep writing, dreamers. See you next week. <3

Thumbnail photo by Cottonbro.

—Payton

Payton Hayes 9/25/20 Payton Hayes 9/25/20

Why Fanfiction is Great Writing Practice and How It Can Teach Writers to Write Well

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This week in current faves, we’re discussing fanfic and more specifically, why fanfiction is great for teaching writers excellent writing skills. This is something very near and dear to my heart because my ongoing fantasy series got its start as a World of Warcraft fanfiction when I was only eight years old. Whew! I just put that fact out on the internet and there’s no coming back from that. Oh well, moving on. 😂

Fanfiction is often frowned upon because its derivative and typically written by younger writers for younger audiences. However, while the former claim is true, the latter is just a misconception about fanfiction because many adults write fan fiction as well. Snobby literature buffs like to look down at fanfiction writers and readers alike because its not original and is usually cringey. And while for the most part, there is a lot of cringey fanfiction on the internet, there is also a lot we can learn from it as writers. Keep reading to learn more about how fanfiction can effectively teach writers to write original content competently.

Fanfiction writers just get character. This might be the single most important element of writing because the characters are the windows through which the reader experiences the story and how he or she connects with the people around which the story takes place. Something that fanfiction writers do especially well is character consistency. Since they’re writing from source material rather than conjuring up their own original characters, fanfiction writers have to be able to accurately and consistently emulate character canon. Fanfiction writers must understand the characters and be able to organically portray them in a way that is believable and acceptable to their readers. This means, for a fanfiction to be believable, accurate, and just good quality, the writer must effectively capture the essence of the characters about which they are writing.

Most fanfiction readers find themselves on the derivative side of literature simply because they’ve fallen in love with characters and they just can’t get enough of them from the source material. So, where do they go? You got it—fanfiction websites, so they can experience more adventures, emotions, scenarios and more with the characters they love. The story doesn’t end just because the book does. Fanfiction writers expand on pre-existing stories, forever immortalizing and breathing new life into age-old beloved characters and tales.

On a similar note, fanfic writers that create fanon characters (reimagined versions of preexisting characters) are essentially already creating their own characters with a few details derived from the source material. These missing details and experiences that are not present on the page/screen require writers to approach their stories with a sense of originality and a very specific lens through which they can invent new pieces to the story that weren’t there before. Likewise, depending on the POV, some stories require a lot of creativity to write fanfictions for, because the POV is very narrow, such as with singular first-person narrators.

Fanfiction writers must understand the rules and systems of a story’s world/setting. For example, if a writer wanted to cover J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter or Gillian Shields’ Immortals series, they would have to know the way magic and other systems work, like the back of their hand. They’d have to know all the inner workings of the magical world, how non-magic users view said magical world, the laws set in place (if any), and any other important details that go along with deeply fleshed out fictional worlds. This is even more difficult for the more obscure worlds where authors have done very little worldbuilding and the fanfiction writer must invent their own systems to fit against the backdrop of the source material author’s original setting. Just like with character development, fanfic writers must really understand the setting to make for a rich, believable story that is as convincing or possibly even more convincing than the source material.

The best stories perfectly balance intricate, complex, layered dense worlds with intricate, complex, layered, dense characters. And the same is true for fanfiction. Fanfiction writers must be able to provide an organic, believable interaction between dynamic characters and their equally dynamic world.

Fanfiction writers must interweave juicy, compelling tropes into their stories. Fanfiction writers are particularly keen on determining what tropes readers want to read and which tropes provoke, deep, visceral reactions from their readers. Fanfiction writers know exactly what their readers want to read more of because the writers are fans themselves. This is something particularly unique to fanfiction writing and it’s that the writers are painfully and constantly aware of what is missing from the source material because they are consumers of it as much as their readers are.

Fanfiction writers have each other’s backs. On a side note, the fanfiction community is one of, if not the single best writing community when it comes to inter-community constructive criticism. Fanfiction writers know the struggle of writing hundreds of hours’ worth of content only for people on the internet to come to their stories and comment something like “fanfiction isn’t even real writing” or to point out how many errors there are throughout the work. Not only do fanfiction writers understand this pain, but they are incredibly generous with their constructive feedback because they’re all in the same boat. I’ve seen tons of fanfiction critique groups and positive critiques in the comments of ongoing fanfiction stories. Due to the nature of the internet and fanfiction as a genre, readers are more likely to leave a helpful, positive comment for writers because they are far more accessible.

Fanfiction is an excellent way to practice writing. Fanfiction writers via community engagement, constructive critiques, drafting, revising, and self-editing, and ultimately practicing their writing skills get a pretty good grasp of their strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Likewise, fanfiction writers learn how to be vulnerable with their writing, how to keep writing regularly, and how to be strong, confident writers due to the (typical) positive reinforcement that comes from the fanfiction community. Of course, not everyone who writes fanfiction wants to be a professional writer—many people just write fanfiction for the fun of it.

Fanfiction allows writers to experiment. At its core, fanfiction is all about fun and play. Writing fanfiction allows fans and writers to enjoy the never-before-seen/heard stories from their favorite characters and worlds. It’s a way for writers to play around with different stories, tropes, voices, POVs, settings, characters, and other storytelling elements to create transformative works. The fanfiction writing process is meant to encourage experimentation with the source material and can be therapeutic and inspiring as well. In many cases, alternate universes, crossovers, fanon characters, and original interpretations of preexisting works are in fact original works on their own because what started out as fanfiction evolved into an original piece of writing, with only a few remaining non-original details (such as names.) At this point, writers are just creating original works with archetypes that are universal. And the same goes for remixes and pastiches where the writer is essentially creating a retelling of a story, which forces them to practice writing with different voices, POV’s, and with different styles.

Fanfiction can be very useful for aspiring writers because it teaches them many vital writing skills, it forces them to be vulnerable with their writing, it inspires them to employ the constructive feedback from their readers, and requires them to become very familiar with the source material after which they’re writing. It’s a really, REALLY fantastic way for budding writers to dip their toes into it and for amateur and seasoned writers alike to practice their craft in an increasingly safer writing space. While it’s still kind of frowned upon for people to write fanfiction (for very lame reasons, I might add) its been really cool to see the shift in public opinion of the hobby and artform. I always recommend new writers to try fanfiction because it takes the pressure off of them to come up with everything from scratch so they can just focus on the writing.

And that’s it for my take on fanfiction and how I think its incredibly useful to writers. What do you think of fanfiction? Have you ever read or written fanfiction? What do you think about the community and public opinion of fanfiction as a genre? Let me know in the comments below and if you enjoyed this blog post, consider signing up for my newsletter here!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 9/25/20 Payton Hayes 9/25/20

The Importance of Befriending Your Competition

So, there you are, out in the wilderness of the publishing landscape you spot a competitor. You have three options. You either a) cower in fear, hoping they don’t see you, b) assert your awesomeness, hope they do see you and they cower in fear, or c) you outdo them in some way, therefore establishing creative dominance. It’s your turn, what do you do?

Hi readers and writerly friends!

Now that we’ve wrapped up everything to do with college (for now) we’ll be discussing competition and the importance of befriending your competitors. There’s a lot a new writer/editor can learn from seasoned professionals and there’s a lot of fresh perspective that rookies can bring to the table as well. Making connections in the bookish world has proven invaluable to me as both a writer and an editor. Keep reading if you’d like to see why its so important for new creatives to befriend their competition.

Monopoly car parked on the “GO TO JAIL” board spot. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood.

Okay, hold up. If you picked any of these answers, just stop. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. You lose.

You can learn from your competitors. If they aren’t being stingy with their knowledge, then most everyone you come across (whether or not you are in the publishing industry) would be willing to share some sort of advice. The #1 biggest misconception about competition in ANY industry is that competition is bad or that your competitors are inherently your enemies. This is simply just not true. There is so much you can learn from your competitors, and instead of treating them as your nemesis, consider befriending them for a mutually beneficial connection, and better use of your energy.

This awesome quote from John Barrows comes to mind:

“You can learn something new from everyone and every situation.”
—John Barrows

He’s exactly right. This goes for people in and out of your respective industry. You can learn something new from every person you meet. You can learn something from your competition as well. Learn from them so you don’t have to make the same mistakes that they do. Follow in their footsteps and take notes on what works and what doesn’t. I’m not saying to copy anyone, but people who have been in the biz for years have tried and true formulas that guarantee results and you can use their established methods to get you ahead.

Additionally, your competitors are full of knowledge, resources, and tips and tricks. Of course, the mentors that come to mind are my colleagues, fellow writers, and the Developmental Editors Connection group on Facebook. Honestly, if I had a dollar for every time I went to them with a question, I’d not only have tons of incredible advice, but I’d also have enough money for double the cappuccinos each week. I can’t imagine all the times I might have gone wrong without their help. The same goes for a few of my writerly friends who started out as competition for me. I would know about a fraction of what I know now by ignoring the obvious opportunity to make a valuable connection with someone else in the industry. I’m eternally grateful for all of the editors and writers who have taken time to guide me—even in the smallest of ways such as quick questions about the CMOS or Microsoft Word issues.

