Oh, hello there!! ^^ How’ve you all been doing? I know the holidays have likely been a busy, busy time for you all, but I wanted to pop in here with a little writing update. š It’s been a while since I posted a writing update, so I thought I might share a bit of how my writing’s going! But do let me know down in the comments how your December went (if you did anything fun for Christmas!) and how your writing’s been going!
Oh yes, and before we get on with the writing update, I just wanted to share a few little pictures I took…
…
They came, y’all! After so many weeks of pacing around, arguing with Amazon about how long it’s going to take to ship these books, and also all those years spent writing these books…
My author copies arrived in the mail!!
I… I really do think that there is nothing in the world that shall ever be anything like getting to hold your own books in your hands. To see your own words, printed and bound in ink and paper — those words that you spent months agonizing over, that story that wouldn’t leave you alone!
It is just so surreal. And not to mention, the books printed perfectly!! I was so worried about the spines (and I wasn’t able to order proof copies), but they came out looking perfect!! And the font and the chapter headings and the copyright page and the map…
It’s just… again, so so surreal. To see these books in front of me. To know that they’re real. To know that all those days spent, just huddled at my desk, tap-tapping away at the keyboard everyday, paid off. And to know that people are actually holding my book in their hands. That other people are reading my book.
Wow.
I was also interviewed a little while back by a good friend of mine, Gwenivere Dionyssiou, so you can head to her blog to check that out if you’d like! š
Now onto la writing update.
~ ~ ~
Writing has been going… slowly, for me. Which I don’t really suppose is a bad thing — it’s going somewhere at least. A few hundred words here and there. I’ve been stuck in such a dry spot for so, so long now, mostly because I’ve just been pushing myself way too hard. To write the perfect book, to write an amazing draft, to have a perfect blog, a perfect YT channel, and… yeah, perfectionism, I suppose.
But a few days ago, I was thinking. About writer’s block. About my book. And it was while I was thinking that I realized something.
When push to comes to shove, when I really really look at all my fears in the mirror…
There is really only write this book or don’t.
I have this new idea for Island Keepers. This new direction.
And you know what? I don’t know everything about this book. I don’t know everything about this story. I don’t have all the answers on how to write this book. What I really do have is a sort of inkling. A faint idea of the internal character arc, the external plot arc, the climax, the MCs, and the scene that’s supposed to go in the middle of the book.
And now…
I guess the only thing left to do is to actually write it.
And this is the part that has me frozen.
I’ve wrestled with anxiety and fear and pressure a lot of times. So many times that, to be honest, to write another post about this feels repetitive.
And just the fear.
The fear of failure.
What if I fail? What if I can’t make this book come together? What if I can’t weave together all these plot threads? What if I can’t?
And so I’ve very much been lingering in that these past few months.
Yes, I’ve given myself a break this December to not stress about writing. To just… refill my creative well a bit.
But these past few weeks, each time my mind drifts back to my book, one thing has really just been coming clearer and clearer to me.
If I don’t write this book, no one will.
If I keep spending all these weeks worrying about failure, not setting a word down on paper, not a single word is ever going to be set down.
I kept spending all these weeks just… waiting, waiting, waiting.
For the right moment. For the right person. For the right time to start writing.
Except there is no right time to start writing.
You can either write. Or don’t.
So… yeah. These few days, writing has been chugging along slowly. Me tapping out around five hundred words during the rainy afternoons here and there. I’ve been trying not to make this draft perfect, because it’s not going to be. The prose is going to be clunky. The pacing is going to be… terrible. There are going to be the most random metaphors and placeholders smattered all throughout the manuscript.
And I think I just need to embrace that. The messiness and the joy and freedom of letting yourself write so messily was really one of the things I loved about writing!!!!
So this is where my writing has been recently. Chugging along very slowly into the dark, not really knowing where this story is going to take me. Fiddling around with ideas. Trying to just… write. Without the pressure or perfectionism. š
There really is nothing better than getting lost in a good book on a rainy afternoon — especially if those are said books you got for Christmas! I hit my reading goal* of 200 books a few months back, and I got quite a few books for Christmas!!! Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy, and both books in the Impossible Creatures series by Katherine Rundell!
*said ‘reading goal’ isn’t really a goal I take all that seriously. Tis indeed fun to see how many books one has read in a year, but I don’t ever read for the purpose of hitting that goal.
Nearly everyone on my blog has been telling me to read Impossible Creatures for over a year now!! (Honestly! I cannot tell you how many times this book has been recommended to me by friends and fellow book bloggers!)
It is such a beautiful book!! I can certainly see why everyone has been recommending me this book. The archipelago is so fascinating, and I love all the magic creatures!! Though the ending of book one left me shaken…
And not to mention what happened to poor Gelifen!
