Before we get geared up for the second half of the year, let’s take a break, shall we?

What’s your favorite Summer memory? The pool? Yes! The ball field? Definitely!

For me, though, the best part of Summer as a kid was always the (mostly) uninterrupted reading time. The Books, the Library Smell, the (seemingly, at the time) endless Stacks of Stories. The Adventures! The Emotions! The FUN!

Yes, my mom made me go outside, but I took my book most of the time. I played plenty, but my heart has always been within the pages of a good book.

So I’m returning there this Summer, and I hope you will join me.

SUMMER READING Videos on Instagram and YouTube!

Check out my channels for the video Introduction and (coming soon!) Reviews!

I had not even read the blurb when I acquired this book at a fundraiser sale.

Sometimes I do (read the back/blurb when shopping); sometimes I don’t, but this was an author familiar (but not too familiar) to me (Alice Hoffman-I have read 1, maybe 2), so I skipped it this time. If you’d like to hear the blurb and/or see my reaction to it, check out the NEW ANNOUNCEMENT/Summer Reading video on Instagram and YouTube.

The Title is The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman. If you’ve read it, PLEASE review it on the appropriate channels (i.e., mine, no; hers, yes!)! If you want to be involved in my experience, comment on the video or contact me, which you may also do here: Contact

The Daily Reading Ritual:

For me, the ultimate bridge between building a business and radical rest is a dedicated reading habit.

I have always loved reading, and I’ve got quite the TBR collection. For this new ritual, I have been rotating 4 TBR piles:

1. for my BIZ
2. Personal Growth or Health and Happiness
3. Play or Creativity Exploration
4. and the Summer Reading “fun read” choice.

4 “piles” with 5 optional “blocks.” Oh, and one of these blocks must be fiction. That’s it. Those are the only rules.

I set each block to be 30 minutes (e.g., from 10-10:30 AM), but I only set the timer for 20 minutes. It often takes me a minute to get settled, and I have been absolutely astounded at how difficult it is for me to keep still that entire time! Part of this is the gumption to get up and do what the book suggests. Part is the eroded attention span I’m trying to mend.

Here’s a sample schedule (it, of course depends on the day):

• AM BLOCK 10-10:30 AM
• NOON BLOCK 12:30-1PM
• PM BLOCK 2-2:30 PM
• EXTRA BLOCK 4-4:30 PM
• BONUS BLOCK 8:30-9PM

Here’s what my Reading Ritual looks like:

I set a timer, grab my book and beverage, and head for the nearest comfy spot. If I’m anxious, or my mind is still spinning from what I “should” still be doing, I keep on my feet. I long ago mastered the art of pacing and reading simultaneously.

Depending on the block or book, I might also grab my pen and a notepad/book.

All 5 blocks equal 2.5 hours of reading a day. My minimum is 3 blocks or 1 hour total.

Think you can do it? Join me!

xxxlinsey

If you need some help resetting this summer, try a FREE 15-minute check-in. You won’t regret it.

https://calendly.com/linseyewing/initial

Summertime…and well, everything is different.

In April, we did the hard work of Spring Cleaning. We made space for what was possible. In May, we watched the first new ideas sprout. And we just hit June—the exact halfway mark of the year.

Remember…Anxiety and Anticipation are the same emotion. Check your perspective.

If you look back at the goals you set in January (HA!) and feel guilt instead of excitement, take a deep breath.

You are no longer that person; you are not headed that direction, and those goals do not serve you. Say it with me. The person who wrote those goals six months ago didn’t have what you have right now. And, by the way, it is entirely OK to change your mind. Pivoting isn’t quitting.

If you’re not where you want to be this June, we are giving ourselves permission to rewrite the script as we prepare to reset for Q3.

June Vibes Only

I’m practicing what I preach. This month is all about balancing new habits with radical rest and keeping it super simple. Here is a sneak peek:

• Ritual: Summer Reading is here!
• Reset: “Finish It” Mentality for 2026
• Rest: Intentional Breaks as Progress
• Retreat: Realign and Resume for Q3

We aren’t stumbling into the second half of the year exhausted. We are auditing, pivoting, and preparing.