You can collaborate with one another. Just imagine getting to work with your competition to create something amazing. How awesome would that be? There’s a reason YouTube collabs are so popular—it’s a group project that benefits everyone involved. And the same goes for industry collaborations. And often, by working together, you can trade information and produce double the content in half the time.

They can guest blog for you. I see this all the time in the online publishing sphere. Newer freelancers ask to guest blog for bigger content companies and more established freelancers help the newbies get their own content rolling by writing for them. Much like the collaboration thing, guest blogging for one another can help you can your competitors expose your writing to broader audiences. For example, if you guest wrote for my blog, my readers would find you and if I guest blogged for you, your readers would find me. (And if you’re worried about oversaturation being a thing, don’t worry—it isn’t. Click here to read my blog post about it.

You reciprocate with one another. Touching on the guest blogging, collaboration, and knowledge comments I mentioned above, having a friend in your competitors allows you to reciprocate advice, knowledge, help, ideas, and friendship to one another. Being friends with your competition gives you someone to bounce ideas off of, share resources with, and lend an ear or advice to each other. I love being able to recommend my favorite industry resources or current faves to my writerly friends and fellow freelancers. Likewise, its fun to compare services, prices, and styles with other freelancers. I mean, just imagine if someone asked me for advice regarding rates and I had to tell them, “Well, I’d love to help, but you’re kinda my competition. We’re in the same line of work, you know. We’re both editors…so I’d better not.” Ugh, isn’t that just the worst? Total jerk move. You’re losing absolutely nothing by helping your competition out. You get the chance to throw someone a bone, so take it.

Monopoly money, player pieces, and dice. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood.

They can help you get jobs. One of the biggest complaints I hear from freelancers concerning their competition is that they will lose customers/clients to the competition. This one makes me laugh out loud because I can’t tell you how many clients have come to me straight from people I might have considered my competition—editors just like me. There’s enough work and enough clients to go around. If you’ve heard the saying, “Everyone and their mom is a writer,” then it makes sense that everyone and their mom will also need an editor.

I’ve had several clients referred my way by word of mouth from my fellow freelancers and it’s a great feeling knowing I have such an amazing network of colleagues to work with. And the thing is that, as a developmental editor with very specific genre preferences, I don’t want to edit every manuscript ever. My editing skills are best suited to certain types of fiction, so of course, I’m not going to edit a piece of medical writing. But, I know other freelancers who do edit that type of material. And they know they can always refer fiction clients my way in turn.

They love writing as much as you do. This goes without saying but this fact doesn’t just apply to writers. How cool is it to have friends that love the same things you do? This is what got me so exited about college, because I really enjoyed talking with my fellow writers in my English classes. I can’t talk to my dad about the gothic elements in Edgar Allen Poe’s “the Fall of House Usher,” or gush about the homoerotic elements in Walt Whitman’s poetry. But you know who I can nerd out about literature with? That’s right—my editor friend and mentor Kris! We go crazy for the oxford comma, coffee, and cats. We swap poems with each other and workshop them in our free time. She just gets me. And when I’m editing a particularly gnarly manuscript, I can vent to her about it. She not only understands my pain but sends me writing memes to cheer me up.

It teaches you good sportsmanship. You can’t get all the clients and you can’t edit all the manuscripts. This also applies to any other industry with competition, such as sales. Sure, there’s been instances when my fellow editor friends and I are going for the same client. So what do I do when I don’t get the client and my colleague does? I just cry and give up. It’s the end of the world. I might as well pack up shop and give up forever because I’ll never make another sale ever again. Woe is me! Yeah, right. I say, “Good for her/him” and remind myself to step up my own game for next time and move on. It’s really not the end of the world. Like I mentioned before, there’s plenty of work to go around. Don’t get hung up on the one or two or ten missed sales. There’s just as many clients for you.

You cheer each other on. Similar to the previous point, you can celebrate your competitions wins and be there for them during their losses. We’re all in the writing game together. As a team, (if we’re continuing with the sports metaphors) its important to surround ourselves with likeminded individuals who will be rooting for us. And it’s nice to be able to congratulate others on their wins as well. If there’s enough work to go around—and there is, I assure you—then we can all take part in enjoying the process together. I know how much work goes into promoting my own editing biz so its really great seeing my fellow freelancers land new clients. I get to congratulate them and I know they’ll do the same for me in return. It’s a give and take, and I’d have it no other way.

You give love and get love. It’s such a good feeling when I have people coming to me about resources, industry hacks, friends using my blog post to answer someone’s question about newsletter marketing, or readers thanking me for how helpful my freelancing basics blog post was. You remember that friend, Kris I mentioned earlier? She told me her mother read my short story, “The Sieka of Sahn’Jatar” and enjoyed it immensely. I beamed when she told me this. It’s also fun when she and my other writerly friends send me funny writing memes or jokes about grammar, saying “this reminded me of you,” or “I thought you might like this.” I like getting messages like that and I love being able to share that love with them as well.

And lastly, everyone could use another friend. If you’re seriously so worried that you’ll lose business to someone just because their in the same line of work as you, then I think you’ve got a bigger issue on your hands. I don’t know—maybe we just view the world differently, but personally, I want to make even more friends with people that do the same thing I do. It’s not putting me out, endangering my business, or negatively impacting me in anyway to make friends with my competition and I can only see it as a mutually beneficial relationship. And besides, to quote Lady Gaga, “my biggest enemy is me.” It’s true. You can worry all day about your business failing to the competition but the only person you’re truly hurting is yourself. Instead, see if you can befriend your competitors and make some friends along the way.

Challenge: Readers and fellow freelancers, I challenge you to make connections with your competition this week. Find three people in your field who do what you do and reach out to them. Just ask them how they’re doing. Break the ice. Talk. Communicate. Build connections. We got to check up on our fellow writers during these crazy times. And you never know—you might find a new writerly friend out of it!

And that’s it for my blog post on the importance of befriending your competition. What do you think about making friends with your competitors? Do you agree or disagree? Can you think of a time when you befriended your competition and it worked out in your favor? Tell me all about it in the comments below!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 9/25/20 Payton Hayes 9/25/20

Book Review: Wildefire Trilogy by Karsten Knight

It’s been on my to-be-read list for quite some time now, and I fear I might not have seriously picked it up if it weren’t for COVID-19. But I am SO glad that I did, because once I got into it, I couldn’t stop. I binged the series in less than a week and found myself highlighting passages because the writing was JUST.THAT.GOOD.

This is a spoiler-free review!

Hi readers and writerly friends! Below is my review of Wildfire Trilogy by Karsten Knight! Check out my other book reviews here!

*The Wildfire Trilogy* by Karsten Knight. Photo by Payton Hayes.

Wildfire By Karsten Knight

This book review starts with my first-ever book hunt in my Midwest City Dollar-Tree. I was shopping for some containers and noticed the store had an awful lot of books and many of them I’d either seen before, heard of the authors before, or the covers were just so gorgeous that I couldn’t help myself. I think I left the store with 20+ books. And guess what book just happened to be amidst all those tomes I scurried out of the store with? That’s right—the aforementioned Wildefire by Karsten Knight. I had no clue what this book was about. I’d never heard of the author or the title and the only reason I bought it was because the lovely cover sucked me in, and the punchy writing kept me hooked. It’s true, I totally judge books by the cover.

As per the Wildefire Goodreads page:

Every flame begins with a spark.
Blackwood Academy was supposed to be a fresh start for Ashline Wilde. A secluded boarding school deep in the heart of California’s redwood forests, three thousand miles from her old life—it sounded like the new beginning she needed after an act of unspeakable violence left a girl in her hometown dead. But Blackwood is far from the peaceful haven Ashline was searching for. Because terrifying, supernatural beasts roam the forests around campus. Because the murderer from Ashline’s hometown—her own sister—has followed her across the country. Because a group of reincarnated gods and goddesses has been mysteriously summoned to Blackwood...and Ashline’s one of them.
—Karsten Knight, Wildefire, Goodreads.com

I can confidently say, that if you enjoyed reading ANY of Rick Riordan’s mythological fiction, you would likely love this series. I would categorize it as a mythological thriller because it revolves around reincarnated gods and goddesses from all different kinds of mythologies including Norse, Greek, Roman, Polynesian, Japanese, Mayan, and Aztec, and it was an absolute page turner! Without spoiling, the YA fiction is centered around the main protagonist Ashline Wilde and her newfound friends at Blackwood Academy in Southern California. She and her friends find themselves face-to-face with some unsettling foes—the seemingly nefarious cloak, inky, black creatures with singular blue flames for eyes. They are all given unique quests to carry out as they familiarize themselves with their own newly realized god/goddess abilities and struggle to fit in with their mundane, human classmates. However, school life quickly becomes the least of their worries when Ashline’s treacherous older sister appears out of the blue, other gods force Ashline and her friends to go on the offensive, and schoolmates end up caught in the crossfire.