Katherine Rundell, how could you?? *sobs*
But at any rate, it’s a wonderful book, and I may end up reviewing it on my blog a little later!
And yes, that is indeed a sword you see there. I got a sword for Christmas!!! (Thanks, Dad!) At long last!!! A SWORD! *cackles with great glee* I’ve named it Olia! Tis not a real sword, of course, so I won’t accidentally stab myself while randomly swinging it around.
I must admit, I haven’t been doing all that much art at the moment. Christmas is a busy, busy time, y’all! I did do a watercolor painting for my mom though and painted two Christmas cards! I do think my watercolor is improving — especially when it comes to light and shadow! I always struggle to capture light and shadow in watercolors. I always end up adding far too much paint. Alas. But I’ve been learning to start a bit lighter and to be patient with layers and such.
Here is a rather terrible picture of the cards (it was like 2 am when I was done and took this picture. And I didn’t have the patience to re-take the pictures…)
I suppose that is how my December has been going. I did write a good 1,000 words yesterday though, which was nice, though I still do feel quite lost with Island Keepers. *sighs* Alas, what am I to do with such a problematic book?
But do share down in the comments how your own December has been going! š I love hearing from y’all!
And now I think I shall go and slink back to my little writing cave with my books and pens and half-baked manuscripts to fiddle around with some ideas.
Till next time and wishing y’all a very Happy New Year’s!!
-Isabelle
Yay, you got a SWORD!!!
I’ve spent this Christmas week with my grandparents, finishing up assignments for class and outlining a psychological cosmic horror novella (my first time writing horror, which really isn’t my genre of choice, so I’m excited to see where it goes).
I DID!!! I love it so much!
How fun!! I hope you had a wonderful time with your grandparents! ^^ Ooh, a horror novella? Good luck with the outlining! I hope it turns out well! Especially since it’s not your genre of choice! Tis always good to read and write all sorts of different genres!!
First off: OMG YOYR BOOKS ARE GORGEOUS!!! And they’re on sale!? I have to see if I can get my hands on them! š®
Second: …Everything you said about your writing is so relatable. U_U I have been through that (still kinda am haha), although I can say it gets better! š Once you start writing it’s almost like…I don’t know, tbh. In my experience it feels like that fear goes away, and its replaced with only excitement, determination and a whole lotta frustration when you get stuck. XD
Third: you’re really good at art!! The lighting and shadows on the ornaments are particularly delightful. (I do not know why. but for SOME REASON, I am very drawn to shadows and highlights in drawings, paintings, etc, etc. It’s just so satisfying when it’s all smooth and well-put-together.)
Loved this post. <3
(And side question: is it just the picture, or are the words on your book covers backwards in that first one?)
Aw, thank you so much!!! ^^ I’m so glad!!! And yes, they are!!! The series is called Enchantria, the ebooks are available on Amazon, and paperbacks should be available… well, wherever books are sold online. :)) I hope you get to read them as well!
Indeed. I’ve honestly had to learn that not every single day is going to be productive with thousands of words and that I have to stop beating myself up for it. I’m still wrestling with the plot of this book (at this rate, I think plot is just the main thing that needs to be untangled), but I’ve been trying to just accept the pace it’s going at, and just… write. Work on the book, a little bit at a time. And yes! I have found that to be the case so many times before!!
And thank you so much!! I’m glad you think so! (And I’m glad you like the lighting and shadows on the ornaments!! I had a lot of fun painting those!) So do I! Especially in watercolor, but in any medium of art, really. But whenever it’s done in watercolor, there’s just something amazing about seeing the light and shadow… How they’re really loose and free and just how beautiful it looks when finally done!
Thanks for reading!! And yes, it’s just the picture — I was taking a selfie, and so it sort of flipped the picture. The book covers are not actually backwards in real life!
I’m pretty sure she took the picture in the mirror š
First off, CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING YOUR NOVELS!!! That is so insanely exciting! I cannot imagine how amazing that feelsāyou deserve it! Those books truly are amazing and I know holding them in your hands would be such a powerful thingāyour words, printed and out in the world for people to read, to turn the pages, to fall into this realm of magic and adventure..
I think what you said about that story is so trueāyou are the only one who can tell that tale, the only one who knows the characters and can write that story. Itās a beautiful thing, really. Imagination. Storytelling. The fact that you have a story inside you that no one else does. Itās incredible.
And I can totally relate to perfectionism. Itās something I know I struggle with, too. Especially lately, as Iām getting closer to hopefully publishingā¦the fear of failure and not having my novel be as good as I dream it will be is hard. Youāre not alone.ā¤ļø
Wishing you the best of luck in your writing in this upcoming year!
Yes, I totally agree about the feeling of getting lost in a novelāthereās nothing quite like it!
And YAY YOU GOT THE SWORD!!! Thatās so cool!!! May you and Olia have many an epic adventure together!
