october Q&A
answering questions from friends and family and strangers in the order they were received
welcome back, substack squad! today’s post is relatively self-explanatory: i asked, you answered, and now we have a whole caboodle of Qs relating to everything from writing to international travel.
so let’s get into it!
Q: what are you dressing up as for Halloween?
A: sadly, Halloween is not as big here in Italy as it is in the States (boo!). however, i LOVE a costume with some word-play, the more niche the better. right now, i’m considering a tall girl version of Sabrina Carpenter’s look from her Short n’ Sweet tour…maybe we could call it Tall n’ Sour? not sure. will report back!
Q: what writing program do you use for your books?
A: this is by far the question i get most, and boy could i write an entire essay about it! (and i will, she whispers, threateningly). anywho, the app is called Scrivener! i’ve seen a few writers talking about it on TikTok, but it was the word target feature that sold me. in a nutshell, you can set how many words you want to write (70-80k is my target for rough drafting), and your deadline, and the app will calculate your daily goal, even changing colors the closer you get to it (ooOOOoo, all the type-A eldest daughters say in unison). in addition to Scrivener, i also love Miro for storyboarding! on the tv side, our writers’ room went remote in 2020, and i would screenshare and manage a digital whiteboard on Miro almost daily. ultimately, the best programs are the ones that get (and keep) you writing, but know that when it comes to books and traditional publishing, Microsoft Word is still the industry standard.
Q: do you have any advice about cheap European travel? i really want to do a big summer trip next year, trying to decide which country is most affordable between flights, places to stay, food costs, and getting around…
A: Budapest, baby!!! it continues to be one of my favorite cities to visit, and that’s not just because my grandparents are from Buda/Pest. there is excellent (and cheap) public transportation, so it’s easier to get the most bang for your buck (USD). if you have the flexibility, i recommend starting with Google Flights, choosing your destination WITHOUT putting in a date, and then seeing what options you get. however, if you’re looking to bop between multiple European countries, i also recommend the Eurail Pass — which was the best decision i made when i was backpacking! if you want, you can even do what we did: where instead of paying for hotels, we bought various 8-hour trains to sleep on between our destinations (but know i can no longer recommend this at my geriatric 29 years of age). finally, last summer i met a couple from Norway who told me that whenever they visit a new country they spend at least one week with a local language school, as more often than not the academic programs have a cheaper form of housing, or deals with local landlords. plus, it’s an amazing way to immerse yourself in a new culture!
Q: what have been the highs of studying in Florence? lows?
A: HIGHS: the food. the views. the people. the people. the people. being able to walk literally everywhere, for everything, always. the Odeon. the Oblate. also, learning a new word in class, and then hearing it used in real life that same day. LOWS: my first week here it was 37 degrees C (~ 100 degrees F) and like most apartments mine doesn’t have air conditioning — so EVERY night was a choice between opening the window or keeping out the zanzare (mosquitos). let’s just say i’ve gotten very good at killing the beasts…
Q: do you have any advice for first-time authors?
A: keep going!!!! you hear me? KEEP GOING!!!!! also: join a writer’s group. writing is a very solitary task, which is stupidly ironic since we only tell stories to connect with other people — so start connecting! also, gamefiy it. give yourself a deadline AND rewards (candies, books, stickers, a nap, whatever works!). i once read an article about how Olympic athletes are told to focus on being 80% of their best, not 100%, and now i pass this along to everyone i meet. especially in the early days of drafting, the desire to be perfect is so human — and so wonderful, really, because it means you care so, so much! — but don’t let it stop you. ever.
Q: did you ever play lacrosse?
A: lmao GREAT question…no! only at backyard bbqs. but i went to a very posh public high school in New England, and to us lacrosse was bigger than football. i still have a thing for calf socks.
Q: does LAX ever make you think of the airport?
A: LMAO. not until now!
Q: how do you structure your writing routine, and how has it evolved over the course of your career?
A: lololololololol WHAT ROUTINE!?!? just kidding…kind of? because i mean it when i say that every day i wake up and feel like i have no idea what i’m doing. but i’ve learned that it’s easier to write in the mornings before work (or now, school). when that’s not possible, i HAVE to carve out time for my writing in small increments, usually with a sweet treat as bait. also, though not specific to writing, Atomic Habits has some of the best advice for habit building, and i’ve tried to apply as much of it to my “routine” as possible: do a little every day, at the same time of day, and stack one habit with another (example: write 500 words, every day at 2pm, post a video to social media, and have a sweet treat).
Q: what strategies do you use to stay disciplined when faced with distractions or writer’s block?
A: look. when i can’t get into the flow, i will BLAST music. usually, one song on repeat until i’m sick of it, or an utterly unhinged mix on the YouTube. i also love Big Bootie. or, my current favorite, Classical Music for Villains. the duality of woman! also, when i have writer’s block, i’ll call my dad, or my little brother, or big sister, or a BFF, and bounce ideas. talking out loud always helps me!
Q: how do you balance creativity with the pressure of deadlines, and what role does self-discipline play in that?
