May 2025 Roundup
Taking the time to write.
It happens to all of us. We're watching a movie, or going on a walk, or making dinner when suddenly it hits us—a really cool story idea! Something unique! Something daring! Something that most people haven't seen before and therefore really need to see it! We're enthralled by this new idea, and can see it forming in our minds. The slow tantalizing build-up, the climactic reveal, the emotional depth of the characters that develop with every moment you spend with them. We imagine music videos and TikTok edits and youtube essays all about our genius story and what it took for us to craft it.
That's it! We think. I have to make this now!
And then we sit down and suddenly it's…hard. Hard to put to words, hard to write, hard to get everything out in one go. And that's what that stings the most, isn't it? That we can't just blurt out all the words onto a page in five minutes and be done with it. We actually have to take the time to write every single word.
You would think it's easy for me, a person who has published three books and working on a fourth—but it actually isn't. I try to make it easier—that's part of being a writer. Understanding myself and how I write, where I normally get stuck and the tricks I use to get around it. I outline heavily and sit in the mindset of the character before writing an endless stream of thought. Sometimes I go back and edit—mostly, I try not to unless the first draft is done.
But the writing is still the hardest part because I need to take the time to write it. I can spend all day writing and maybe finish half a chapter. Which means it would take me upwards of two months to finish a whole book. Two months doesn't seem so bad but in the moment, it feels grueling. Every minute feels like a day, every day feels like a week. I can almost trick myself into believing the book will never get done but that's a lie. The book will be done so long as I take the time to write it. That's why the writing is hard. Time is an obstacle.
What makes it easier is that writing is also the most fun part. I love sitting with my characters and getting to know their quirks and likes and dislikes. There is nothing more rewarding than realizing when a character's major flaw can further the plot or add another layer of complexity to their lives. It feels like clay—I'm molding who they are and feeling them push back. There's a friction to writing. For every sentence that flows out, there's another mark made on me.
For me, this month has been all about taking the time to write, in every sense of the phrase. I wake up at 6:45 AM every morning, I do a short stretch and drink water to wake myself up. Then I sit at my desktop or my laptop for anywhere up to 3-4 hours and just write. Sometimes I only get through half a chapter. Sometimes I do more. But I'm taking the time to write and I'm enjoying every moment of it.
I can't wait to see how this new book shapes up in a month. I hope that if you have any fun writing ideas, that you also enjoy taking the time to write.
What's next?
Funny you should say that—I have a book coming out next year! I can't say too much about it yet. Just that it's about a Dominican family trapped in a house and having to figure out which one of them is a demon. It's a lot of fun and I hope people enjoy it! So stay tuned for this
Where are you going?
I'm going to be at ALA this year in Philadelphia! Monday June 30th, from 9-10AM, you can find me at the Pennsylvania Convention Center room 113B C along with authors Sami Ellis, Nicole M. Wolverton, Adam Cesare and Diana Rodriguez Wallach, where we'll be talking about the need for YA horror on bookshelves! Come on by—it's guaranteed to be a great scare!
Have you read my latest book?
We Came To Welcome You: A Novel of Suburban Horror is out now! Get it from your local bookstore or library. And if you already read it and enjoyed it—why not tell a friend or give a review? Every bit of support counts!