My December has been good! Weāre moving, so thereās been a lot of emotions, some good, some bad, but we got to spend Christmas with family so that was delightful!
And the watercolors are SO GOOD!!!
Thank you so much, Lola!!! ^^ Yes, it’s SO surreal and just… wow. Absolutely amazing. And thank you so much for your kind words on the story!! I am so glad you enjoyed the books (and that you picked them up!!)! I was honestly rather surprised someone had actually found the books during that time, because I’d only just started publishing and didn’t really have that much of an audience! (I feel odd asking this, but if you don’t mind sharing, how did you find out about the Enchantria series?)
Yes, I really do think so. Storytelling and imagination have been so, so important in my life and throughout the ages, especially in dark times. And there really is nothing better than being able to tell that story, to write it, to see it come together, and then to have people (like you!) actually read it and to have that story work its way into the hearts of readers. I’m wishing you the very best of luck with the publication of your book!!! (And congratulations on being so close to publication!!! That is truly incredible!!) Fear of failure and of not being good enough is indeed hard, but I have read your writing, and it is absolutely amazing!! ^^ I’m sure the book shall be good! Having people beta read helps as well!
I DID GET THE SWORD!! *swings it around with great glee* I actually have no clue how to use a sword… I’ve just been randomly swinging it and stabbing imaginary foes with it. I’ve been meaning to look up how to actually use a sword haha!!! And thank you!! ^^ I am certain we shall.
I’m glad you got to spend Christmas with family!! ^^ I know how hard moving can be (just went through a tough move myself). I’m wishing you the best of luck! And hoping you get settled into your new place soon! š
And thank you! I’m so glad you like them!
Thank you!
Yes, of courseāitās not an odd question at all!
The way I found your novels is sorta unusualā¦ I was fiddling around on Gail Carson Levineās website, having recently discovered the āGuestsā thing, and I was curious what it was. I read a few of them, thinking āHuh! This is cool!ā And then I stumbled upon one of the recent lettersāyours. In it you said you published the Enchantria series and you were not even a teenager! I was super excited to find a series by a young author, and so I immediately hopped over to Amazon, looked up Enchantria, and found your books! Since it was on Kindle Unlimited, I read the first book, and then continued to read the series as the books came out!
I know itās not the most normal way of finding books, but Iām glad I stumbled upon them!
I’m so glad you found my books as well!! Ohhhh, I remember writing that! I didn’t expect anyone to actually read it! I’m really glad you did though! (And thank you so much for reading my books! I am so glad you enjoyed them!)
Sweet! Merry Christmas and happy New Year!
Seeing the authorās copies makes me look forward to the day where I might publish my series and get my own authorās copies!
A Merry (belated) Christmas to you as well!!! (As well as a Happy New Year!) Hope 2026 goes well for you!!
^^ I am glad to hear that!! Keep writing, and I am certain you shall be able to hold your own books in your hands someday as well!
Hi Isabelle!
The books look amazing! I totally understand your frustration with getting author copies to arrive from Amazon. Deep sigh
Some books ship right away, while others take over a month to even get to the printers, it seems. Once they are printed, they seem to ship quickly; it’s just getting the printers to do their job that’s the hang-up.
As for me, hmmm…
I finally settled on a name for book 3 of Where Have All The Dragons Gone? It is A New Chapter.
Moon told me that having a baby is ‘definitely’ a new chapter in life. So it would be perfect. I agreed. So instead of NOW WHAT… lol, a placeholder title, it has a real one.
The new cover will be a bright green shade, with the same golden web with the dragon in the middle.
I’ve also hopefully located a new illustrator, still waiting on proofs from her for one of my children’s stories.
I started writing the standalone book for Donald, the poor, lonely dragon who refused to change with all the rest. … Very unsettling beginning, but it will start sad, then build only to collapse again. LOL ahh to kill your darlings.
I have been listening to an excellent Trilogyādefinitely Scifi centric.
Written by Robert J. Sawyer. WWW: Wake, Watch, and Wonder are the titles.
Here’s hoping that 2026 will allow the words to flow like water and the readers to be thirsty.
Bea
Lovely to see you on here, Bea!! And thank you!!!!!!! I was so excited!!!!
Ugh, no, that sucks!!! I thought it was only me! It always takes over a month for mine to get to the printers, and then either half a month or one month before they actually ship…
Yay!!! I’m so glad you found a title for book three! Congrats! And lol!!! Now What sounds like a placeholder title I’d use as well…. My current draft of Island keepers, I’ve just randomly titled MUFFIN MUFFIN MUFFIN (don’t ask.) And ooh! Hope it goes well with the illustrator!!
Yessss!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have wanted to know what happened to Donald for so long now… Hope the writing goes well for you! Indeed! Here’s to a wonderful 2026!