I of course, don’t want to give too much away because I implore you, dear readers, to please give this series a try. The pacing was fantastic (and kept me turning pages into the wee hours of the night), the characters were compelling as all-get-out, and the prose was simply exquisite.

I can only describe Wildefire by Karsten Knight, through the title—a ruthless wildfire that swept through me, a ravenous hunger to breathe, sleep, eat, and drink in the entire story until I’ve had my fill. Unfortunately, now that I’ve actually finished it, I can’t help but want more. This story was a whirlwind of romance, mythos, angst, and a deep desire to belong. It was a wild ride and I enjoyed every second of it.

Every one of the characters are carefully constructed. You can clearly tell that Knight took his time fleshing out each character from the names down to their personality traits and compelling developments over the course of the trilogy. Everything was intentional. At times, I saw myself in Ashline Wilde, and at others, she felt like my best friend—as if we’d known each other forever and I was just now embarking on this insane journey with her. Books that achieve this level of relatability in the character-reader relationship can hard to find. Each and every character is meaningful and when some of them leave the story, it comes like a punch to the gut.

If you need more reasons why I LOVED this series, I’ve left a few below:

The writing—duh! Fantastic, believable, well-written prose laced within an excellent premise that upsets me for the sheer fact that I had not come up with it first.
Compelling, relatable characters that make you swoon, cry, and grit your teeth.
Knight’s expert ability to weave and interweave plots within plots to create a constantly enthralling and complex storyline that is guaranteed to keep you turning pages.
The mythology. Like I said, if you enjoyed Percy Jackson or any of Rick Riordan’s prose, you would likely enjoy this series simply for the employment of many different kinds of mythologies. The mythos used in Karsten Knight’s Wildefire is well-researched and expertly infused within believable character development. It doesn’t seem forced at all and where creative license is used, it is minimal and justified.
While it’s a paranormal YA fiction, set (initially) against the backdrop of a boarding school, Knight’s take on centuries’ old mythology and paranormal romance is new, interesting, and refreshing.

But don’t just take my word on it. Read it for yourself here.

And that’s it for my spoiler-free review of Karsten Knight’s Wildefire trilogy. As promised, there’s a personal life update just below here, but I wanted to thank all of you who took the time to read this review. It honestly means the world to me. If you enjoyed this post, please consider signing up for my newsletter here! Tweet me or comment below if you decide to read this book and let me know what you thought of it!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 7/10/20 Payton Hayes 7/10/20

Utilizing the 9th-12th Grades. College Admissions Prep Throughout High School

This blog post will discuss what all you can do to prepare for college in high school so that you don’t end up in you senior year without a clue and application deadlines around the corner. I will go over how you can start preparing all the way in ninth grade and keep working towards college through to your senior year. This blog post is great for both parents who want their children to succeed and students with enough drive to take their education into their own hands. If you want to learn more about how to prepare for college throughout high school, keep reading!

Hi students, parents, readers, and writerly friends!

The last two times we spoke in Freelancing, we talked about college admissions essays and what YA Fiction gets wrong about college. This week, we’re continuing the discussion about college prep and when exactly you should be doing what to ensure you do the very best to get into the college of your dreams and stand a chance against the competition. This blog post does not go into detail about the college admissions essay, but I did write a post that deep dives into that, so click here to check it out.

Instead, this blog post will discuss what all you can do to prepare for college in high school so that you don’t end up in you senior year without a clue and application deadlines around the corner. I will go over how you can start preparing all the way in ninth grade and keep working towards college through to your senior year. This blog post is great for both parents who want their children to succeed and students with enough drive to take their education into their own hands. If you want to learn more about how to prepare for college throughout high school, keep reading!

Before we begin, you should know that colleges aren’t looking for superheroes; they’re looking for real, genuine, fantastic human beings. Honors, awards, and AP classes aren’t everything, but they certainly look great on your college application for sure. Colleges know that students can’t do everything, but that’s not the point. The college application is not a list of boxes to check and is not expecting perfection. Colleges want to know what you’re good at, what you like, what kind of great experiences you’ve had and what makes you, well, you. Of course you want to try and make the most of your high school experience but don’t burn yourself out and don’t strive for perfection. Instead look at it like this: you college application is a polished, positive representation of your academic career, your extracurricular activities and interests, and your notable experiences as a teenager. It’s as close to perfect as a snapshot into your life can get without being a full-blown resume.

Freshman and Sophomores will have a lot of foundational work, but Junior and Senior high school students will find they have the most work over all to do to prepare. The last two years of high school are the most intense by far—with classes wrapping up, final grades being posted, GPA’s being calculated, and deadlines approaching with each week, it can be hard to know when and where to start. First of all, there are three key things to remember: 1) it is never to early to start, 2) it is always a bad idea to wait until the last second, and 3) it is too early to worry. While college prep is important and academics should be taken seriously, don’t overstress yourself about the future. Remember, you are still a kid/teenager and you should get to experience high school while you can. By following these steps outlined in this post, you can effectively prepare over time instead of cramming everything into your senior year.

Freshman Year

What should you be doing to prepare for college in the ninth grade? This is actually quite simple. Have fun, experience high school, make memories, and get involved. Don’t start stressing just yet, because you’re likely in your early teens, you’re still figuring life out and there’s no reason you need to have your future all planned out just yet. So, deep breath—you’ve got nothing to worry about. Instead, join or start clubs at your high school. Get involved with group activities like sports, choir, band, or drama. Join the student council or National Junior Honor’s Society. Consider how school clubs and extracurricular activities can give back to the community and start working on knocking out some community service hours early.

Highschool students heading to school. Photo by Stanley Morales.

But make sure no matter how you get involved, to have fun. Likewise, if you’ve done activities in middle school that you enjoyed, then consider doing them in high school as well. If you decide you’re ready for something new, set aside those shoulderpads or that old dusty trombone and pick up something new. Life is all about experiences and colleges want to accept well-rounded individuals. Ninth grade is a great transition period and an opportunity to try things out, experiment with different hobbies, and to have fun all while learning more about yourself. Additionally, if you decide to try out an activity or club but decide it’s not for you, there’s no need to stick with it if its not a good fit.

On the other hand though, never let the activities get in the way of a stellar report card. I totally understand that eighth graders transitioning into ninth graders are put under a lot of stress. Most students are expected to carry a full course load, participate in all kinds of activites, take up a part-time job, learn to drive, all against the backdrop of the tumultuous experience of being a teenager. I get it. Years 12-18 can be a rough time even without all of the added stresses from school and work. Again, just take a deep breath and remember that good grades must always come first.

Of course you don’t have to do everything ever, but see what activities you can/would like to get involved with that you can also work around your schedule and workload that also leaves time for free time and self-care. Don’t just goof-off in your early high school years. One lesson I had to learn the hard was is that classes get increasingly more difficult as you progress through each grade. If you ace the easy, early classes, your GPA will fare far better in the long run. Start making your grades a priority now. Likewise, don’t wait until the last minute to remedy your struggling grades. If you’re having a tough time in any of your classes, seek help as soon as possible. The first place to get help with your studies is always your teacher. They are there to help you and will likely work with you one-on-one to help you get the material down. Ultimately, the success of your academic career is on you, and not your teachers. Show them you care and make an obvious effort they will help you succeed.

Students in class. Photo by Javier Trueba.

Sophomore Year

By your second year, you should have hit your stride in high school. Sophomores usually feel like they’ve got a pretty good grasp on the structure of high school, how to balance academics with activities, and many have a general idea of what is necessary to be successful in high school moving forward. Remember to drop any activities you find aren’t working for you and join any that you might like to get involved with. And of course, don’t forget to keep your grades on track. If you had a rough freshman year, then the stakes are higher for you in your sophomore year. But don’t panic, you still have time to turn your grades around and keep going on an upward trajectory.

With that being said, keep up the good work and continue making grades your number one priority. Now would even be a good time to ask if you are able to re-take any courses you received poor grades on, to try and correct your GPA early on, while there’s still time to do so. Additionally, consider enrolling for AP courses in your sophomore year. If freshman year was all about the newness of high school, experimenting, and transitioning, then sophomore year is about layering on the things you enjoy and giving yourself a bit of a challenge. It will vary student by student, but if your school offers AP classes, enrolling in a couple during your sophomore year is generally a good idea. Don’t go overboard with your first few AP classes. I’d say only take at maximum two AP classes if you’ve never taken an advanced class before. Consider meeting with a counselor and even with the AP professors to discuss what the workload will be like moving up from a regular to an Advanced Placement course.

Now, let’s talk about Sophomore-Junior Summer. You know, that sweet spot between the early years and the later years of high school, were you can start doing the heavy lifting and laying the foundation for successful junior and senior years. If you haven’t already, start getting involved with your community. Consider joining a debate team. Pick up a summer job. (If you can continue working though the school year then great, but look for something seasonal that can give you some great work/life experience.) Likewise, you can also apply to summer programs, internships and join summer camps for similar experience. And most importantly, start studying and practicing for the SAT’s and ACT’s. Students who find they are poor test-takers or even overachievers will find calm in getting a look at these standardized tests well in advance. Students begin taking these types of tests in their junior years, so preparing for them over the summer helps alleviate stress and will make their junior year go by much smoother.