Join me.

xxxlinsey

If you need some help resetting this summer, try a FREE 15-minute check-in. You won’t regret it.

https://calendly.com/linseyewing/initial

What’s Possible?

Limits create safety. At least the illusion of safety. Their removal creates a sense of boundlessness, free-floating, untethered possibility. Think outer space and the ocean; we’ve only so far scratched the surface of exploration.

I’m in one of those places now. Not physically zero-gravity or treading water, but facing a new, vast, and potentially unfriendly frontier.

Daunting, yes. Then I remember sage advice I’ve heard and given here before: Anxiety and Anticipation are the same emotion with different flavors.

It doesn’t take much for me to slip from one to the other.

So. I choose.

Anything Imaginable.

What will I do next? What can I do? What am I good at?

Maybe most importantly: What do I WANT?

I can make list after list of things I DON’T want, but this is much harder. It’s an exercise I’ve taken months to explore in my email series on The Artist’s Way [sign up at linseyewing.com/get-access and receive some writing freebies!]

In May, we entered the chapter of Possibility, and I had no idea what was coming. Next month, it’s Abundance, and I have a feeling I’m in for a wild ride with that one, too.

By Whom?

Here’s another nugget of wisdom I’ve used before: If it’s possible, it can be done, and if it can be done, it can be done by you.

YOU/Me/US

So, if anything is possible and I can do it, that’s great news, but what is IT?

I think that’s what we’ll be exploring here in the coming months.

Stay Tuned.

PAPERBACK PROMO MONTH ENDS SUNDAY!

During MAY every year (and sometimes other months, depending), I run a PAPERBACK PROMO.

Basically, you can get the paperbacks directly from me at a discounted rate for 1 MONTH ONLY!

2026 Pricing Promotion: 2 books for $20 and/or 3 books for $30

Fill out the FORM on my WEBSITE: https://www.linseyewing.com/novels

Courses STARTING NEXT WEEK!

LIVING WRITE and EDIT SOBER are 5-week courses that include a guided journal with practical prompts and exercises to keep you moving forward every day for more than a month. Asynchronous courses are also available!

EACH week of each course has a theme that brings you closer to your goal, freebies and exercises for the assist, and group/individual coaching for the win!

BOTH courses come with a guided journal for 31 days of self-care, intention and motivation, and follow-through tracking.

LIVING WRITE:

LIVING WRITE: I built LIVING WRITE to go from IDEA to FINISHED DRAFT in as little as a month. First, we flesh out our idea(s). We begin to practice putting aside time for our craft. Then we move through our space and supplies to evaluate what we’ve got and what we need. Finally, we set in motion the perfect-for-you routine that will get your project done and dusted for good this time.

LIVING WRITE is for ANYONE starting or refreshing ANY CREATIVE routine AND/OR ready to FINALLY FINISH a first draft of any project.

LIVING WRITE INTEREST FORM: This is NOT a commitment. There is NO obligation. Only Interest.

EDIT SOBER:

EDIT SOBER: I built EDIT SOBER to go from a “Dirty Draft” to an as-polished-as-I-can-get-it manuscript ready for another reader. Similar to LIVING WRITE, we start with the evaluation of what we have and need. Then we move through the manuscript at least twice: once for fun and once (or more) with intention. Finally, we start a new, clean second (or third or whatever!) draft that we build from the blocks of our previous work.

EDIT SOBER is for WRITERS ready to whip a “Dirty Draft” into shape for ALPHA or BETA Readers or an Editor. The course may also work for OTHER CREATIVE ENDEAVORS that are STUCK or need a SYSTEMATIC APPROACH to revisiting an older work.

EDIT SOBER INTEREST FORM: This is NOT a commitment. There is NO obligation. Only Interest.

NEED MORE? [COMMENT or DM ME the name of the course you’re interested in!]

Keep an eye on my Instagram (@ewinglinsey) for video descriptions of the books and courses.

Let’s get something done this summer, what do you say?

