Loved this deep dive into how things have been for you lately! I hope the writing comes easier very soon. I also loved the reminder to guard your time. It’s SO hard with so many outside pressures and as a querying, unpublished writer there’s always that nagging self-doubt sucking energy, too. Best thing that’s happened to me in terms of guarding time to write has been that the handle of my ‘office’ (living room!) door broke off, so no one can get in unless I open it from inside. Never fixing it 🤣
Jojo, thank you so much for sharing this. I’ve been experiencing something similar myself for a couple of months after feeling really in tune with my WIP for over a year. So, it’s heartening to read that someone as prolific a writer as you are sometimes encounters this, too.
Oh, so lovely to have you back, Jojo! Admin stuff has to be the most boring task in the world... good job there are people who enjoy doing it! I look forward to reading your next piece and the one after that, now that the tedious stuff is out of the way... And thanks for recommending My sister and other lovers... Keep writing! :-)
I wish you all the best with the writing process. I just wanted to let you know that I got a reply to a comment I made on your Substack on 31 January.
I can’t seem to paste it here but it was basically the mother of all investments. I reported it and blocked it but it was named Jojo Moyes Substack. Not sure if anyone else was affected.
Thank you for your honesty! I find it REALLY hard to get back into a book after being on tour or having an extended break. My last book too a lot longer because some days I just had to think... but as you said, each book is different. I can't wait to read this new one of yours whenever it is ready. I have 'Trust the Magic' tattooed on my arm, which basically means 'Trust the Process.' x
I’m at a similar point with my work in progress as I edit the first draft. I feel like my story and the characters are pulling me in a different direction than they were in that first draft. Which is frustrating to say the least! But my thinking time is done. I know I just need to push my sleeves up and get the work done.
Good luck with your words. I hope they start flowing soon.
Holy moly JoJo what can I say?? Please please please know I love how you come on here and tell it how it is. Lots of people have gotten annoyed at authors for coming here all shiny and popular with their hundreds and millions of followers and spout off how to gain followers blah blah… you don’t do that. You just post and hold your hand up and go ‘hey guys, I’ve got this far with this project, but I don’t know what’ll happen’. It’s honest and completely relatable, so THANK YOU!!! It is reassuring to know even the best struggle.
I hit 70k on mine and now I’m writing and burning out all the friggin time. I know I’ve still got a way to go with it, which stresses me out no end, but I’m trying to come at it from different angles and sometimes dipping into book 2 as well. You’re right, all we can do is keep going and trust the process.
Thank you JoJo, and thank you for your BBC Maestro course, super helpful 🙂 can’t wait to see what the book is about…. But don’t take that as pressure (I know you won’t) 😆
Hi! First of all, a weird message came through from your profile... looked like a scammer as a response to some comment I made and the response was clearly not you and totally irrelevant... weird. And now unpaywalling... This post of yours for example shows as paid https://substack.com/@jojomoyes/p-159079834 and you can go andto it and press edit. If you're on a laptop/desktop, the bottom right corner should have cog wheel symbol saying settings. Press that and you get on the top of your screen something like a red button where you can undo the pay wall. I'm not technical but figured this out for a post series I keep free and that's how I work it out. Hope it helps.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I have felt the exact same way lately about the novel I’m currently writing. I sit down to write and my mind says, “nope, you have other things to do or focus on” and I can’t seem to get the words down, even though I see it all so clearly in my head. I appreciate you sharing your struggles, because as an aspiring author, it selfishly makes me feel better knowing The Greats struggle too sometimes. I also just finished your course on BBC Maestro and it was one of the most helpful courses I’ve taken, so thank you!
Will look into your suggestions: My Sister and Other Lovers, Dying for Sex. Love on the Spectrum—oh yes, heart filling. Also, I like your process. Typically, the notebook in my nightstand gets a lot of use (and sometimes in the dark, the results are fabulous) at the wee hours of the morning. The arcs make sense for some reason at this time. Working on The Heart-Shaped Stone, I was chugging along at 1-2000 words a day. Of course, I stopped to potty and feed my dog, visit the loo, and bring my food to my desk. If I had to actually work (for an income) I double timed at night. I’m still tweaking things after my ARC returns, working on the cover and preparing for the audio version. A new story is brewing—a novella most likely—from a fellow artist’s painting. Good to read you here on SS—I’m kinda new.
Hey Jojo - thanks for this update. And yes, you can remove the paywall on your settings- it's a button you click.
I help authors set up their Substacks to build community around their books. More than happy to take a look at yours and explain a few things... sent you a DM (if you check them:)
Thank you for sharing such true thoughts. Learning to trust while letting go of the end result has been one of the hardest but also most freeing things I’ve ever done. Love that you are here. 💜
Loved this deep dive into how things have been for you lately! I hope the writing comes easier very soon. I also loved the reminder to guard your time. It’s SO hard with so many outside pressures and as a querying, unpublished writer there’s always that nagging self-doubt sucking energy, too. Best thing that’s happened to me in terms of guarding time to write has been that the handle of my ‘office’ (living room!) door broke off, so no one can get in unless I open it from inside. Never fixing it 🤣
Jojo, thank you so much for sharing this. I’ve been experiencing something similar myself for a couple of months after feeling really in tune with my WIP for over a year. So, it’s heartening to read that someone as prolific a writer as you are sometimes encounters this, too.