Junior Year

Students, I hope you’re feeling a fire under your feet because things are really starting to heat up now. Junior year is one of, if not the most academically critical for your high school career and ultimately your college admission. During this year you will need to buckle down and do the most. While freshman and sophomore years were more about finding your groove and getting acquainted with high school, junior year is where the real magic happens. Junior year is where students start lining up all the dominos they’ll be knocking down come the college admission essay season during senior year. This year, you will want to be striving for the best possible grades in the most challenging classes. The majority of your course load should be AP courses and honors.

Additionally, you want to be strategic about the types of classes you take for AP or honors. Students who have even a tiny sliver of an idea of what they might want to do in or after college should consider taking AP classes that align with their strengths and interests. Typically subjects split between Science/Math and Art/Humanities and students will find themselves on either side of that split depending on where their strengths and interests lie. Don’t sign up for AP Chemistry just because everyone is taking that class or because it seems cool. AP Chemistry is hard, and there’s no reason to enroll in a blatantly rigorous class if it won’t make sense in the long run. However, if you think you might want to study Humanities in college, it might not hurt to take an AP World History course, because this will help you build some foundational knowledge that could come in handy later.

Now that the experimenting phases of freshman and sophomore year are over its time to start ramping up your extracurriculars to the next level. You know that saying, “Jack of all trades, master of none”? Well the same idea goes for hobbies and extracurricular activities as well. Trying new things is great, but now is the time to stop being a beginner and start adding more challenging, advanced activities to your plate. If you really enjoyed Drama I and Drama II in your freshman and sophomore years, consider continuing with Advanced Drama, Musical or Debate. Widen your skills and experiences but continue moving vertically rather than laterally. Consider getting involved with leadership opportunities. Sign up for bigger projects and roles within your school clubs. Continue getting involved with the community and building up your community service experience. Start clubs that might be missing (and needed) at your school. Likewise, now is the time to show off your abilities. If there are any competitions or contents, junior year is the grade to do so. Sign up and participate in art competitions or a mathalon.

Next, during your junior year, you are going to want to form close bonds with key teachers, counsellors, and mentors. Consider what you’d like to do in and after college and see which teachers fit into that picture. If you’re wanting to get into the publishing industry after college, consider talking to your creative writing teacher about any opportunities they might know of that you haven’t yet taken advantage of. Mentors in high school can be invaluable and you should not take their time, attention and expertise for granted. Likewise, forming strong bonds with teachers and mentors who know you, like you and have a good sense of your character can be critical when it comes time to collect letters of recommendation.

While these letters alone won’t guarantee acceptance into any school, they are amazing for giving colleges a second opinion on you and shedding more light on your character outside of your own admission essay and application. It is true that these letters can be the determining factor that pushes a school to accept you as opposed to another student with similar academic merit. As for the letters themselves, consider asking teachers and mentors to write them during the spring of Junior year. This way, they have time to dedicate adequate attention and energy to writing a glorious recommendation letter over the summer, instead of stressing about getting that done on top of finals and a whole litany of end-of-the-year tasks.

Additionally, during the spring of your junior year, you will want to take the SAT or the ACT for the first time. By now, you’ve have many classes under your belt and this first experience of these intense standardized tests will prepare you for what is to come in your senior year. Which one you decide to take will be up to you. Most colleges accept both, but the SAT is more widely used. However, once again, consider your strengths and weaknesses. The SAT is more English/Writing and Math skills, whereas the ACT focuses more on Science. The key to these types of tests is always studying and practice. Taking these tests way ahead of time, such as in the early spring of junior year, rather than waiting until the spring of senior year, allows you to have a baseline. A baseline is the first scores you get from these tests and will help you determine where your strongest and weakest subjects lie. It will help you get a feel for what you need to study more of and where you can work to improve your score.

Lastly—and this is completely optional—but if your schedule and financial situation permits, consider visiting the campuses of the schools you think you might like to attend. Sign up for campus tours, schedule meetings with advisors and check out the clubs and activities available to students at your potential universities.

During you’re the summer between your junior and senior years, you are going to need to start actually preparing for the transition from high school to college. You will want to start putting together college lists, doing your research on prospective schools, practicing, and preparing your Common App college application and essay and preparing for one of the single most stressful years of your academic life. But again, don’t panic. With a little (okay, maybe a lot) of preparation and planning, you can certainly pull this off.

Senior Year

It’s no secret that everyone’s senior year is an absolute whirlwind of activity, stress and college prep. Not to mention, students often start feeling burnout, or senioritis as many like to call it. However, it doesn’t have to be that way at all. Senior year should be exciting, fun, memorable and you shouldn’t let stress rob you of those wonderful experiences that come with your final year of high school.

Of course, you’ll have a lot going on this year, but make sure to keep your grades up. Being the last year of high school, you are likely facing your heaviest, most challenging workload and there’s no turning back and no time for slipups. Stay on your grades, get help early, keep everything on track. This is the most important task of your senior year. Your twelfth-year grades do matter. Schools will look at your final year grades and can base their decisions on whether or not you kept an upward trajectory or instead let your grades take a nosedive once senioritis started creeping in. Collect your letters of recommendation from your teachers and prepare everything you need for the applications.

The second most important task of your senior year is taking the SAT/ACT early and with enough times to get as close to your desired score as possible. If you took these tests in your junior year, then great! You already know what you’re in for and hopefully it will be easier this time around. If not, then absolutely take your tests on the first available test date in September. Don’t cut things any closer by waiting until November or December to get your baseline score. Study often and rigorously, take the tests early and at every opportunity you have, and strive for the best possible score.

The third most important task of your senior year is putting together everything you need for your college applications and admission essay. As mentioned previously, don’t wait until senior year to start planning your admission essay. I suggested working on it late in your junior year and during the summer between junior and senior year, but if you have the time and the drive to start working on it a bit earlier, that is fine too. Just make sure you’re following the correct prompt from the Common App or your desired school(s)’ essay prompt(s). As mentioned, at the start of this blog post, I won’t be going into the college admission essay process, but you can read all about it here. What you need to know for now, and within the context of this blog post, is that at the start of your senior year, you should start brainstorming and planning your admission essay so come application time, you will already have a fabulous piece of writing ready to submit with your applications.

Piggybacking of that idea, consider what schools, programs, and scholarships you will want to apply for. Scholarships have a surprisingly limited application window and they will creep up on you in October, September and even August of your senior year without so much as a whisper. Get the jump on these scholarships so you can at least make every effort possible to take advantage of these opportunities as early as you can.

Man pulling money out of his wallet. Photo by Karolina Grabowska.

On a slightly different and arguable more awkward topic, your senior year is the time to finally sit down and have the “Finances” chat with your parents. Some students will be privileged enough to have parents and family members willing and able to pay their way through college. Others will be expected to work for college or take out federal student loans to cover their studies. Students who fall below a certain income threshold may be able to receive financial aid from their academic institution via the FAFSA. Have a realistic conversation with your parents and outline a plan of action for covering all potential college expenses. Narrowing down which schools fall within your family’s budget will help you determine which schools you might want to apply for. On the same note, discuss with your family how you will pay for application fees in December.

There is so much to do in your senior year, you want to try and get everything lined up during the summer. You want to know what schools you want to apply for early, so you can know when their application deadlines are, how much the applications cost, and devise a strategy with your parents. Many students face the stress of waiting until their senior year to do everything all at once. This results in missed deadlines, failing grades, sloppy workmanship, and ultimately burnout during one of the most memorable years of students’ lives. Plan ahead of time and put in the effort. Most of the work that goes into being as prepared as possible for college is doing research and planning ahead.

And that’s it for my 9th-12th grade college prep guide. What do you think about preparing for college throughout high school? Were you an early bird or a procrastinator? What would you do different about your college prep experience? Let me know in the comments below!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 7/10/20 Payton Hayes 7/10/20

5 Unpopular Bookish Opinions

Hi readers and writerly friends!

This week in Bookish Things, we’re getting spicy again with some unpopular bookish opinions. So buckle up, grab the pop corn, and lets get into it because I’m not holding back! (Don’t worry, no book burning here, but perhaps heretic burning…🔥)

1. The Divergent Series.

(Whoa, whoa, whoa. I see you, angry mob. Yes you, with the torches and pitchforks. Lay your siege weapons down, for just a moment and allow me to share my thoughts before you burn me at the stake.) 🔥

To bee completely fair, I didn’t ready the Divergent Series, but that’s just the issue. I started Veronica Roth’s dystopian science fiction back in 2015 but it didn’t take long before I had to put the book down and call it quits. To give the series the benefit of the doubt, I will say that maybe I didn’t give it a fair shot by prematurely re-shelving my copies before reading the entire series. However, while the action-packed writing and brilliant premise had potential, the execution just wasn’t there.