CURRENT NOVEL PROGRESS

ASD Draft 1: GOAL: 50K-word draft by May 31, 2026!

Current Word Count:

The structural edits continue, though I think I’m finally at the point of freewriting the parts that belong in the draft next. This will be my goal this final week of May, and then a REST. I may take up the edits in July. We will see.

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

Tuesday Evenings: YouTube Stream at 5 PM Central / 6 EST

Creative Collective: NEXT MEETING (tentatively): JUNE 1, 2026 @7:30 PM

COMING SOON!

Summer Reading. Stay Tuned.

Until next time

Don’t forget, if you’re having trouble naming your passion, finding time to work, or just want to discuss your WIP, I’m only a click away. Take the time. You won’t regret it.

Start or Finish today. I can help.

Book your FREE 15 minutes

xxxlinsey

Well, it’s that time: PROMO MONTH!

In case you weren’t aware, I’m now working on Novel Number 4. During MAY every year (and sometimes other months, depending), I run a PAPERBACK PROMO.

Basically, you can get the paperbacks directly from me at a discounted rate for 1 MONTH ONLY!

This is also the month leading up to the 2nd run of my GROUP COURSES. You may choose to participate asynchronously at any point, but I really think there is something to the group dynamic. Give it a try. Your NEXT opportunity for GROUP courses AFTER JUNE 2026 is JANUARY 2027.

Books:

2026 Pricing Promotion: 2 books for $20 and/or 3 books for $30

Fill out the FORM on my WEBSITE: https://www.linseyewing.com/novels

Variations on the Theme of Goodbye

GOODBYE for short. This is my first book, so give it some grace. It’s about grieving people and what they’ve lost and all the ways in which we lose and reconnect with people, places, and things. It is mostly clean, sad, and thought-provoking.

TAGLINE: Six grieving people obliviously interconnected

LUKE

Because I will never again name anything as LONG as Variations on the Theme of Goodbye. Another title was “The Handyman.” It’s a day in the life of an unlikely hero in an unlikely situation. OR what happens when someone with next to nothing (to lose) encounters someone with everything (or is it?) OR the unexpected repercussions of how we treat people. It has violence, language, and an unexpected ending.

TAGLINE: Guy meets Girl meets Murphy’s Law

The Daily Grind

Or TDG. It’s about the people in and around a coffee shop called The Daily Grind and how they interact. It’s clean and appropriate for all maturish readers (in other words, not a children’s book). It has a wider scope (more characters), like Goodbye, and a larger message like LUKE.

TAGLINE: You never know who’s watching

Courses:

LIVING WRITE and EDIT SOBER are 5-week courses that include a guided journal with practical prompts and exercises to keep you moving forward every day for more than a month. Asynchronous courses are also available!

EACH week of each course has a theme that brings you closer to your goal, freebies and exercises for the assist, and group/individual coaching for the win!

BOTH courses come with a guided journal for 31 days of self-care, intention and motivation, and follow-through tracking.

LIVING WRITE:

LIVING WRITE: I built LIVING WRITE to go from IDEA to FINISHED DRAFT in as little as a month. First, we flesh out our idea(s). We begin to practice putting aside time for our craft. Then we move through our space and supplies to evaluate what we’ve got and what we need. Finally, we set in motion the perfect-for-you routine that will get your project done and dusted for good this time.

LIVING WRITE is for ANYONE starting or refreshing ANY CREATIVE routine AND/OR ready to FINALLY FINISH a first draft of any project.

LIVING WRITE INTEREST FORM: This is NOT a commitment. There is NO obligation. Only Interest.

EDIT SOBER:

EDIT SOBER: I built EDIT SOBER to go from a “Dirty Draft” to an as-polished-as-I-can-get-it manuscript ready for another reader. Similar to LIVING WRITE, we start with the evaluation of what we have and need. Then we move through the manuscript at least twice: once for fun and once (or more) with intention. Finally, we start a new, clean second (or third or whatever!) draft that we build from the blocks of our previous work.

