Writing Tools, hi from California, & a Romance Workshop discount
Welcome to my April author newsletter!
Greetings from yr friendly neighborhood novelist.
Monthly writing tips, pop culture recs, and secret peeks into the publishing process. Let’s go!
Greetings from Sunny California!
My wife, Lindsay, and I are staying with her folks in Huntington Beach for a little family time, re: extra help wrangling our adorable three-year-old (Rozie) and three-month-old (Lulu)! It’s been a *very* low-key trip, because when you’re doing anything with small humans, best to abandon any expectations. Lots of time at various parks and beaches, afternoons watching basketball and eating See’s Candy with my father-in-law, and watching all the cousins put on “shows” (too cute!)
We celebrated Lindsay’s birthday over the weekend, starting with an epic brunch (Giant Cinnamon Roll and Dutch Baby pictured). Her mom made the same ice cream cake she used to bake when Linds was a kid! Hard to imagine hosting my own kids' 40-something birthdays down the line, but I guess that’s part of the deal with parenthood: ice cream cakes for life.
In my writing world, I’m deep into the second draft of my next book. It's another queer ensemble romance, set over a crazy, hazy summer in a world I absolutely adore. It's due in-house at Dial Press at the end of May. (I actually pushed my release date from Spring ’26 to Summer ’26 last month after realizing that meeting the earlier deadline with a newborn might be a little too ambitious.)
Right now, I'm tightening and polishing, endlessly picking away at the story. I can’t wait to share more with you all soon!
What I couldn’t write a book without. No ads—just my personal recs!
1. Scrivener
Cannot write a book without it! Scrivener is an application designed specifically for unwieldy long-form projects. If you’re still working in Google Docs or Word, PLEASE grab it now! It’ll help organize your novel chapter by chapter and save you from endlessly scrolling up and down a giant document.
I start a new Scrivener project for every draft. A note: I’ve heard it doesn’t work as well across multiple devices (like a phone and a laptop). I use it only on my laptop.
2. Freedom
Distraction is the enemy of creativity! I use the simple app Freedom to turn off the internet on my computer when I write. You can set sessions anywhere from 5 minutes to 10 hours; I typically work in two-hour blocks.
If, during that time, I come across something I need to Google, I just paste it into a browser window and look it up after the session. Even a "quick check" of the internet can lead to a rabbit hole you never return from!
3. Speechify
After my second kid was born, I had even less time to write—and spent more time with a newborn on my chest or lying next to my toddler while she fell asleep. (Fellow parents: how do I break this vicious cycle??)
I started using the app Speechify to have my book—or any document—read aloud to me using its remarkably human-sounding tech. It’s a game-changer for staying connected to my work when I can’t be at a keyboard.
Get $60 off by using THIS LINK.
4. Good Ol’ Fashioned Index Cards
Even with all the great tech out there, nothing beats color-coded index cards. With my latest book, I used cards to visualize the flow of the second draft, assigning different colors for each character’s POV.
Novels are big and messy, especially deep into development, and it’s easy to get lost. I find index cards help me simplify a) the point of a scene, and b) where it fits into the story. Plus, I love seeing the whole book laid out in cards—it makes the story feel real and manageable.
Let me know your favorite writing tools and tricks in the comments!
My Romance Workshop is open for registration!
Want to write and publish a romance novel? Learn how to craft a swoony, satisfying story—and get personalized feedback—by joining my Romance Workshop this May!
This inspiring, practical, and transformative class is designed for writers working on a romance novel, a romantic subplot, or contemporary women's fiction.
Over four live Zoom sessions, we’ll cover:
✅ Modern romance trends
✅ Story structure
✅ Character development
✅ Voice and narration
✅ Plot and style
✅ Plus: a live Q&A with a top literary agent!
Each session includes craft lectures and workshopping your pages with detailed feedback from me and your peers. Past students have landed top agents and excellent book deals. Perfect for beginners and writers with a draft in progress!
📅 Class Dates: Mon. May 5, Mon. May 12, Mon. May 19, and Tues. May 27
🕕 Time: 6:00–8:00 PM ET (live on Zoom)
🎟️ Price: $450 — Use code MAY25 for $25 off!
Spots are limited—join us! 💘
I’m reading Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch
Loved this debut by Hannah Deitch! It’s Bonnie-and-Bonnie, it’s Thelma and Louise but make it millennial, it’s women on the run and I wish they’d never stop! Come for the wild ride, stay for the line level loveliness.
If you’ve ever wanted to a) murder your terrible boss b) roadtrip with badgirl hottie (albeit mute—until you get her to open up, wink wink) c) see America through the windshield of various stolen cars, this one’s for you! Psst: Hannah is also appearing in our next Generation Women show in May! Details below to catch her live.
I’m watching Hacks on Max
My favorite new comedy. It’s the funniest, smartest show on TV that just keeps getting better. ICYMI, Hacks follows legendary stand-up comedian Deborah Vance (played to perfection by queen Jean Smart) as she teams up with snarky Gen Z comedy writer, Ava, to refresh her act—and her life. It's a whip-smart and surprisingly heartfelt look at ambition, aging, creativity, and reinvention. A must-watch.
I’m performing at Generation Women at Joe’s Pub
I’ll be at NYC’s iconic Joe’s Pub on Wednesday May 21st, hosting my charming storytelling show, Generation Women, and telling a story on the theme “My Biggest Secret: Stories We Keep Hidden”. With our signature blend of heart and humor that’ll leave you feeling inspired and empowered, join us for an unforgettable evening of world-class stories. Buy live tix or livestream tix now!
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!