I couldn’t help but agree with Goodreads user, Wigs, when he said:

“I’ve read that she did write it in a month. Whether it’s true or not, I'd certainly believe it in a heartbeat. The whole thing is rushed and just…completely nonsensical and full of trope after trope. It seemed to me that there was little effort put into analyzing the world and zero research done for it, which is a reminder to any of us who are writers to always have a reason for something, and not just because it “sounds cool.” This book is a treasure trove of COOL PEOPLE tropes and activities. Which doesn’t seem to work on me as I really can’t stand that breed of thrill-seeking people who’d rather risk their life doing stupid shit instead of… you know, not. So what is supposed to be super awesomely cool people just, to me, looked like a band of idiots.”

You can read more from his two-star review here.

2. Dystopic Science Fiction

Okay, if my thoughts on The Divergent Series didn’t get me crucified, then these next sentiments surely will. 🔥Perhaps my disdain for the Dystopic Science Fiction genre is what led me to have such sour view for Roth’s trilogy, but I’m not letting her off the hook just because the genre wasn’t “for me”. I think you can read books that fall outside of your preferred genres and still enjoy them. Unfortunately, for this genre, I think it was just a little too mainstream. Dystopic fiction was so overplayed between 2008-2020 that if someone so much as utters “dystopic,” “dystopia” or “apocalyptic” within my general vicinity, I will readily keel over right now. (But don’t tell my partner—I think that’s his favorite genre.😂) To be perfectly fair though, I was a Maximum Ride stan from 2013-2017 and I would say James Patterson’s avian-kid series is all but dystopic science fiction…so what do I know?🔥

3. The Dark and Brooding Male Character

Ahem, let me just get this out of the way first:

PATCH CIPRIANO IS THE ONLY EXCEPTION HERE.🔥

Okay, now that we got that taken care of, let the unapologetic tirade begin. The dark and brooding, angsty love interest (or just this character in general) is SO OVERPLAYED. I could go on all day about dystopic fanfiction being overdone, but don’t even get me started on this character trope. It seems like almost every YA fiction ever has this character and I would hazard a guess that a good nine out of ten of these YA novels use this trope as the love interest of the main character, whether it be sooner or later in the story.

Now don’t get me wrong—I love me a good tall, dark, and handsome love interest. But the angsty teen guy with the dark hair and seemingly just as dark past (most of them are younger than 21 anyways so what’s so dark about your past? Go play some Fortnite and get over yourselves.) is nearly ubiquitous with YA fiction that has any shred of romance. From the moody Heathcliff of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights to today’s Damon Salvatore of L.J. Smith’s Vampire Diaries, the brooding bad-boy is an overused trope that plagues the classics as well as modern fiction.

However, loosely related to the rant above, I found a fascinating article from the Telegraph about where this character trope stems from any why so many female readers gravitate towards stories with bad boys. You can read it here.

4. Hardbacks Versus Paperbacks

While not quite as flamboyantly controversial as my previous unpopular opinions as mentioned above, how could I forget the ages-old argument over which boom format is superior: Hardback or Paperback? I personally prefer paperbacks. I know, I know. I hear you. But all of the reasons that make hardcovers so appealing to most everyone else, make them repulsive to me. (Okay, maybe not repulsive, per se.) 🔥

Pros of Hardcover books:

Durable, hardcovers that protect the pages within and provide ample structural support.
Beautiful dust jackets that are required to protect those durable hard covers.
Heavy and hard in the hand. (We’re not even going to go there.)

Cons of hardcover books:

Hard covers don’t bend well due to the nature of the books. I personally like to bend my books and break their spines. (And while we’re at it, I dogear my pages too. You guys really are coming to take me away now, I can feel it in your rhythmic marching outside. Just make sure to bring coffee!)
Annoying dust jackets that I almost always end up removing and throwing out. (Need I say more?)
Paperbacks tend to be lighter and more comfortable to hold, generally speaking. Additionally, they usually have a matte finish which feels really nice to the touch. (Still not going there.)

Of course, all of this pretty much comes down to preference. I don’t think one book format is superior to the other, and there certainly are benefits to each format. Let us not forget the unmatched portability of kindle and audiobooks. But I personally prefer paperbacks.

5. Buying New Books Versus Used

Piggybacking slightly on the topic of physical books rather than the literature itself, I’d like to take a second to criticize all of the bookish youtubers and instagrammers buying new rather than used/preowned books. Similar to the previous list item of hardbacks versus paperbacks, it obviously comes down to preference. Many people out there simply prefer to go for elegant box sets, or matching book sets, but between all of the pristine white #shelfies and bookshelf tours out there, I can’t help but feel like many bookshelves just look a little too perfect. Ya feel? Like, yes, I totally understand wanting a nice Lord of the Rings box set, or a fancy Shadowhunter Chronicles set, but I’m not going to lie, I feel pretty high and mighty with my bookshelf of Dollar Tree and thrift store steals. (I didn’t really steal them, its just an expr—you know what, forget it.) 😈

So, what did you think of these 5 unpopular bookish opinions of mine? Do you agree? Do you disagree? Are you coming for me with a flaming torch or pitchfork? Tell me your thoughts in the comments!

—Payton

Payton Hayes 7/10/20 Payton Hayes 7/10/20

Fun Bookish Things to do at Home

Hi readers and writerly friends!

With everyone trapped at home and most fun activities deemed off-limits due to the pandemic and concern for public health, many people are going stir crazy. Not to worry, though! Us introverted book nerds have been waiting our entire lives for this moment. Oh to be locked indoors for weeks on end and amidst a sea of books to lose myself in…

Okay, that was nice about three months ago. I think even the most reclusive readers are starting to itch for even a little sunlight and the mildest social interaction. Okay, maybe things aren’t that bad here in Oklahoma. In any case, I can’t help but feel like its about time to set the books down and get into some bookish activities instead.

Attend a Virtual Book Event

virtual-con-penguin-random-house.jpg.optimal.jpg — Penguin Random House Virtual Book Convention Poster

If you’ve been around for a minute, then you might know that I am a big of a gamer *blush*. I prefer to play Blizzard games like World of Warcraft and Hearthstone. Now, you’re thinking, what does this have to do with books? Well, let me tell you, every year Blizzard puts on Blizzcon—a fun, fantastical nerd convention based around all the games Blizzard fans love. Too bad this year, it was completely canceled due to the pandemic. A lot of events were canceled due to the pandemic. But one this Blizzard has ALWAYS done is put on a virtual Blizzcon for the millions of fans who are unable to make it out to California for the 3-day convention. Much like Blizzard, many other bookish conventions have converted their conventions to online format for the safety and accessibility of their convention patrons.

Virtual book events come in many forms—it could be a book festival, book launch party, book reading, or even just a virtual gathering of virtual book lovers. Book events are fun ways to interact with fellow bookish people and authors. Although its because of terrible circumstances, many book events have been moved online, thus making such events more accessible to folks from all over the world. I hope once the pandemic is all over, convention planners can continue to find ways to keep events accessible.

Authors are also moving their book launches online and it’s a great way to gain access to your favorite authors and celebrate their launches with them. If your favorite author is publishing a book, check to see if they’re having an online launch party. Many publishing houses and organizations are coming together to create immersive virtual events to connect book lovers from all over the world. . And authors, this is a fantastic way to get closer to your readers and build meaningful connections with them while staying safe. Amy Landino, author of Vlog Like A Boss and Good Morning Good Life (Check out my in-depth book review here) had an in-person and online launch party, just before the pandemic started complete with a countdown timer and champagne. Author Alexa Donne, of Brightly Burning, and The Stars We Steal, has put on (and continues to put on) 1st page critique live streams on her YouTube Channel for her readers and aspiring writers. These are great ways to stay connected with your reader base and for readers to better get to know and engage with their favorite authors.

Here are some online book events you can join:

Author Kelly Yang’s writing workshops for teens on Instagram (July 1st and 3rd)
Books Connect Us Live, hosted by Penguin Random House Ongoing (Previous events videos are available.)
Lauren Jackson and Christina Orlando spotlighting sci-fi and fantasy media on Instagram (every Thursday.)
LeVar Burton goes live on Twitter to read books (every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.)
Middle Ground Book Fest (August 1st)
Virtual Thrillerfest 2020 (July 7-11)
Worldcon New Zealand (July 29-August 2)

You can find more book events in this list on Netgalley and this one on Book Riot.

Watch film adaptations of your favorite books.

Another bookish activity you can do within the safety of your own home is watching book-to-movie adaptations. While it’s true, most books are better than their on-screen counterparts, sometimes it can be fun and refreshing to see your favorite characters and stories come to live on the screen. You can watch the classics, rewatch your old favorites and check out the recent adaptations as well.

