Navigating creative setbacks, queer pop culture recs, and how to introduce your main character.
Welcome to my February newsletter, babes!
Greetings from yr friendly neighborhood novelist.
Monthly writing tips, pop culture recs, and secret peeks into the publishing process. Let’s go!
When I was in my twenties, I started a new job at a magazine (in the olden days, such jobs were prolific). It was March, the month after my birthday. Jealous of someone’s else’s b’day celebrations, I joked to my closest friend on staff, the art director, that I should have a fake birthday. This was pre-social media—no one knew when anyone’s special day was. And reader, I did. The following week, I threw myself a fabulous fake birthday, complete with cake and an extra-long lunch at the pub. It was a glorious scam, and when the magazine was unceremoniously shuttered months later, I confessed the truth to my co-workers, again, at the pub. They laughed at my nerve, and I got the next round with my last paycheck.
Now, in my forties, I’m not as outrageous. These days I celebrate my birthday three days before my daughter’s—our tiny boss turns two today. The days are skipping by, and soon, she’ll call it the subway instead of a “doo-doo train” (choo-choo train), and yoghurt won’t be “froghurt”, balloons won’t be “boons”. I’m holding onto these moments, even as they slip like grains of sand through my fingers. I’m blowing out candles for both of us.
In my writing life, this month, I started reviewing the first pass pages—book layout— for Most Wonderful, my queer Christmas rom-com coming out with the Dial Press (PRH) this Fall! ICYMI, Most Wonderful is my very charming holiday romance about three adult siblings, each at a personal and romantic crossroads, who reunite at their larger-than-life mother’s Catskills manor for an unforgettable Christmas. It’s really exciting to see this story I absolutely LOVE laid out like an actual book, and be down to fixing typos and very minor edits. I’ve also gotten the most incredible blurbs from dear writer friends who I admire and adore (Christina Lauren, Alison Cochrun, Kate Spencer, Hannah Orenstein, Becca Freeman and more!). I can’t wait to share them with you, as well as the cover (!!! it’s TDF) very soon.
But alongside all those exciting developments, a setback. Last month I shared that I’d submitted a 50-page outline of my new book idea to my editors. This was for the second book in the two-book deal I signed with PRH (not the Christmas book!). Sadly for me, my editors did not feel as certain of it as I did. Ultimately, I won’t be writing that book, and it’s back to square one for me.
Not gonna lie, it’s been a hard few weeks. I was extremely confident of my idea, and excited by the prospect of writing it, so I’ve been grieving the fact that won’t happen. I feel embarrassed and confused over not getting it right. It’s hard to not think of the months it took to produce the concept as wasted time, especially as a working mum. And truthfully, I feel a bit lost as to what comes next. My creative confidence is low, and I find myself shooting down every idea I have. Nothing feels original or authentic or fresh. It’s a distressing feeling to have worked so hard for so long to be in the position I am, a publishing author with a team waiting on the next big idea, and to feel like I have nothing to say.
I’m reminded again of just how hard the creative life can be. The highs are glorious but the lows are brutal. It’s a mental game, and right now, I don’t feel like I’m playing it well. Ordinarily, I might share a how-to on getting past a creative setback, but I’m not there yet. I’m still in the setback, trying to muddle through while keeping all my other balls in the air. Got any advice or words of wisdom for me? I’ll take them.
Most stories hook us in via the main character (aka MC). Whether you’re writing a spicy rom-com with a lovable heroine or a tricky lit fic with a morally ambiguous lead, here are a few ways to ensure your lead compels us from the very start.
Show us their typical personality. While your novel has scope to show your MC experiencing a full range of human emotions and behaviors, when we meet them for the very first time, ideally, it’s as they typically are. If they’re Type A, they can’t be running late for a train. If they’re a hot mess, they can’t be early for job interview, neatly dressed. Actions speak louder than words, and if your main character is behaving atypically in their very first scene, they lack consistency. I love a story that starts quickly, which may mean your inciting incident is on page one, something that immediately jolts the MC out of their day-to-day. Even so, show us a snapshot of their norm prior to change. For example, your story has a Virgo neat freak goofily tongue-tied around their hot new co-worker. Fun! Just rewind the meet-cute ten seconds so we get a short but vital glimpse into the ordinary of their personality and world, right before it all changes.
