Managing Depression & A Writing Career
Navigating depression, coping strategies, writing progress, upcoming surgery, and events.
July 2026
Hey Friend!
It’s been a weird last month here friends. I’ve struggled with depression periodically for basically my whole life and I’ve had a few things in this last month that have pushed me into a hole. If you’re afflicted with Depression you know how this can go sometimes. One minute you’re a productive member of society, making progress on your goals and then the next you’re sleeping a lot and consider giving up on everything.
That’s where I am more than half the days these days. So here are a few things that are mostly working for me. They may not be helpful to you but if they are, that’s awesome.
And one thing I keep reminding myself is to be kind to myself. I’ll offer you kindness too. Writing is important, it is but you’re much more important. If it doesn’t feel possible to write, then don’t. Give yourself permission to put your project aside. Don’t make any decisions about it. Don’t make any judgments. Don’t make plans. Just set it to the side.
Leave decisions for later. That’s what I keep telling myself.
Do what feels good. If that’s vegging out or doomscrolling or anything else, don’t judge it. Just do what feels right for a bit as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
This is maybe the hardest point. Talk to others about whats going on. Friends, family, maybe a hotline if there isn’t someone around at the moment that you trust. Hell, post on reddit if that helps. Don’t isolate yourself; let folks know if communicating is hard but communicate. Just say a few words. “I’m having a hard time and I need some support”. When they ask what kind of support, it’s ok to just say being with you. Maybe its just sitting together in silence. Not being alone is helpful.
Those are my thoughts on managing depression. Sometimes just surviving is all you can ask for.
Also, you’ll find me really quiet on Instagram, and I won’t be putting out an August newsletter because I am having surgery on July 16th. It’s a pretty in-depth procedure, so it will probably be a few weeks after that before I’m able to sit up and work on things. Thanks in advance for your patience with me. I’ll be back!
Writing has been virtually non-existent this month. I’ve made progress on the Novella but not enough to be finished. Hopeful that I can manage to finish in July, but I am also having surgery, so who can say for sure.
2026 Goals
1/3 Long form projects
UD: Complete at 60,226
86/100 queries
0/1 non-fiction essay submitted
I had an amazing time at Octavia’s Legacy at the San Francisco Public Library. It was so great to hear from Jewelle and Andrea, who both knew Octavia personally, and from Duane, who is truly the legacy of Octavia’s work. Amazing. They are doing a similar event on July 25th at the Berkeley Library, I was planning to attend but my surgery makes it impossible. Please go if you’re free!!
I’m going to be at Stir on July 2nd! This reading series takes place at Cafe Suspiro in San Francisco. There is a coffee happy hour from 5-6 and then then a reading and panel from 6-7ish. I’d love to see you there if you’re free. I’ll be reading from Shatter the Sun!
I will also be at BayCon this holiday weekend! I’m not on any panels but will be wandering around. Say hi if you see me!
And of course, you can pre-order Forged in FIYAH: Celebrating Ten Years of Black Speculative Fiction, edited by DaVaun Sanders.Pre-ordering supports your favorite authors 😀 Shatter the Sun Edited by Dave Ring is now out in the world! Get your copy ASAP.
No recommendations this month, friends. See the aforementioned depression.
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