Here are some that I’m currently watching/planning to watch:

Pride and Prejudice (anyone else out there still need to watch this whirlwind romantic classis at least once a year?)
Heart of Darkness (Yes, another classic, but since I just read the book in one of my classes, I thought it might be fun to see how the movie adaptation compares)
Silence of the Lambs (I’m saving this one for spooky season!)
The Shining (I’ve never seen this adaptation, and I think its time to give it a go, once fall rolls around!)
Wuthering Heights (okay, so I’m into the classics, what gives? 😂)

Jenn from The Bibliofile compiled a list of book to film adaptations coming out this year.

Join a virtual book club.

I actually started a virtual book club with my guildies from WoW! If you’re looking for some bookish company while you’re stuck at home, joining a book club is a great way to go! You can chat about books with other members through Discord, Skype, Twitter, and Zoom! (We prefer to use Discord, but you can use just about any social media service to stay in touch with bookish friends!)

Here’s a screenie from my guild’s book club channel in Discord! I blocked out names and profile pictures for the privacy of my friends, but you get the idea! Our first book we’ll be reading is Shadows Rising by Madeline Roux, just in time for the Shadowlands expansion release in October 2020. 📚

Here’s a list of virtual book club lists from Time, the New York Times, Hugo House and The Nerd Daily:

Create a book journal/scrapbook.

Over the years, journaling has grown in popularity and for many is a relaxing and cathartic exercise. A book journal is a great place for you to scribble down all of your bookish thoughts, favorite quotes, bookish pet peeves, favorite authors, book lists, mini reviews, reading trackers, and any other bookish musings. It’s you own little bookish corner, so just have fun with it!

The creative possibilities are endless here. You can create one from scratch with any notebook or use free printables available online! It doesn’t have to be elaborate or fancy ad long as it works for you! Etsy is a great place to find beautiful reading journals.

If you need some inspiration or help starting a bookish journal, here are a few useful links:

Start a Bookish Youtube Channel.

Maybe all this extra time indoors is just the push you need to get you started with your new book-related hobby—making videos for your Bookish Youtube channel! If you’re anything like me, you hate being on camera, but don’t let that stop you from chatting about the books and authors you love. You can talk about books, do book reviews, record reading vlogs, do bookshelf tours, and tons of other fun, bookish activities for your internet friends to see. You can use a phone or laptop camera to record and free video editors such as Windows Movie Maker or DaVinci Resolve to edit the video. Audio editors such as Audacity work great as well, if needed. You can check out more of my favorite free content creation resources in my online course, How to Create A Stunning and Highly Marketable Website.)

Read an interactive novel.

Take your book adventures to the next level by reading an interactive novel or chose your own story book. Interactive books allow you to engage with the story in ways that regular books just can’t. They allow you to steer the plot in different directions and towards several possible endings. Check out Bustle’s list of interactive books for adults.

51YZqcYX+iL._SL250_.jpg — *You Are A Cat!* by Sherwin Tjia.

*Lost In Austen* by Emma Campbell Webster.

8a980dd3-cb43-490b-b5f4-cb11eeb2aa44-to-be-not-to-be-7.jpg — *To Be or Not To Be* by Ryan North.

I remember how I got into the Starcrossed trilogy by Josephine Angelini by playing through an interactive novel on Figment when it was still around. In the book, Helen wakes up night after night of being trapped in a maze. The interactive novel on the Figment website consisted of readers making their way through the maze. It was so interesting and engaging and certainly brought my reading experience to the next level. R.I.P. Figment. 😭

Match books with objects or create outfits based on your favorite book characters.

If you’re on book twitter or Bookstagram, you might have come across the #booksasoutfits trend where people match their clothes with books. It’s a fun way to play around with color schemes and dress up since most of us are stuck indoors lately. You can match books with anything, and you don’t have to share it online—just have fun with it! Likewise, you can dress up as your favorite character and see how you can bring their fictional styles to life with your own wardrobe.

Lauren Kiss’s YA book cover-inspired outfits.

Many bookish YouTubers have made videos following this trend. Lauren Kiss made one called “YA Books as Outfits.”

Create some awesome book art

This might be easier said than done if you don’t consider yourself artistic at all. But this is supposed to be fun so just dive in and don’t think about it! Book art can be almost anything—doodling in the margins of books, creating bookmarks, drawing your favorite characters, or making jewelry inspired by characters and elements in your favorite books.

It’s safe to say there’s something for everyone in the artsy/bookish world. You can paint the edges of your book’s pages to add in some colors and vibrancy. Or you can take an old book and make found poems out of the already-constructed sentences inside. You can make some amazing book sculptures with folded book art! If you’re into baking, you can make book-inspired cupcakes or try making a 3-tier cake inspired by your favorite trilogy. This totally counts as book art and it’s a yummy win-win!

This beautiful lakeside #wtj painting was done by @thepinkdoodler on Instagram. Check out the book-paintings all the artsy/bookish people are doing on Instagram with #wtj (stands for Wreck this Journal, created by @emma.wtj and friends.)

These lovely watercolor book paintings are were done by @rabiosa.art on Instagram. She says books hold up surprisingsletter-for-updatesly against watercolor. And the words make a lovely texture/pattern in the backdrop of any sheer watercolor painting. Likewise, she finds poems between the lines and couples them with her paintings which is such a fun idea! So, next time you want to bring some life to an old book, consider finding poems in the existing writing or making a beautiful landscape over the words.

And that’s it for my list of fun bookish things to do at home! These are just some of the things you can do, so if you think of some, comment below and let me know! I hope you enjoy this post and hopefully it gave you some ideas about how to spice up your reading life. What bookish things do you do at home? Thanks for reading! And if you liked this post, consider signing up for my newsletter for more bookish and writerly content.

Thumbnail photo by Lacie Slezak.

—Payton

Payton Hayes 6/19/20 Payton Hayes 6/19/20

College Admissions Essay Basics

Hi students, readers and writerly friends!

Student taking notes. Photo by Green Chameleon.

While it’s not exactly freelancing advice, I thought with the craziness of the pandemic and school right around the corner, many graduating high-school students could benefit from some help with writing their college admissions essays. This blog post is dedicated to giving you all of the basics for writing an amazing college admission essay that will help you demonstrate your skills in communication and offer up a unique perspective on a little slice of your life that just doesn’t show up in your academic records.

What Is An Admissions Essay?

A college admissions essay is well—yes, it’s an essay, but it’s so much more than that. It’s an opportunity to give the college a glimpse into your life and your character. It’s a chance for you to expand upon your abilities both as a student, colleague, and ultimately a contributing member of society. If college is your extended education—the toolbox that contains everything you need to be successful as a professional adult (of course without the guarantee that you’ll get a job right out of the gate, but I digress) then your admissions letter is the big, bright red sticker on your shirt that says “Hello my name is—PICK ME!”

Colleges want to see you succeed, but just as much as your time and money is an investment in you, their time and money is an investment in you, even if they’re making a profit. By accepting you, the college is making a bet and taking a risk that you’ll be worth it. And an admission essay is the opportunity to show them all the benefits of their investment—all of the wonderful parts of your character that will come together to make you an ideal student.

What Makes A Good Admissions Essay?

I always say a good admissions essay is like a good memoir—it has just the right amount of self-pride, self-awareness, and a captivating narrative to tie it all together. Bold as it was, my admission essay was about writing. (I know, how meta.) Like I said, it was a bold move, because I knew the colleges I applied for (and got accepted to) were going to be keenly aware of my writing and communication abilities while comparing it to the subject matter of the essay itself. It was a risky move, but I came up with a formula that really worked for me and I’m going to share it with you.

Open Versus Closed Prompts

Given that the essay is a free-write or open prompt, you can really write about anything. Many schools offer this as an option now, in case you’d prefer not to write using one of their offered prompts. However, even if the college you’re applying to has a specific prompt, such as “Write about a time when you were challenged to do the right thing, even if it wasn’t the popular thing” you can still take it in a multitude of different directions. Do your research and determine whether or not your school(s) require you to write using a specific prompt.

Word Count and Formatting Requirements.

Similar to the prompt idea, you want to know what the word minimum and maximum for your school(s) admissions essay so you can get a better understanding of how much writing you will need to do and have a goal in mind to shoot for while you’re outlining your essay. Typically, an average college admissions essay will require no less than 650 words, but schools can vary, so it is always important to double-check the requirements for your school’s essay. Don’t worry about the word count during the drafting phase, though. Just write your heart out until you’re finished and then edit after.

Additionally, you want to make sure your essay is formatted properly according to your school(s)’ requirements. Most schools require their essays to follow MLA format, unless they have their own instructions or allow you to paste your essay into a text box on the application. Just make sure you understand what your school is asking of you before you go to submit your paper.

I linked a helpful webpage from Purdue University on how to properly format an APA/MLA style essay at the end of this post.

Write With Intention. Every Word Counts.

Of course, regardless of the word count minimum or maximum, you want to use your time and space to write wisely. You want to be intentional about every word, every sentence, and every thought present in your paper. The idea is to avoid coming across as an incoherent, rambling mess, because you didn’t take the time to ensure your writing was elegant, succinct, and carefully thought out.