Get them in motion, not just thinking. Early drafts often showcase a lot of narrative interiority. Some writers find it easier to have the character thinking—telling us about themselves—as opposed to scene work, showing us the character’s actions. Yes, the novel is the art-form that offers us the greatest access to humans’ psychology. But too much thinking doesn’t ground us in the real world, to a character with a body. We want to see scene work in chapter one: your MC out in the real world, doing stuff. Which brings us to:
Give them a goal; make them an active character. Active characters have goals or agendas. They’re pursuing something. Even if your real story goal doesn’t kick in for a few chapters, give your character a want or need right away. Seeing characters pursue something, even if that something is as simple as get a coffee before class starts, hooks us in. The more they want it, the more we care. If they could take or leave that coffee, we don’t care. If it feels like their entire life hangs on getting to the coffee cart in time, we’ll feel similarly anxious for them to make it: we are engaged, and ready for some more pressing stakes and goals.
Ensure their psychological flaws present as real-world problems. All stories are about transformation, typically, the psychological transformation of the MC as they learn a life lesson necessary to achieving their goals. Early on, we often see the “thing that needs changing” causing their real-world problems. Riffing on the idea above, let’s say your MC needs to learn the life lesson that they need to put themselves before others: they’re a self-sacrificer, they don’t stand up for themselves. Then, we’d expect to see them running late for that coffee cart because they didn’t stand up for themselves: they agreed to drop off their pushy flatmate’s dry cleaning and now, they’re running late for that sweet java.
Looking for extra writing support? I offer book coaching, a form of creative support for anyone with a desire to write. Use code Heartbeat25 for $25 off your first session.
My March Romance Workshop starts soon! Wanna write a best-selling rom-com, rom-dram, or women’s fic? Join a group of pre-published writers as I distill everything I’ve learned from publishing six books into four info-packed virtual sessions, Monday nights in March. Designed for beginners/emerging writers of all backgrounds, you’ll get in-depth feedback from me on your work-in-progress, grow your writing community, and get 1:1 time with senior literary agent. Past students have gone on to secure agents and land book deals. Grab a spot now!
I’m reading: Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
Coming this April, the queer enemies-to-lovers roadtrip rom-com of your dreams, from the imagination behind The Charm Offensive and Kiss Her Once For Me. Logan and Rosemary are two very different (former) childhood besties who are forced to reunite to drive their beloved high school teacher/mentor across the country to fulfill his dying wish. I’m only a few chapters in and already hooked by the snappy prose, delicious tension, and promise of quality armchair travel. This feels like Alison’s queerest and sparkiest book yet!
I’m listening to: the Handsome pod
I listen to so many audiobooks for both work and pleasure, I rarely get to be in my podcast era. And then came Handsome. Can’t stop won’t stop listening. Each week, iconic queer comedians Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae Martin discuss a famous guest’s question, as a vehicle to tell stories, go deep, and make each other laugh. Yeah ghost! (IYKYK). My fave episode so far was Natalie Maines’ question about which male celeb each podcaster would sleep with, if world peace depended on it. It was such a fun and funny conversation that felt like the opposite of gay panic. Fun fact, Mae recorded part of the audiobook for my last book, Island Time!
I’m performing at: Generation Women
Join our electric Joe’s Pub community. Our next theme is “It’s a Living: Stories about Work”, on 3/26 at 7pm. Our inspiring lineup of intergenerational storytellers will be sharing tales about their work—the good, the bad, and the worse. Tix are on-sale for both the in-person show and our livestream. I have such a great time at these shows—the pic up top was snapped backstage at our last, sold-out show.
Other than that, I described what my perfect Sunday looks like and some writing advice in a Q+A for
, enjoyed some snow day action with my kid, and tied for third in the 8th Annual SOUPerbowl.That’s it for now! If you’ve read this far, I’d be grateful if you click the “like” button below. HMU in the comments. I reply to every message and I’d love to hear from you.
I can't wait to read Most Wonderful and it's exciting to hear that it's coming into it's final stages before publication! I especially can't wait for the cover reveal!
I also appreciate the vulnerability you shared about your setback. It made me sad and angry and I hope that the story you outlined might come to life in some other way at some point.
Being creative is so hard, at every stage and every level. I keep thinking "as soon as I get an agent, then I'll have made it!" which I know is short-sighted and untrue.
The way I try to keep myself in check is to remember that glory is in the act of creating. Sometimes it gets recognized and sometimes it pays the bills and sometimes nobody ever sees it, but no matter what, we get to keep creating and nobody can stop us!
In the meantime, I hope you'll have a bit of time to mourn and sulk, because it does suck, but also to play and experiment, because those are the best parts of starting over.
Thank you Georgia, for all of your wisdom. And happy belated birthday to you and your sweet little one! 🎈🎈