Oh, so lovely to have you back, Jojo! Admin stuff has to be the most boring task in the world... good job there are people who enjoy doing it! I look forward to reading your next piece and the one after that, now that the tedious stuff is out of the way... And thanks for recommending My sister and other lovers... Keep writing! :-)
Hi Jojo
I wish you all the best with the writing process. I just wanted to let you know that I got a reply to a comment I made on your Substack on 31 January.
I can’t seem to paste it here but it was basically the mother of all investments. I reported it and blocked it but it was named Jojo Moyes Substack. Not sure if anyone else was affected.
oh this is very worrying (and vexing). I would never recommend an investment! I hope you blocking it means that they take it down x
I think I’ve sent it to you via notes but when you see it you’ll see no one would possibly think it was you. 🙂
Yes, I’ve had that too. Hopefully if we ignore it, it’ll go away.
Ah that’s reassuring. Thank you Jill 🙂
Thank you for your honesty! I find it REALLY hard to get back into a book after being on tour or having an extended break. My last book too a lot longer because some days I just had to think... but as you said, each book is different. I can't wait to read this new one of yours whenever it is ready. I have 'Trust the Magic' tattooed on my arm, which basically means 'Trust the Process.' x
Thanks for sharing, Jojo.
I’m at a similar point with my work in progress as I edit the first draft. I feel like my story and the characters are pulling me in a different direction than they were in that first draft. Which is frustrating to say the least! But my thinking time is done. I know I just need to push my sleeves up and get the work done.
Good luck with your words. I hope they start flowing soon.
Holy moly JoJo what can I say?? Please please please know I love how you come on here and tell it how it is. Lots of people have gotten annoyed at authors for coming here all shiny and popular with their hundreds and millions of followers and spout off how to gain followers blah blah… you don’t do that. You just post and hold your hand up and go ‘hey guys, I’ve got this far with this project, but I don’t know what’ll happen’. It’s honest and completely relatable, so THANK YOU!!! It is reassuring to know even the best struggle.
I hit 70k on mine and now I’m writing and burning out all the friggin time. I know I’ve still got a way to go with it, which stresses me out no end, but I’m trying to come at it from different angles and sometimes dipping into book 2 as well. You’re right, all we can do is keep going and trust the process.
Thank you JoJo, and thank you for your BBC Maestro course, super helpful 🙂 can’t wait to see what the book is about…. But don’t take that as pressure (I know you won’t) 😆
so happy to hear you found the course helpful!
Hi! First of all, a weird message came through from your profile... looked like a scammer as a response to some comment I made and the response was clearly not you and totally irrelevant... weird. And now unpaywalling... This post of yours for example shows as paid https://substack.com/@jojomoyes/p-159079834 and you can go andto it and press edit. If you're on a laptop/desktop, the bottom right corner should have cog wheel symbol saying settings. Press that and you get on the top of your screen something like a red button where you can undo the pay wall. I'm not technical but figured this out for a post series I keep free and that's how I work it out. Hope it helps.
I love your realness. Its exactly what makes your characters and your stories so damn good.
You’ve got this, Jojo. Keep
Thank you so much for sharing this! I have felt the exact same way lately about the novel I’m currently writing. I sit down to write and my mind says, “nope, you have other things to do or focus on” and I can’t seem to get the words down, even though I see it all so clearly in my head. I appreciate you sharing your struggles, because as an aspiring author, it selfishly makes me feel better knowing The Greats struggle too sometimes. I also just finished your course on BBC Maestro and it was one of the most helpful courses I’ve taken, so thank you!
Oh that’s so nice to hear - thank you! x
Will look into your suggestions: My Sister and Other Lovers, Dying for Sex. Love on the Spectrum—oh yes, heart filling. Also, I like your process. Typically, the notebook in my nightstand gets a lot of use (and sometimes in the dark, the results are fabulous) at the wee hours of the morning. The arcs make sense for some reason at this time. Working on The Heart-Shaped Stone, I was chugging along at 1-2000 words a day. Of course, I stopped to potty and feed my dog, visit the loo, and bring my food to my desk. If I had to actually work (for an income) I double timed at night. I’m still tweaking things after my ARC returns, working on the cover and preparing for the audio version. A new story is brewing—a novella most likely—from a fellow artist’s painting. Good to read you here on SS—I’m kinda new.
Hoping it all comes together and falls into place for you soon Jojo
Hey Jojo - thanks for this update. And yes, you can remove the paywall on your settings- it's a button you click.
I help authors set up their Substacks to build community around their books. More than happy to take a look at yours and explain a few things... sent you a DM (if you check them:)
Okay, I cried just watching the trailer for Dying for Sex. x
Thank you for sharing such true thoughts. Learning to trust while letting go of the end result has been one of the hardest but also most freeing things I’ve ever done. Love that you are here. 💜
💕Thanks 💕 for all this wonderful advice it’s heartening to know even you struggle to write sometimes.
I have just finished watching Dying for Sex and thought it was incredible. Everything about it was so beautiful.