🏃♀️November marathons, how to write scenes readers can visualize, & a Most Wonderful improv show🎄✨
Welcome to my November author newsletter, pals!
Greetings from yr friendly neighborhood novelist.
Monthly writing tips, pop culture recs, and secret peeks into the publishing process. Let’s go!
Marathons, plural.
November: did it even happen, and who has the receipts?! The New York Marathon was a bright spot—my wife (pictured), mother-in-law, and I popped up to the end of our street here in Williamsburg to cheer on the runners—my kid loved getting some high-fives! Later in the month, I got to see my lovely editors, Emma and Katy, and editor-in-chief Whitney (all pictured), at my imprint’s annual Friendsgiving potluck at the Penguin Random House offices. I signed 300-odd bookplates for Most Wonderful’s inclusion in the Love, Parnassus book box, a subscription offered by the Nashville bookstore owned by Ann Patchett herself! And I got to overshare at a lovely book party organized by Australian Women in New York (AWNY) in Manhattan.
I also hosted my first writers’ retreat of the cozy season in the Hudson Valley, which is always a joyful, relaxing, community-building event. More on how to join me next time below.
Thanks to everyone who has come to an event or shared a kind message that they’ve bought/enjoyed Most Wonderful! It’s finally our season to read!
I’m on a wee lull from Most Wonderful promo before December kicks in, and so am back in the marathon of my new book, with a (self-imposed) deadline of early Jan, in order to make a 2026 pub. I’m at 80K words and need to land the plane by 100K, max. Major self-discipline time! 5,000 words a week. LFG.
Finally, as a queer female vegetarian immigrant, obviously, my team did not win the election. If that made November feel like a marathon, too, I’m with you.
I write books that I want readers to see like a movie, playing out in their heads. Here are a few crafty tips on writing scenes that readers can visualize in full color and surround sound.
1. Establish setting first.
For all new settings, describe them at the top of a scene. If a setting is largely unknown to most readers (like, say, a space station), you’ll need to pause your narration to describe it in detail. If the setting is basically known, like an apartment, a few choice descriptors can help readers understand what type of apartment it is. A white-walled bachelor pad with nothing but protein powder in the fridge is very different from an East Village shoebox with a coffee table made out of milk crates. If you don’t establish the setting up top, readers may subconsciously fill in details with their own knowledge of apartments (like their own), which can bump against descriptions that come too late in a scene. Establish the setting first, then we can relax and watch everything start to play out.
2. Keep track of bodies in space.
As your characters begin talking and moving, track not just what is said, but the way it is said by capturing brushstrokes of movement and tone.
“I don’t care what we have for dinner,” Monica said.
“Then I’ll order in,” Katherine said. “Any requests?”
Now look at how this exchange is affected by tracking the characters more closely:
“I don’t care what we have for dinner,” Monica snapped, stomping to the kitchen.
“Then I’ll order in,” Katherine shot back, snatching her phone off the coffee table. “Any requests?”
Vs
“I don’t care what we have for dinner,” Monica smiled, lifting a brow.
Katherine returned the smile, edging closer on the sofa. “Then I’ll order in.”Her voice was a little husky. “Any requests?”
We want readers to hear not just what is said but the way it is said, as well as where the characters physically are in the scene. For bonus points, avoid adverbs in favor of showing us what the adverb tells us.
3. Use specific details for rich scenework.
As you build out your scene, be specific in the details you choose. In creating the central setting in Most Wonderful, the fondly nicknamed Belvedere Inn, I combined broad description with specific objects to help readers see parts of the Catskills manor, and use the basic style to build out anything not specified in their imagination.
