I want to start by confessing something.
I started this post for the first time back in January. I wrote about 500 words, along with a list of fun books I was looking forward to this year. Then somewhere in between drafting and revising that post — while also in the middle of trying to draft and revise a manuscript and job hunting and worrying about my dad and life — my critic kicked into hyperdrive and told me that this was stupid. That nothing I was writing was actually any good. Not just this relatively low-stakes post but just writing in general. What was I even doing? So I put it away. I let life and a mountain of insecurity get in the way. And now here we are, almost six months later.
I’ve recently started picking apart the idea of “good enough”. What does “good enough” even mean? Who gets to determine that? When it comes to writing, instead of worrying about good or bad, what if it’s just about making peace with the fact that the words will come out exactly the way they’re supposed to at that moment in time (9:40 pm on a Wednesday evening with your dog snoring at your side)?
I can’t help but wonder what you’ll think when you open up your inboxes just looking for some book recs, and instead, you have to wade through the mad ramblings of a 30-something. Maybe you’ll get nothing out of it. Maybe you’ll delete this email right away. Or maybe, there are some of you that feel the same. Who struggle to feel good enough, in your writing or otherwise. I say this to you as much as I say this to myself because I certainly need the reminder. All you need to do to be a writer is write. Write because you want to. Write because you need it. Write to voice those feelings you don’t know how to say out loud. Warning, there’s a 50% chance you might end up crying on your couch in the dark.
Write for five minutes or fifty. Sit down with a pen or your laptop, or just crack open a book to read; it all counts. Writing looks different for everyone, so part of the challenge has been figuring out what works for me.
I can’t promise to be consistent. Sometimes things will get in the way of me getting any words down, but I can promise that no matter how long I spend away, I’ll always try. Nothing feels as right to me as pressing a pen down to a fresh sheet of paper and scribbling away — or, alternatively, clacking away on my laptop. No matter how many times I want to scream at the screen or tear it all up, something clicks into place when the words start to take shape. Because of that feeling, I’ll keep trying.
I told my therapist the other day that I was ready to give up on freelance writing. The time and effort, and rejections were exhausting and taking a toll. As soon as I put that thought out there, I woke up the next day to learn that two stories I pitched are going to be in print this year. I don’t usually believe in signs, but it really felt like a neon sign from the universe screaming at me not to give up.
In the past few months, I’ve made a sizable dent in my TBR pile. Here are a few of my recent favorites!
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren (a writing duo) have written almost 30 books, and this might be their best one yet. Felicity, Fizzy to her friends, is a romance writer who finds herself in both a writing and romance rut. She’s approached by Conner, our dashing romantic lead, to join a new reality show he’s producing called, you guessed it, The True Love Experiment. The characters and the relationships built between them are top-tier. Felicity is painted so vividly; she is simultaneously confident and vulnerable. A real highlight was how sweet her relationships with her friends and family were (if you’ve read The Soulmate Equation, River and Jess are here!) In the other corner, we have Connor, a charming, besotted British girl-dad. It’s the perfect love letter to romance readers everywhere.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
I pre-ordered a copy of Happy Place like I was a teen in 2000, waiting for NSYNC to drop a new album. I have to admit I was worried about this one. How could she possibly write another book that I enjoyed as much as the others? I’m happy to report that Happy Place is a welcomed addition to the EHCU (Emily Henry Cinematic Universe). Harriet and Wyn broke up five months ago, a fact they conceal from their friends on their yearly getaway to Maine. Henry’s take on the fake dating trope was pitch-perfect because of all the history, longing, and misunderstandings between the two. In true Emily Henry fashion, her characters need to overcome internal obstacles before they can really find happiness. Out of all her leads, I identified with Harriet the most. On theme with this post, this one is for the worry-girlies.
The Nanny by Lana Ferguson
Cassie is hired by Aiden, a charming newly single dad, to nanny his delightfully spunky daughter Sophie. The job is perfect, except for one thing. Cassie soon finds out that Aiden is A, a former OnlyFans client. This book was so unexpected, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the story itself. It was tight and well-written, with good character development and clear emotional stakes. It should be said that this book will make you blush and is ghost-pepper-level spicy.
I promise I will read whatever you write. I've loved the extracts so far. Well done on getting published 👏
Worry-girlies unite! Congratulations on the stories going to print this year, that's amazing!