✍️ How to Write (When You Don't Feel Like Writing)

Plus: a new freelance job with a budget of $5,000-$10,000 on my job board.

I’ve been in NYC for less than 7 days and I’ve already seen 2 Broadway shows and 1 variety show, attended 3 yoga classes at Humming Puppy (hands down the best yoga studio in Manhattan), read 3 books, caught up with friends, and have eaten bagels nearly daily.

In other words? A perfect week.

After collapsing into a 24-hour reading coma to recover from all the activity, I’m spending today getting organized and writing to you from my cute room in a brownstone here in Chelsea! 👋

I’ll be in NYC for two more weeks, and I’m excited to attend more writerly events and cocoon myself in warm bookstores.

Before I dive into today’s newsletter, I wanted to highlight a new featured job I just posted this morning. A client of mine is hiring a freelance book developmental editor and has a budget of $5,000-$10,000.

📚 Get a Free Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of My Upcoming Romantasy Book

I’m looking for readers who LOVE romantasy books and enjoy writing book reviews on Goodreads and Amazon!

If you’re an ACOTAR or Fourth Wing fan, I’m writing a romance/fantasy book that’s kind of like Throne of Glass meets The Bourne Identity and The Hunger Games but set on an island imbued with magic that turns your worst fears against you. Think badass female assassin main character, death-defying trials, and a slow(ish) burn main romance.

If that sounds up your alley and you want a free copy of my book before it comes out, go ahead and fill out the survey below. In the next month or so, I’ll be picking readers to get the book for free in exchange for an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads when the book comes out.

I’ll likely send out the free copies in early January for reviews to go live on February 14th (Valentine’s Day).

🫖 Sunday Tea: How to Write (When You Don't Feel Like Writing)

When I was in high school, I wrote a 50,000 novel every November for National Novel Writing Month.

This was one of the best things I did for myself as a writer because it taught me the power of just putting pen to the page — even if I spent twenty minutes writing complete jibberish! I’m convinced that this month-long challenge made me the writer I am today.

This November, I’m actually doubling the NaNoWriMo challenge — my goal is 100,000 words before December 1st! I’ve been developing my new romantasy novel that I mentioned earlier in this post for the past few months and iterating on the outline, and now it’s time for me to just sprint on it.

A question I get a lot from friends is —

How do you write so much?

While I have a series of productivity tips for writers, I feel like there’s an even simpler mindset shift I made that changed everything.

When you don’t feel like writing (or going to the gym or anything that’s hard but good for you!) you just have to decide to show up imperfectly.

I’m going to do it without putting pressure on the outcome.

I’m going to do it tired.

I’m going to do it imperfectly.

This unlocked my gym habit as well: before, I used to go to the gym or yoga class when I felt like I had enough energy. But I had it backward: when I showed up to the gym and did my workout tired, I left with a burst of energy.

Same thing goes for writing: progress creates momentum.

You might show up on the page and be tired, uninspired, or imperfect.

And that’s okay.

Because as long as you’re showing up, you’d be surprised by how the progress naturally follows. Show up consistently and watch the rest fall into place.

✍️ New Writing Job Board Comes Out Tomorrow!

If you missed the last issue of my writing job board, check it out at the link below:

📸 Photo of the Week: New Paris, France Travel Guide on My Blog

My three-week trip to Paris is one of my highlights of the year — and I rounded up a travel guide for you here on my blog!

Follow me on Substack Notes and Instagram for more!

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Sending creativity and good writing vibes your way,

-Amy