June Monthly Update

What I’m reading, what I’m working on, and where I’m going next

This is the first installment of a short monthly article where I reflect on my progress and learnings and share a small life update. I’d love for these to spark conversation, so let me know what’s going on in your life as well! We can learn from each other as we walk our own paths.

Reading List

Wound, by Oksana Vasyakina

I finished this book a few weeks ago, and it took me a solid three weeks to read through it, even though it’s a slim 240 pages. I picked it up for a couple of specific reasons:

1) Queer literature set in a restrictive society: I wanted to see how this author portrays her character’s journey of self-discovery within a hostile environment. I noticed that that was a gap in my own reading history and wanted to fill it with an acclaimed international writer.

2) Practice in maintaining focus: Much of what I’m learning about writing is to hold a reader’s attention and not let it go. However, as a reader, I want to hear all different kinds of stories, not just the page-turners. Since this book is more slow and literary than my typical picks, I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could get through it, and what I might learn.

Favorite aspects of the book: sharp imagery, interesting metaphors, and lyrical prose

Prompt for you: What aspects of reading or writing are you shying away from? Where do those hesitations live, and what might be possible if you challenged them instead?

Manuscript Corner

In February, I finished my third draft, which you can read about here. After that, I submitted my chapters for feedback from a small group of readers, and have received all of their comments. Before moving into my fourth draft, I am pausing to complete some research to fill my knowledge gaps.

You may be asking—why not do all the research at the beginning? Before you got too far into your story and started line-editing and polishing your sentences? That is a very good question. It would have been much more practical to do it that way. However, the main reason was that I knew if I tried to do too much research at the beginning, I would stall and never complete my first draft. Maintaining momentum was the most important thing!

So, now I’m firmly in “research mode.”

Invitation: Take 15 minutes to journal about your writing journey. Where are you in your process? Is it where you want to be? What roadblocks are in your way? And if that’s a challenge—what thoughts or emotions show up when you look at it directly?

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I started this community because I know how powerful it is to show up for our dreams together. As a thank you for walking this path with me, paid subscribers receive a monthly addition to our field kit—a little memento from my journey to yours.

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Life Update

Originally from Portland, Oregon, my family moved out to upstate New York a few years ago. It was a stark change from the lush, evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest, and I’ve seen more snowfall in the past two years than I have in my entire life. Although I’ve made some wonderful friends and found some really beautiful pockets of nature, we decided that it wasn’t for us. We’re moving south!

Later this month, we’ll be settling in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. Even though it’s farther away from the publishing capital of New York City, I’m excited for the easy access to nature and the literary community that I’ve been reading about. If you know the area, drop a comment below! I’d love any suggestions for great restaurants, cafes, hikes, events, stores, or anything else I should know.

Writing prompt: Journal about a time that you made a big move. What were the circumstances surrounding the move? How did you feel about it? Did the new location meet your expectations?

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