MONTHLY WRAP UP - September & October & November 2025 - Leaning into that 'broke artist' lifestyle

Okay, okay--broke by choice. I quit my day job to pursue writing, traveling, and creativity in general. Rather risky, yeah?

Yeah. And let me tell you, it's been both a breeze and an all-inclusive doomsday event, all in one.

But I'll fill you on in on the happenings of the past three months. Autumn has offered me a lot of opportunities and obstacles.

Themes:

Fear of failure - Nothing new here, always looming in my periphreal. But now I am trying to embrace the creative process, which includes a LOT of little mistakes, failures, misunderstandings, and mess-ups.

Self-Reliance - Many of us have a version of learned helplessness built into our lives, especially those of us who have had access to the internet and its wealth of knowledge for the majority of our lives.

I am attempting to rely more and more on myself in small and big ways. Small ways might look like not breaking small promises to myself about daily habits (very hard, actually, when I'm combating ADHD paralysis). Large ways might be taking a chance on myself in a new job, or a new hobby...like I tried run club this month and SPOILER ALERT, I. DON'T. RUN.

Unplugging and reconnecting - Someone, somewhere said that doing the things you enjoyed as a kid, again as an adult, is what truly makes you happy. I'm not saying its the perfect key to happiness, but it sure does make me feel good. When I sit down and craft (doing mixed media journalling, painting, vision boards & cards), I feel like a kid again.

In my journey to create more than I consume, I have been intentionally making more time for "analog" activities. Which is sort of crazy to say, that to be analog we need to choose it.

Chess has also found its way into my heart.

What I've been reading:

'On Writing' by Stephen King - I am not a Stephen King fan, but I do find myself laughing out loud at his memoir and its got solid writing advice! From his rigorous routine of writing 6 hours everyday to his belief that dialogue tags are obsolete to his confounding idea that a bad writer can never be a competent writer, and a good writer can never be a great one, BUT a competent one CAN become a good one--a bit controversial--there are lots of interesting thoughts in his book.

'Save the Cat' Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody - Another writing book that outlines writing formulas for various genres using a 15-beat sheet. I've actually be reading a couple chapters of this here and there throughout the year. I love the fifteen beat sheet and I love formulas, so of course I am magnetized to this book.

'Blood Over Bright Haven' by M.L. Wang - Probably my favorite read from this year. Maybe. Blood Over Bright Haven (originally self-published, then trad-published) is a gas-lamp fantasy (teetering on steampunk) that has a unique magic system: coding but on 'Spellographs' (magical typewriters). It follows two main characters, one from the outskirts of society and a literal outsider of the magically protect city (where this story takes place), the second is a young woman (Maybe between 25-35 years old, we love heroines in modern fantasies that aren't 16-18 years ONLY) as she enters the academic elite.

This story stuck with me for several reasons. Its brilliant story-telling (foreshadowing, full-circle moments, plot twist that I actually DIDN'T see coming--didn't know the author had the guts to do it--and deeper reflections). Its a story about systematic oppression but told by an oppressor. The author made this decision intentionally, because for a lot of us we think 'oh, well I don't contribute to that directly or it doesn't directly affect me, so I'll just stay out of it' --but even that sentiment is harmful and this book explains why.

I love dislikeable and flawed characters, too, so Blood Over Bright Haven didn't disappoint. ML Wang, I'd love to meet you and see inside your brain!

What I've been writing:

In the spirit of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I've tried to write every single day (beginning November 1st). So far I've compiled a pretty sturdy draft--albeit with poor grammar. Taking my original collection of various drafts (120k words) and cutting it down to nearly less than 20k words and now working to build that back up...chronologically.

I hate writing chronologically. For me it is a painful process as my brain rarely works in a linear manner. But part of my practice in writing discipline this month is to attempt it. To not stray from the current scene and jump ahead or behind in my story.

My goal? Continuity.

I've been focusing a lot on ACT II as this is the largest section of most books (and films) and where the story really starts to take it's tangible form. However, the idea to have three primary characters, with three separate plots (that interweave through the story) and three separate motivations, has--indeed--proven to be tricky. I've said I hate writing a minimum of twenty times, this week alone.

Now add world building, relevant themes, romance, mystery and politics into that and you've got a full-fledged mental breakdown.