EDIT SOBER is for WRITERS ready to whip a “Dirty Draft” into shape for ALPHA or BETA Readers or an Editor. The course may also work for OTHER CREATIVE ENDEAVORS that are STUCK or need a SYSTEMATIC APPROACH to revisiting an older work.

EDIT SOBER INTEREST FORM: This is NOT a commitment. There is NO obligation. Only Interest.

NEED MORE? [COMMENT or DM ME the name of the course you’re interested in!]

Keep an eye on my Instagram (@ewinglinsey) for video descriptions of the books and courses.

Let’s get something done this summer, what do you say?

CURRENT NOVEL PROGRESS

ASD Draft 1: GOAL: 50K-word draft by May 31, 2026!

Current Word Count: 17,584

I printed a new draft, got some structural stuff worked out, started front and back matter (I know…it is nowhere near time for this…but it IS progres), and word dumped some ideas on scenes that need to be written. Onward!

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

Tuesday Evenings: YouTube Stream at 5 PM Central / 6 EST

Creative Collective: NEXT MEETING (tentatively): JUNE 1, 2026 @7:30 PM

In Other News

Don’t forget, if you’re having trouble naming your passion, finding time to work, or just want to discuss your WIP, I’m only a click away. Take the time. You won’t regret it.

Start or Finish today. I can help.

Book your FREE 15 minutes

Until next time

xxxlinsey

Inner Critic vs. Inner Editor

Working for myself has been a journey.

Kind of like working for a toxic boss at first. I didn’t know how to treat me, and I was way worse at giving myself grace than I have ever been at extending grace to other people.

It took me years (and a little help) to realize there were opposing forces in my head, and they both had a voice.

What mattered was which one I listened to.

As writers, artists, or creatives of any stripe, we all have critics. We have editors, too.

We can’t choose our critics, but we can choose our editors, and that choice begins inside our own heads.

Inner Critic

INHIBITS future progress.

Criticizes EVERYTHING you do.

Convinces you YOU are wrong.

Leaves you nothing to DO.

Inner Editor

VALIDATES the work you’ve done and ENCOURAGES future work.

Illuminates the POSITIVE, which in turn casts into relief what needs work.

Highlights problems with the WORK.

Points the way FORWARD toward progress.

Which Will You Feed?

I didn’t use my capitals randomly that time. If you notice, I gave you a shortcut to remembering which is which:

Inner Critics: Inhibit Everything You Do

Inner Editors: Validate and Encourage Positive Work Forward.

We all have both an Inner Critic and an Inner Editor. Which one is stronger depends entirely on which one we’re willing to listen to most of the time.

Need to develop your Inner Editor?

Ask for help. Chances are, you are too close, too deep, or too sensitive, and you can’t see the forest for the trees. If you’re not even sure where to start, use the quick cleaning method, even if you just make a list.

When you have guests coming unexpectedly, you clean what you can, right? You make a priority list from the front door to the bathrooms, and you get moving. It’s the same with quick editing.

• Make a list of all the things you’d fix if you could.
• Make a list of all the things that cannot change without ruining everything.
• Make a list of problems.
• Make a list of questions you want answered.
• Make a list of everything you want your reader/audience to experience through your work.

Even if you only have a list at the end of this process, you will have SOMETHING, which is NOT NOTHING. A list is a great place to start, either for yourself or for your next reader.

If you’re looking for a little more guidance, ASK ME about one of these courses starting in June. They are mind-blowingly simple but powerful tools that you will use over and over again, I promise, because I do. Let’s get something done this summer, what do you say?

Take the NEXT STEP: Sign up for LIVING WRITE or EDIT SOBER (GROUP courses) starting JUNE 2026

LIVING WRITE and EDIT SOBER are 5-week courses that include a guided journal with practical prompts and exercises to keep you moving forward every day for more than a month. Asynchronous courses are also available!

LIVING WRITE is for starting or refreshing a creative routine AND/OR for finishing a first draft of any project.

LIVING WRITE INTEREST FORM: This is NOT a commitment. There is NO obligation. Only Interest.

EDIT SOBER is for whipping a “Dirty Draft” into shape for ALPHA or BETA Readers or an Editor.

