This is my book haul from Nocturne Books in Calgary!! This store packs a hell of a punch. I bought a whole bunch of books, as well as a couple of other goodies. I'm so glad that they are a bookstore dedicated to horror and dark fiction. I can never find enough horror at my local Indigo.

Because I have an addiction to buying books, my mom and I went to Forbidden Library in Calgary. They have a wonderful collection of romance! These are the books that we bought. We also got a couple of other goodies as well!

An example of a pretty good month! 3470 words for June. Ultimately, I would like to write at least 1000 words a day. Does that happen? No. Not regularly. 200 words here. 700 words there. Writing a book is about consistency. I tend to lack consistency... I hope to create better habits for myself.

The first few drafts are going to have problems. It would be suspicious if they didn't. They should be messy. You should be discovering what your story needs to be. So you can't run away from its problems. Well, you can try. But they're always going to be there. Until you decide to tackle them.

It Ends With Her, another fantastic collection published by Dead Fox Publishing, is a sapphic horror masterpiece. It is a siren song. Beautiful, luring, dangerous. You won't know that you're in too deep until you're drowning.

Twisted Trysts, published by Dead Fox Publishing, is a fantastic collection. It is not for the faint of heart. But if you thrive in the dark, if you like grit, and pointy teeth; this is for you.

One of my favorite things about finishing a great book isn't getting every answer. It's closing the cover and still thinking about it three days later. The stories that stay with us aren't always the ones that explain everything. They're the ones that trust us. They leave room for interpretation.

Finishing projects. Remaining curious. Giving yourself permission to improve instead of demanding perfection. Those little choices add up over time. One day you look back at an old manuscript and realize something incredible: You've become the writer you were trying to be all along.

When people ask how to become a better writer, they expect a dramatic answer. New software. A perfect outline. A secret productivity hack. After years of writing, I've found that growth comes from small, repeatable habits. Reading widely. Paying attention. Finishing projects. Remaining curious.

Only 15 spots left #horrorwriter #indieauthor #writerssupportingwriters #bookeditor

Only 15 spots left #horrorwriter #indieauthor #writerssupportingwriters #bookeditor

Most creative people are learning, adapting, revising, and making it up as they go. That's normal. Writing isn't about never struggling. It's about continuing despite the struggle. And if you're still showing up for the page? You're doing better than you think.

Writers tell themselves some truly fascinating stories. Not just in manuscripts. In their heads. I've worked with enough writers to know that self-doubt is incredibly common. So is comparison. So is the belief that everyone else somehow knows what they're doing. They don't.

Some days I write thousands of words. Some days I solve one story problem. Some days I stare at a manuscript while drinking tea and thinking very hard. All of those days count. The internet has convinced a lot of creatives that every day must be measurable. But creativity isn't a factory.

Every manuscript has a personality. Some are organized and cooperative. Some wake up every morning and choose violence. Mine fall into the second category. They're dramatic. They're needy. They constantly demand attention. I still love them. What's the biggest red flag in your current manuscript?

A lot of writers get stuck because they expect the first draft to do everything. The first draft is where you discover: ✦ the story ✦ the characters ✦ the themes ✦ the emotional core And every draft after that is where the magic happens. Give yourself permission to write badly

The more clearly you can see a manuscript's problems, the more equipped you are to solve them. Writing is discovery. Revision is transformation. Every draft teaches you something the previous one couldn't. If you're in the middle of revisions right now, keep going. You might be closer than you think

Most writers think they're failing when they're actually progressing. The messy middle of revision is where a lot of people quit. Not because they aren't talented. Because they mistake discomfort for failure. But here's the truth:

The older I get, the less interested I am in stories that play it safe. Give me the strange magic system. Give me the haunted lighthouse. Give me the morally questionable protagonist. Give me the talking crow that somehow becomes everyone's favorite character.

A rough draft isn't proof that you've failed. It's proof that you're working. Every published book started as an unfinished manuscript. Every favorite author you've ever read has written scenes that didn't work. Every story goes through ugly stages. That's normal. Creative work isn't linear.

One of the most common things I see as an editor is writers hiding behind complicated language. Beautiful prose has its place. But clarity is powerful. Voice is powerful. Honesty is powerful.

When I started editing, I thought the biggest challenge would be fixing manuscripts. I was wrong. The biggest challenge is convincing talented writers that they're allowed to learn while they're creating. I've worked with first-time authors and seasoned professionals.