I have a confession: I haven’t been working much on my second novel. I’m very much a mood writer, and haven’t had the time or space to dive in. I don’t push through “writer’s block” (if that’s what this is). Instead, I listen to my body and build up the energy to get back to it.

At the same time, I want my writing to stay sharp, so I’ve been really enjoying submitting little poems, tiny stories, and short stories to contests. I also (gah!) submitted two personal essays to a few literary publications for the first time. I also wrote a mini guide to querying and self publishing (DM me for a link) and an upcoming article about lessons learned from leading a teen writing circle.

And! I submitted a grant proposal to finally write a non-fiction book I’ve been dreaming about for 20 years (but will take an entire year, full time, to write.) I love that I can push my writing growth, keep my brain fresh, and change what “writer’s block” means for me, on my own terms.

What are you working on right now? Are you working on the thing you’re “supposed” to be doing, or finding some enjoyment and productivity elsewhere?