This week: Think Writing is the Hard Part? Edited by: fyn-busy writing!!!  
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Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open. ~~Natalie Goldberg
You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.~~Madeleine L'Engle
Because this business of becoming conscious, of being a writer, is ultimately about asking yourself, How alive am I willing to be?~~Anne Lamott
There is no such thing as an ‘aspiring writer’. You are a writer. Period.~~Matthew Reilly
What an astonishing thing a book is. It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic.~~Carl Sagan
When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.~~Stephen King
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The End
Typing those words is immensely satisfying. You sit back, think 'I DID IT!' (all in caps) and scream it into the universe. Save it. And then walk away. Celebrate.
Don't tell the whole world. Don't send it to all your friends. Let it breathe for a couple of weeks.
Okay, got your head together? Good. Because now . . . the work BEGINS!
Oh. You thought writing it was the hard part, the work? Um, not so much. Sorry.
Now you need to reread your work as if for the first time. Take notes on edits (page #s, etc.) if you must. But basically, just read it as if you just got the newest book by your favorite author. Oh, you read books like that on your Kindle? OK. Save a copy of your manuscript resized to 6 x 9, in the font size your eyes are comfy reading. Save it as a pdf, send it to your Kindle, and read.
Then think about it. Did you leave out that whole part when he/they/she did this, that, or the other thing? Do you really need that art when he/she/they did such 'n such? Is a section sort of 'out of sync? Are you showing or telling? Do you lapse too much into backstory? Did you get in your head, get all excited about a BIG part and then rush through it? Could you have described more, or had more discussion about it? Did you make it as exciting as it was in your head?
These are all very important. Ok. Now, let it rest a day or so as you think about it.
Now, go back and fix those areas you felt needed fixing. Give it another day or three.
Now go back and read it to edit and revise. Read it out loud. Better, have your computer READ IT TO YOU! (If you have Word, click the review tab and up top you'll see a tab for 'read aloud.' If the computer stumbles, chances are there's that word with missing letters, that missed 'period', or simply typed gibberish! All the times you left out that 'e' in 'the,' and other mistakes along those lines.
Now is the time if you go the professional editor route. AGAIN--due diligence!!! Send to beta readers. Get their feedback. You do NOT want betas who just say 'It was great!' You NEED to know the whys and 'why nots!' This is not the time to be a diva. You need to know what works, what doesn't, what gets them devouring and what gets them the skim. You want to know what kept them reading until 1am.
If you are an idie author, and doing this yourself which a lot of people do these days, and go the KDP route, be prepared to take your time. It is not a process that you want to rush through. Consider finding a layout person. This can save you a lot of time, headaches, and misery. Know the size you want your book to be ie; 6 x 9 or whatever. Know what font and size you want used. Decide if you want hard cover, soft cover, Kindle or all three. Kindle layouts are not the same as a book layout!
At the same time, you need to either find a cover person (they are all over the place. DO Do your due diligence. See what their covers are like. A cover is one of the first things to attract a future reader!!! What sorts of images they use. You don't want to see the same girl/guy/dragon/dog on the cover that are on a hundred other books! Have a good idea of what you 'think' you want your cover to look like. Know what size you want your book to be. When you are sent your cover, print it out. In color. Don't just look at it on your screen which will show much brighter than it actually is!
Write your blurb. Your synopsis of the book. You want to entice your readers in. You want them to be curious. Writing the blurb is, unfortunately one of the hardest things to do. But it is what will or won't 'sell' your book. Usually, figure on about 250 words. They can be the most important thing you write!
Hopefully you did this a long time ago, but just in case you haven't --do a name search for your book's cover on Amazon. 15 pages of books with your title or one close to yours is NOT a good thing. Consider other titles. You want yours to stand out and pop and not get buried!!!
Okay.
Title 
Layout
Blurb (which your cover person needs for the back cover)
Cover
Figure out your price if you are going to go KDP select, hard or soft cover.etc. Be realistic!!! Actual books should roughly be 2.5 times the cost. And again, this is adjustable depending on your wants, needs and desires.
Get up close and personal with KDP or Spark or whatever you choose to use (or all three)
Pick your publication date. A month or so prior, start dropping hints on platforms like Facebook, etc.. Start dropping in teasers. Have a cover reveal. Maybe do a give away.
Give-aways are great to raise interest. Think book swag (mugs, candles, bookmarks) as these get people talking.
Let folks know where they can order the book. Consider running ads on Facebook. Celebrate your book! Remind folks that when they do order your book to PLEASE leave a review on Amazon. These reviews from verified buyers are VERY important. Also, ask people on WDC to consider doing a product review. If they do so, reward them in gps accordingly. This is not the time to be stingy! :)
As I said. The true work begins after you write your book. Good luck!!!
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TeeGateM  writes: Thank you so much for this piece. I found myself nodding along as I read, smiling in recognition more than once. When I come across writing like this—writing that mirrors my own thoughts and routines so closely—it makes the world feel smaller and kinder. There’s real comfort in knowing others share these same quiet reflections.
The way you describe the New Year now versus years ago felt especially true to me. That gentle acceptance, the settled rhythms, the appreciation for familiar habits—it all rang so honest. I loved the detail of early mornings, coffee, wind chimes, and the comfort of routine. Those moments are where so much life actually happens, and you captured them beautifully.
Your reflections didn’t feel heavy or nostalgic in a sad way. Instead, they felt grounded and peaceful, like a deep breath. It reminded me that there’s nothing wrong with being content where we are, even if the calendar insists on changing the number.
Thank you for sharing this. It was thoughtful, comforting, and very human—and I truly appreciated reading it.
Warm wishes,
Tee
Thank you!!! :)
Maddie Stone <2026 Edition>  says: Your newsletter reminded me of a few things, reassured me about a few, and generally resonated with how I feel about the new year. Thank you!
Reminded me - put up the calendars I got in December (I do love putting new ones up!), not all things to start the new year have to be 'big' things, and I still need to finish cleaning my desk.
Reassured me - our individual routines may not match anyone else's, but they don't have to, as long as they help us be successful; not everyone does resolutions either; being the best version of ourselves is a worthwhile endeavor.
What resonated with me is that the earth keeps spinning and we keep living, until we don't. It's ok to be sad when sad things happen but keep living because we're here and we still have the chance, so do it!
Wishing you and yours the best that 2026 has to offer!
Maddie
Thanks!!!
The Uplifting Essayist  comments: Dear Editor,
Thanks a lot for sharing this beautiful quote:
"Every moment is a fresh beginning. - T.S. Eliot"
Wishing you a happy and fulfilling writing journey ahead,
Essayist
Thank you :)
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For Authors: January 28, 2026 Issue [#13574]
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