YAY! Super exciting!

Do I feel like a horrible writer with no future in the craft? Yes, often.

Do I wish I had started my writing journey with a smaller project? Sometimes. But for me to feel as though I've accomplished the thing I set out to do, I must finish this.

And when I finally type those fateful words...THE END...I will be elated and proud to have completed a satisfactory manuscript. Free of my commission (from the gremlin in my head) to pursue other writing projects.

BUT writing, like anything else is best done in community. I've often written how I desire community. Community in friendship, in work, in play and in craft. Finding community can be especially hard. Not only are we so isolated because of jobs and little devices that feed us constant content and distraction, but we are heading into the colder months. A season of hibernation.

With the departing foliage, so friendships fade and drift away.

So I am not sitting idly by and waiting for some extravert to drag me into a social fray, demanding I interact. Instead I am creating community.

This month I am starting a local writer's group, cleverly name "Writer Wednesdays"... where local Indy writers from all different platforms (Reddit, NextDoor, Discord & Instagram) will get together to discuss their current fiction pieces.

Where I've been traveling:

As a final hurray in traveling this year I organized a month long trip for myself and 7 of my friends. We explored Morocco, Greece, Croatia and Ireland, all throughout September! So here are some of the highlights:

Morocco:

We arrived in North Africa's sandy wester corner at the beginning of the month. We explored busy souks in the Medina of Marrakech, littered with brightly colored wares ad fabrics. Drove out to see a UNESCO World Heritage spot, Ait Benhaddou, an ancient city built from mud and straw, then traveled to the vast sands of the Sahara, riding Camels under the milky way and sleeping in tents.

Then we made a pit stop in Midelt...an adventure, before continuing on to the 'Blue City', Chefchaouen.

It was memorable, not only for the various people and cats we met along the way (one cat I rescued from a gas station parking lot and cleaned up for a few days before finding him a permanent home in Chef), but also because of the insane diversity in landscape, language and culture.

The most poignant aspect of this venture were the Berber people, an indigenous group of folk that continue to practice their music, fashion, language, and culture in North Africa despite the multiple rounds of colonization and attempts to wipe out their history.

Greece:

Flew from Tangier to Athens, where we met up with the rest of the crew. Gatorade blue water. Serene, marble cliffs. Pleasant sun and salty air, whisking through windows each morning.

We spent very little time in Athens, our time primarily split between Zakynthos (Venetian inspired Ionian Island) and Milos, known its quaint fishing villages and moonscape beaches.

Cliff jumped at Sarakiniko Beach off forty foot stonen slopes. Rode ATVs through the Greek country side and enjoyed countless Freddo espressos. Took a sail-boat trip tot he Blue Caves and swam at the local Porto Limoionas.

Croatia:

Half dead with exhaustion and jet lag we stayed in a little home in the corner of Croatia's historical, medieval city. Also another UNESCO location.

We walked the 6,365 foot long wall of Dubrovnik. Learned about its diverse history, the many occupations, the mosaic of architecture (Gothic, Venetian, Roman, Victorian, Early Middle Ages). Cleanest city I've been to, ever. The streets still shone white even underfoot thousands of tourists. Countless clocks, statues and hefty cats.

I'll say it. I'll likely earn some hate, but Croatia has the BEST gelato. Blueberry Cheesecake, with pistachio drizzle....ugh--excuse me, I need a moment.

The orange of the terracotta shingles, the blue of the Adriatic Sea, and the green of the Dinaric Alps, it was some of the pretty landscape I've seen, all bright contrasting one another.

Ireland:

As a last minute 72 hour stopover, KC and I roamed Dublin, writing and reading in cafes, exploring Trinity College and taking photos of the characteristic Temple Bar district.

Full of life, academics, and moody morning fog, Dublin is ideal for any writer or any student pursuing a Masters in Literature.

Turns out Dublin, the city itself, is a UNESCO spot as well. City of Literature, literally. I could see myself there, maybe sipping a cup of coffee, listening to live music and bumping into Sally Rooney. wink wink.

All that to say, I've been up to a lot these past few months, and I have so much planned for the next few. Outrageous goals, imperfect delivery, & crazy stories--all to come!

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