Even though the Inn was fully renovated, it still held its original charm. The aesthetic was farmhouse-meets-Hollywood: modern, but not the clean, all-white kind. Eclectic was a better description. Eccentric and colorful, a nod to Babs’s travels and interests. Hand-carved puppets from Thailand were mounted alongside contemporary photography of Parisian street scenes. Funky Moroccan rugs lay over rustic Spanish tiles. The bathrooms were wrapped in vibrant wallpaper featuring flamingos or exotic flowers. When dinner was served, it was on mismatched plates: some fine china, some chipped vintage unearthed in a secondhand shop.
By combining vivid settings, purposeful character actions, and precise details, you can craft scenes that feel like they’re unfolding in full cinematic glory.
Escape the Noise, Find your Voice
What would you create if you had uninterrupted time to focus on your writing? Let’s find out! I’m inviting you to join me for the Generation Women Writers Retreat, January 3–6, 2025, in the stunning Hudson Valley. This isn’t just a retreat—it’s a chance to reset your creativity and prioritize your passion for writing.
✨ Here’s what you’ll experience:
A weekend alongside me, where I’ll host our lunches and dinners, and do a private 1:1 coaching session with you.
Dedicated time to dive deep into your project without distractions.
Chef-prepared meals, cozy corners, and breathtaking Hudson River views.
A warm, supportive community of writers, ready to inspire and encourage you.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but spots are limited.
Apply now or forward this email to a writer friend who deserves this magic.
Click HERE to apply now! Let’s make this the weekend you finally give yourself permission to write. I’d love to see you there!
Where my comedy fans at?! Come sleigh the holiday season with me and some of NYC’s funniest improvisers. On Tuesday December 3rd at 7pm at Brooklyn Comedy Collective, we’re throwing a festive show to celebrate Most Wonderful!
I’ll kick things off with a reading, and then my merry band of improv stars—Carly Ciarrocchi, Molly Gaebe, Philip Markle, and Dan Fox—will take the story in wildly hilarious directions. We’ll wrap it all up with a group sing-along of “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”! 🎶
Books will be on sale at the show (a personalized book makes a great gift idea!). Come for the laughs, stay for the holiday spirit! Grab tickets HERE ($12 pre-sale).
I’m reading: Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger
I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump post-launch, but I’m hoping this new release will pull me out of it! This novel follows a complicated mother-daughter relationship as secrets unravel across generations, exploring themes of identity, legacy, and the unspoken ties that bind us. I saw Susan in person at The Dial Press’s Friendsgiving party I mentioned up-top and we realized she’d performed at Generation Women, many years ago! Small world.
I’m watching: The Great British Baking Show
New season of my fave reality TV show judged by the best soggy bottoms in the biz, Paul and Prue! Baked goods and human kindness: COME ON! What’s not to like?
I’m performing at: Wine and Pine: A Desirous Reading Series
I'll be at Ten Degrees Bar on St. Marks Place, Monday, Dec 16th, reading alongside Jenny Stafford, Holly Baxter, and Jiaming Tang. Hosted by Rachel Gilman, this night focuses on explorations of desire, and promises drink specials, homemade desserts, and a cozy, fun atmosphere. Signed books will also be available for purchase! Buy tickets/find out more HERE.
I’m spending the weekend at: Booked In at Scribners
Next month, I’m thrilled to be a special guest at an exclusive weekend at Scribner’s Lodge in the Catskills. Picture crackling fires, shared stories, and an unforgettable bookish retreat in the most scenic, wintery upstate setting—truly the dream weekend away!
The “Booked In” package includes bites and drinks, fabulous dinners, an author Q&A with yours truly, bookish panels, reading hours, and an amazing welcome bag featuring a signed copy of Most Wonderful. We’ll laugh, connect, and embrace all things holiday romance. I can’t wait to share this weekend with you. It’s 12/6—12/8: grab your spot now.
Other than that, storytellers and personal essayists can check out my Storyteller Groups. Writers of all kinds can check out my work as a Book Coach.
That’s it for this month! If you’ve read this far, let me know by clicking the “like” button below. Chat with me in the comments—I reply to every message and I’d love to hear from you!
Georgia xo