Brainstorming Your Prompt.

Touching again on the prompt section, if you’re writing with an open prompt, you will need to do some brainstorming to figure out what you want to write about in your essay. We will talk more about this later, but essentially, you’re going to need to come up with some broad ideas of what you want to include in your essay. This will help you narrow down ideas for your narrative later on. The biggest piece of advice to remember about your essay is that you want it to reflect positively on you and your character.

Don’t Misinterpret The Prompt or Portray Yourself Negatively.

Some prompts are trick questions, plain and simple. As mentioned above, you want to come across in the best way possible, so the idea is not to highlight your failures and mistakes. Even when some prompts ask you to do just that. One example of a trick prompt is the “Failure” prompt. This prompt might present itself like this:

“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

This prompt is not asking you to write about failure—well, they are, but they’re asking you to explain how you interpret your failure and turn it into success. This is a fantastic prompt for showcasing your character and demonstrating how you’ve overcome obstacles. Think back to a positive outcome you’ve had as a result of making good choices in a tough situation.

Entertain Your Admissions Officer.

This is easier said than done, I get that. Of course, you want to avoid cliché topics such as why you want to be a doctor because you want to make the world a better place, but they’ve probably heard this story a million times. Consider how you can personalize your story and make it unique and interesting to you.

Prepare Well Ahead of Time.

Don’t wait until the last minute to write, edit, re-write, peer-review, and mail/email your admissions essay. This will haunt you. Start working on your essay way in advance so you have plenty of time to make it the best version it can be prior to turning in. Highschool students: it’s not a bad idea to get a head start on your essay a grade or two in advance. Likewise, prepare your applications in advance. Students always have so much going on during their senior year that its hard to find time to prepare their essays with time to spare. And admissions officers can tell when you’ve waited until a month before applications and essays are due. Typically the work seems rushed, incoherent, incohesive, and generally is poorly thrown together due to ridiculous, procrastination-born, self-imposed time constraints. Starting the process early will save you a lot of headache and take off the pressure. Don’t let these important academic tasks get away from you.

People discussing ideas in a workspace. Photo by Headway.

Get Feedback.

Share your essay with a wide variety of people—from those who know you well, to fellow students and colleagues, to teachers, to strangers. People who really know you well will be the best to get feedback from that reflects your character. Close friends and family will be able to tell you whether or not your essay accurately and positively reflects you as a person. However, they will likely tell you your writing is great and that is not constructive. For constructive criticism on the quality of the writing and the ability to keep the reader entertained, consider asking a stranger to review your essay for you and give you their honest opinions. For formatting, aesthetic, and technical help, as your teachers, advisors, and school counselors for help. If you really want to ensure you’ve got a great essay on your hands, consider hiring an editor to help you polish your writing. Remember to get many opinion on your essay and never take any one person’s opinion as the end-all-be-all. Additionally, most schools offer essay workshops to help you prepare for the daunting college admission essay. (Be wary sharing your essay with your peers who might be applying to the same school(s) as you. Competition in college admissions is a very real concern.)

Writing The Essay

Step 1. Establish your narrative.

First of all, why do you want to go to college? What will you be studying? What kind of experiences do you hope to get out of your time in college? Consider these questions because they will be useful in figuring our what kind of narrative you will want to use as a vehicle to drive your essay forward in a consistent, cohesive manner. However, your essay doesn’t need a thesis. Many English teachers will try to get you to follow MLA essay format, when that might not always make sense for your essay and your voice. What your essay does need, is structure.

For example, if I wanted to be a professional basketball player, I might want to think back to a time in my life when I first discovered my love of basketball. I might consider using a story of getting picked to play on the basket ball in kindergarten or when my dad lifted me up on to his shoulders to I could make the slam dunk as a 6 year old and how it changed my life. Really dig deep here. Find a story represents your hopes and dreams while also embodying what you’re hoping to get out of college. This might seem like a big ask, and that’s because it is. Maybe you don’t quite have a story that checks all the boxes. That’s okay. You can manufacture some details here and there. Just find a story that feels true to you and go with it.

Next, figure out how you’re going to string the essay together. Like I mentioned before, the key to a great essay is the right amount of self-awareness, self-pride, and the narrative. The narrative acts as the glue for your story. It would be really hard to make a cohesive, entertaining, and compelling essay about yourself without something to connect all of the subject matter together.

Step 2. Identify your self-pride.

Of course you don’t want to come off full-of yourself or disconnected from reality, so only include what is necessary here, and do it in the most objective way possible. If you’ve ever written a resume, then you might know that its useful to include a list of skills or tasks you are proficient at, so long as they are relevant to the job you’re applying for. The same goes for a college admissions essay. You wouldn’t talk about your trendy fashion sense if doesn’t somehow fit into your dream of being a pro basketball player, unless the two worlds overlapped in a way that made sense and fits within the scope of the essay—such as, if your love of basketball heavily influenced your fashion sense so much that you like to wear basketball shorts and heels to school. (Okay, maybe the example is getting away from me, but you get what I’m saying) It doesn’t exactly have to fit neatly within the narrative, but your self-pride has to make sense.

Step 3. Identify your self-awareness.

Similar to the self-pride element mentioned above—you should highlight your strengths. However, for this step, you want to be aware of your weaknesses. Consider any times that your weaknesses, both physically, mentally, or emotionally may have made things difficult for you in a way that fits into the narrative. Is there a time when your weaknesses challenged you to grow or revert back to your comfort zone? How did you react? How did you feel in that moment? How did it change you and teach you after you came out on the other side? How would you do things differently?

The thing about college admissions essays is that the college isn’t looking for someone who is perfect. Many essays come across as disconnected, narcissistic, and unrealistic because students write themselves into a perfect person when perfection just doesn’t exist. Colleges are looking for someone who is open-minded, willing to learn, has a thirst for knowledge, and will chase their dreams. So demonstrate these positive character traits and show how you’ve grown from your mistakes. The object here is not to highlight your mistakes but rather how they’ve shaped you into the amazing person you are today—the one deserving of an acceptance letter from your preferred college or university.

Women working on a laptop. Photo by Surface.

You don’t need a professional to help with your essay.

I would say most students don’t need to seek out the aid of a professional essay consultant to achieve the essay of their dreams. If you follow these tips and put in the work, there’s no reason your essay can’t come out amazing. The only students I would advise to seek professional help are the ones who a) can afford to pay a professional and b) are just really struggling with the essay process.

Helpful Links

I didn’t want to spend too much time on these, but I’ve included a list of helpful links. These can be great communities for bouncing ideas off of, getting feedback, and understanding the admission process a bit more. However, I encourage you to take the information you find on these websites with a grain of salt.

Of course, these are all just my personal tips and tricks from my own admission essay experience, from my friends and family, and from seeing students online who have both aced and tanked their admissions essays. I hope you found this blog post helpful! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Thumbnail photo by Keira Burton.

—Payton

Payton Hayes 6/19/20 Payton Hayes 6/19/20

Yoga For Writers: A 30-Minute Routine To Do Between Writing Sessions

Hello readers and writerly friends!

This week in Reader Life, we’re taking it back to the basics—mindfulness, intention, and self-love. The writing process can be tough sometimes. We often get so into our writing that we forget to step back and take care of ourselves. With NaNoWriMo just around the corner, I thought this would be a great time to step out of my usual writing advice avenue and help you remember to show yourself some love. Whether you’re stuck at a desk 9-5 reading or writing, this yoga routine designed for writers will help you get back to your center, get out of your own head, and relax while also waking up all those sedentary muscles.

And lets be honest, after writing an blog post about yoga it makes me want to get back into my own practice. Back in 2017 I was in the best shape of my life with my daily yoga routine and I know I need to come back to the mat. I love yoga—I always feel so energetic yet relaxed after even a brief session. It is a distinctly renewed feeling you get from yoga, that you just can’t find in any other physical practice. I always feel relaxed and less stressed, energized and clear of mind after my yoga routine and this is great headspace to be in for writing.

Many people will argue they can’t do yoga because “I just can’t get into it” or they’re “not flexible enough!” It’s all about the journey—the baby steps. You can’t be come completely fluid overnight and just the same, yoga isn’t for people who are flexible already, it’s for people who are wanting to become flexible. Likewise, it will require a bit of concentration, perseverance, and time to get into yoga seriously. I remember when I first got into it and I just felt so silly doing yoga by myself in my tiny bedroom at home. It was quite hard to take it seriously and not get in my head about it. You just have to remind yourself that this is for your mental and emotion health and your writing as much as it is for your own physical health and stick with it!

This yoga routine is tailor-made for writers and readers chained to the desk for ours on end each day. It focuses on the shoulders, neck, and back, which tend to be problem areas for us writers. All of the movements in this simple, 30-minute routine are beginner-level. No human-pretzeling necessary! Once you have done this quick little mindful routine a handful of times, it quickly becomes a nice little break between writing sessions.

Before we get into our own flow, lets go over a few of the yoga basics for anyone here that is new to the yoga practice.