A: one of my Bad habits is that i always set impossible deadlines, and thus i operate under a general level of stress at all times. DON’T DO THIS! yes, i need a deadline. the project will not get finished otherwise. but i’m still practicing how to respect the deadline while also respecting my own needs (food, water, shelter) along the way. again, do a little every day. no matter what. for KILL THE LAX BRO, i actually sold the book on proposal, meaning i had a VERY specific deadline written into my contract. i don’t think i would have been able to write it as fast without it.
Q: when starting a large project like a book, what is your approach to breaking it down into manageable steps?
A: brace yourselves…i think about it like rowing! i was a competitive rower in high school and college, and in recent years i’ve coached for a girls’ team in Los Angeles (hi, ladies!). in our sport, a typical race is 2000 meters, and every race can be broken down in more or less the same way: the starting five strokes, the first power 10, finding your race pace, making a move at 500m in, taking three strokes to breathe at the halfway mark, a power 20 for good luck, then The Sprint at 250m to go. if you start too hard, too fast, you’ll fly and die. in other words: you can’t go all out, all at once — plan your daily goals, your weekly goals, your monthly dreams. also plan your breaks, your sprints, and your celebrations! a little storyboarding here, a little drafting there…one stroke/word at a time until you can “see” the finish line. ba dum tss.
Q: what advice would you give to someone overwhelmed by the scope of a big creative endeavor?
A: hi, my love. thank you for this question. the first thing i would say is try to find a way to make the endeavor fun. yes — fun. that’s the big secret, i swear. so you want to be someone who keeps a diary? buy yourself a new diary and some glitter pens. you want to create a new website for your yoga studio? let’s make a kickass playlist for your first lesson and scroll Pinterest until we find inspiration for your new logo. the idea of gameifying work and creating play has utterly changed my life, and another way i think about it is cosplaying as our higher selves: if she can do it (in the future), i can do it (now)!
Q: do you ever struggle with doubts when starting your book? How did you push through those moments?
A: in the beginning…no. and then somewhere along the way i usually start crying when i feel like i’m not doing good enough fast enough. but just keep pushing, and find someone you trust to help pull you up the hill on the days when the bolder feels even bigger than normal.
Q: what inspires you to start a new project, and how do you keep that inspiration alive throughout the process?
A: i actually feel like i’ve had the same list of dream projects since i was thirteen years old, but now i have the time and experience to (hopefully) bring them to life. BUT, if an idea dies, really, properly dies, i also think it’s one of the best things that can happen to it. because you can always take your favorite parts and get a leg up on your next idea, or maybe the story will come back one day in an entirely new way. and again — finding other people to talk to, complain to, and be excited with, helps keep me on the path!
Q: do you have any rituals or habits that help you tap into creativity, especially on days when you don’t feel inspired?
A: tiny one. i really like lighting candles!
Q: how do you align inspiration with the practical aspects of writing, like research or outlining?
A: to me they are quite similar, because one thing always inspires the other. but but but, i WILL get sucked into the research vortex for HOURS if i’m not careful, and not a single word will be written. going back to Scrivener for a sec, in the program you are actually able to look at your page in the middle of the screen alongside a separate tab for notes and research (sometimes i even keep pictures there for inspo). there’s something about being able to look at both simultaneously that is just delightful!
Q: were you ever hesitant to share your writing with others, and how did you overcome that fear?
A: nope. but maybe ask me again when my first book comes out? when i was little, i was always running around asking people to read my writing, and i was very lucky to have teachers and mentors that gave me opportunities to write even more. for example, i still remember how my fifth grade teacher, Ms. Clancy, knew that i loved writing, and she asked me to write a short story for a final project instead of the analytical essay that everyone else was doing. that was maybe the first time i realized someone (not in my family) saw me as a writer. i hope i never forget it.
Q: how do you deal with criticism or feedback, especially when it’s about something as personal as your writing?
A: i actually kinda sorta…love criticism? at least when i still have the opportunity to change things!!!! but with writers groups, and beta readers, and agents, and editors, i want to be ripped apart. really. tell me how to fix it. PLEASE! i need YOU! then, once the story is out there, and it’s not something i can easily change (or grow from!) and the criticism might maybe be more for someone to flaunt their own understanding of The Heroes Journey…i ask that we put the gloves back on.
Q: what’s been the most rewarding part of putting your work out into the world, and what advice would you give to other creators nervous about sharing theirs?
A: meeting other writers, hearing their stories, and getting to answer questions like this from people like you. i mean it! and whenever i teeter into stress, or anxiety, i try to slow down and think of little me. she wanted this. she dreamed of this. and i want her to be proud of me, gosh darn it!
thanks again, all of you, for sending in your questions!!!! i’m really, really, really touched by your sincerity, and this exercise made me far more emotional than i expected.
same time next month?
also — if you liked reading this, there’s a chance you might like the rest of my writing. and lucky for you, you can now officially preorder my first traditionally published young adult book: KILL THE LAX BRO. click click boom!
more soon xo