Open mic!

happy friday all

illustration by @georgiamaiaillustrations

A question I get asked a lot by other writers on here is: ‘how do you write a book and write a weekly Substack at the same time?’

The answer is: with difficulty! It feels as though both things use slightly different sides of my brain. It’s not recommended, but it’s possible. I don’t want to pause this Substack just because my book deadlines are creeping up; but in the past it’s been needed. Books are a labour of love and my new novel, coming out Spring next year, is at that very exciting stage now where I’m doing the last edits before it goes into production. ‘Production’ means turning the raw manuscript into a final product with editing, styling, design and formatting. Then there will be printed proofs. It’s VERY EXCITING.

When it comes out, it’ll have been five years since my debut Olive.

Not trying to name-drop but I met the author David Nicholls earlier this year and he reassured me five years is very normal. Novels take time. Novels are hard.

Writing this second novel has pushed me to my limits multiple times. I’ve asked myself many times ‘why am I doing this?’ It also forced me to have a stronger backbone, creatively. To push back on suggestions that didn’t feel right. In order for it to get written, I had to knuckle down, believe in myself, and trust that I knew what I was doing. I had to do it my way. The whole process felt a bit more mature. The energy shifted from ‘please like my book’ to: ‘this is my book, and I stand behind it.’

The process took so many re-writes that I don’t really want to think about it. The main thing is, I’m nearly done.

But there comes a time (like this week, for example, where I’ve been spending 10-12 hour days with boring desk lunches, working on the book) where I don’t have much juice left in the tank — and then the evenings are important for wind-down time.

All this to say, I don’t have a Sunday Scroll for you this weekend, I’m sorry! But I thought, instead, we could share in the comments what we’re all working on, or what we’re proud of — basically an ‘open mic’ session where you can plug your work, or project, or Substack (inspired by this post by Ted Gioia.)

Have you launched a new business lately? Written a book proposal? Have a new Substack? Are you working on a creative ‘Big Magic’ vibes project? Do you have a new hobby you love? An article you’d like to pitch somewhere? Is there something you’re proud of doing lately? Share, share away in the comments below! Tell me about what you’ve been working on! Feel free to link away — to your books, Substacks, websites, anything you want to share!

I’ll be back in your inbox properly soon — and in the mean-time, thank you so much for your support of The Hyphen. This space has added so much to my creative life; it makes my books richer and my life fuller. ♡

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