Movements—Yoga is all about slow, smooth, controlled movements. There is no need to rush. Take the time to linger in movements that feel good to you and ultimately listen to your body.

Breathing—One of the key elements of yoga is the breathing. And in fact, this is the part I struggled with the most because I kept thinking “ugh, why do I need to worry about breathing. It’s not like I’m going to forget how to do it.” But breathing is integral to the practice and if you can put those nagging, unhelpful thoughts aside, you might see how good it feels to do some mindful breathing. You want to take slow, deep breaths. Focus on your breath and be aware of how it feels to let your lungs fully fill with air as you inhale and fully empty as you exhale. Briefly hold your breath and let it linger in your chest and imagine your oxygen-rich breath being pushed gently to all of your muscles. In yoga, the biggest part to remember about breathing is to inhale when you move into a pose and to exhale as you move out of that pose. You should take it slow at first but with time, you will become more fluid with it.

Body and Mind Awareness—Of course this directly ties into the movements and breathing elements of yoga, but its important that you empty your thoughts and try to keep a clear, focused mind while working on your practice. Focus on your breath, your movements, and try to think positive thoughts. When you find yourself going down the rabbit hole of divergent thoughts (don’t worry it happens to all of us) take a moment to breathe deeply and re-center yourself. If you’re struggling to take the yoga practice seriously, just say to yourself, “This is a special time I carved out for myself so I can remember to practice mindfulness, self-care and love.” Nagging thoughts will have a hard time arguing with that, trust me. This is a time to meditate and relax, so shut out all of your worries, responsibilities and stresses of daily life.

Equipment—This is optional and it all comes down to preference. You’re welcome to use a yoga mat if you like, but you can also use a towel or blanket if you don’t have a mat. If you’ve got a fluffy carpeted area, that will work too. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and keep some water handy in case you get thirsty during your flow. (No worries, we won’t be doing any serious exertion here.) Additionally, you can put on some nature sounds or soft instrumental music in the background. Candles and soft lighting goes great with yoga as well!

Now that we covered all of the basics, are you ready? Let’s get started!

All poses mentioned in this blog post are accompanied by links that further explain how to execute the pose perfectly without strain or injury. Just remember to take it slow. Yoga should never hurt, so be aware of how you feel during the practice and take it one step at a time.

Section 1: Meditation and Neck

To begin, come to the mat and sit with your back straight and legs crossed or tucked underneath you, whichever feels most comfortable. Place your hands gently on your knees and close your eyes in Meditation Pose. Remember to have a good posture, but relax and try to clear your mind, focusing on your breath and becoming aware of your body. Hold this post for about 30 breaths (1 inhale + 1 exhale = 1 breath). Conclude this with a long, Lion’s Breath and proceed with the rest of the routine.

Next, lets work on loosening the neck and shoulders. Do the following steps, while remembering to take deep breaths and move slowly:

1. Roll your shoulders forward eight times and then back eight times.

2. Roll your head in gentle circles five times to the right and then five times to the left. Look gently to the right, as far as you can and roll your head down and to the left. Do this five times and then repeat, switching sides.

3.Bring your chin down to your chest as far as you can, lowering your shoulders gently. You should feel a deep, refreshing stretch curving up your spine and down the sides of your neck. Hold this stretch for three to five breaths. If you like, you can gently massage your temples or just behind your ears. Repeat.

4. Next, stretch you neck to the left and right and hold each stretch for several breaths. You can add a gentle pressure to your head by placing your palm to your cheek and pressing slightly. You should not feel any strain here but popping in the spine and neck joints is normal.

5. Bring your hands together behind you and gently press them outward, as much as you can without straining or pulling too hard. Draw your shoulder blades together in a nice, gentle squeeze. Hold this for three to five breaths. Release and return to your meditation pose.

6. Shake it out! (Gently!) Move your neck and shoulders in whatever way feels nice. Gently shake our your hands give your shoulders a little shimmy.

Section 2: Back and Shoulders

Now that your neck is nice and loosened up, lets continue on to the rest of the poses, with more focus on the back and shoulders. Remember to take these movements slowly and breathe deeply as you go. Inhale as you move into a pose and exhale as you move out of the pose. Hold each pose for four to eight breaths or longer if you like.

1. Start this sequence in a Seated Twist. You will likely feel a gentle, warm stretch in your side and legs here, and again popping in joints is normal. Repeat twice on each side.

2. Bring your legs under you and transition into Cat Cow pose. Repeat four to six times. For this pose, simply move with your breaths—no need to hold either part of the pose for any extended period of time. Just inhale and curve the spine gently up towards the sky, then on your exhale, push the air out slowly as you bring the belly down and curve the tail and head upwards.

3. Tuck your feet under you, bring the tailbone backwards and sink softly into Child’s Pose. Stretch your arms out past your head and let your forehead kiss the mat. Hold this pose for a few breaths.

4. Raise up on your hands and knees again back into Cat Cow and repeat four to six times.

5. Return to Child’s Pose.

6. Once in Child’s Pose, bring your arms around and clasp them behind you, facing them upward in Seal Pose. Hold this for a couple of breaths then return to Child’s Pose for a few more breaths.

7. From Child’s Pose, use your hands and knees to transition to Sphinx Pose. Rest gently on your elbows and point your toes out behind you. Keep your neck and shoulders low and unhunched and face forward. Remember to smile for yourself.

8. Next, push yourself up into Cobra Pose. Remember to breathe here. If this pose is too challenging return to Sphinx Pose and take a few breaths. If you are able to, hold Cobra Pose for two breaths.

9. Lower yourself back down to Sphinx Pose and slowly curl back into Child’s Pose. Then bring your torso down to the earth and Thread The Needle on both sides. Rest softly on your head and shoulder’s her and don’t smash them into the mat. Instead, allow them to kiss the mat softly and keep most of your weight on your knees which should be spaced apart slightly.

10. Next, slowly move to a flat position on your back. Bring your arms over your head and reach as far as you can. Point the toes here and lengthen the spine. Get a nice, warm stretch moving through the entire body. Softly roll wrists and ankles. Flutter your fingers and toes. Take turns hugging one knee into your chest and then the other in Half Wind Relieving Pose.

11. Lastly, lay with your palms facing upward and at your sides in Corpse Pose. Close your eyes. Remain in this pose for a few moments, breathing deeply and relaxing before retuning to the desk. When you rise, come up slowly to avoid getting a head rush. Breathe deeply and when you’re fully standing once again, give yourself a hug. Remember to drink some water when you get back to the desk.

You did it! See, it wasn’t that bad, was it? I bet you’re feeling pretty good right about now, huh? Now that you’re all relaxed and rejuvenated, you’re ready to start your next writing session. Want a free, handy PDF guide for this routine for next time? Click here! (IT HAS CATS!) That way, next time you’ll be all ready to go when you need a break from the writing process.

So, what did you think of this relaxing 30-minute routine for writers? Do you like yoga? Have you ever tried it before today? How do you like to relax between writing sessions? What was your favorite pose mentioned in this flow? Let me know in the comments down below!

Thumbnail photo by Zen Bear Yoga.

Research, brainstorm, and come up with an idea

Establish your prevailing theme and subthemes

Outline/Develop your plot

Develop your characters

Establish the setting

Break out the writing tools

Create a writing schedule

Set realistic goals and a deadline

Be kind to yourself throughout the writing process

Related topics:

—Payton

Bookly App

Book Sleeves

Goodreads App

Clear Panel Booklight

Bookish Home Décor

Bookish Pillows

Wood Book-Shaped Coasters

—Payton

Sips and snacks

Cozy reading space

Ambiance and lighting

Taking notes while reading

Reading regularly

Related topics:

—Payton

Related Topics:

— Payton

— Payton

Character development

Character backgrounds and worldview

Consider character goals

Perfect characters are boring

Strengths and weaknesses

Character interaction

Character hobbies and setting

Character relationships

Character names

Inconsistent main characters are the worst

Related Topics:

— Payton

Get the right chair

2. Wallpaper or new paint

3. Lighting

4. Desk Setup

5. Organization

6. Office plants

7. Customize your office

8. Tidy up any and all clutter

Related topics:

—Payton

Deep breath in and out. It’s going to be okay.

Now, let’s do this.

I’m raising my hand here.

Related topics:

—Payton

Hi readers and writerly friends!

Before the Storm

Shadows Rising

Can I just.

Mentioned in this blog post:

—Payton

1. The time when a library book cover was sticky

2. The time a book fell apart when I picked it up

DISENTIGRATED

IN MY HANDS

R.I.P. Lady of The Lake.

3. The time a book I damaged a book’s cover

4. The time a book cover wasn’t even

5. My first time with deckled edges

I repeat:

WHY???

6. The time the cover was soft or pettable

Okay, so deckled is a word and pettable isn’t? Microsoft Word, I want a refund!

Also R.I.P.Kobe.

7. Raised Titles (Also Pettable)

Oh, just me?

Okay.

8. Broken Spines

9. Audiobooks