EDIT SOBER INTEREST FORM: This is NOT a commitment. There is NO obligation. Only Interest.

INTERESTED? [COMMENT or DM ME the name of the course you’re interested in!] Keep an eye on my Instagram! Video descriptions are coming soon.

CURRENT NOVEL PROGRESS

TDG is LIVE: https://a.co/d/9YJ3ztr

ASD Draft 1: GOAL: 50K-word draft by May 31, 2026!

Current Word Count: 17,584

I took some time away without really meaning to, and now I think I’m ready to return. I dumped what I had left and am working on new words this week. Wish me luck!

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

Tuesday Evenings: YouTube Stream at 5 PM Central / 6 EST

Creative Collective: NEXT MEETING (tentatively): JUNE 1, 2026 @7:30 PM

In Other News

Don’t forget, if you’re having trouble naming your passion, finding time to work, or just want to discuss your WIP, I’m only a click away. Take the time. You won’t regret it.

Start or Finish today. I can help.

Book your FREE 15 minutes

Until next time

xxxlinsey

it’s all about me, really

There was a time when this blog was more about my struggles and successes than about how I can help others with theirs.

That’s ok; I don’t mind the shift, but I don’t want to ignore my origins, either.

You know I’m writing, and I hope you know why. It keeps me healthy and sane, relevant, and aware.

I try to keep you apprised of how my writing is going, but that’s only one aspect of my life, if the most important. You can read about some of my other struggles here on the blog. There have been many, and it has seldom been pretty, but I think that might be the point.

no one asked for this

This blog had a very small and very particular audience once upon a time. I have no idea if those people have ever read even one post, and that was part of the process. I had to let go of who might need to hear what I had to say.

Why? Because the person who most needed to hear what I had to say was me.

Maybe you’re there. Maybe you need your own permission.

Maybe you need something else. Maybe you need help, some space, a set of routines, or maybe you just need a starting point and a map. I have been all of those places. I seem to exist in others, and some I have escaped. Here is a short list of things that have helped me that I now incorporate into my offerings:

• self-care
• routines
• checklists
• rewards
• scheduled planning

the method in the mad-mess

Sometimes the messy part, undesirable as it may be, is the crux of the whole stupid project. We learn by doing. We learn through the process. Growth is slow and painful, and it frequently sucks. The good news is: most of the hard work is done.

Last month, we were Spring Cleaning. This month, I’m looking ahead at what all that space can make room for. It’s scary and exciting.

If you’re not signed up for my weekly email [sign up at linseyewing.com], we’re in Chapter 5 of The Artist’s Way, the chapter about (re)discovering a sense of Possibility.

It starts with noticing and acknowledging that we’re pretty crummy receivers. We ask for help, then hand it right back. We pray/wish for something to happen, then when it does, we screech, “Not like that!”

So, if you’re looking for a sign, THIS IS IT. Don’t Return to Sender.

The courses and programs I offer are designed by me for me to finish what I started. They are helping other people do the same. They can help you too. Let’s talk.

LIVING WRITE and EDIT SOBER (GROUP courses) JUNE 2026

LIVING WRITE and EDIT SOBER are 5-week courses that include a guided journal with practical prompts and exercises to keep you moving forward every day for more than a month. Asynchronous courses are also available!

LIVING WRITE is for starting or refreshing a creative routine AND/OR for finishing a first draft of any project.

EDIT SOBER is for whipping a “Dirty Draft” into shape for ALPHA or BETA Readers or an Editor.

INTERESTED? [COMMENT or DM ME the name of the course you’re interested in!]

CURRENT NOVEL PROGRESS

TDG is LIVE: https://a.co/d/9YJ3ztr

ASD Draft 1: GOAL: 50K-word draft by May 31, 2026!

I extended my deadline. While the Rough Draft Challenge is over, I decided to stick with this round until I finish this draft. I’ve come too far with the structure and knowing what new material I need to quit now. If I need a break in June, I’ll take one, but for now, I soldier on.

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

Tuesday Evenings: YouTube Stream at 5 PM Central / 6 EST

Creative Collective: NEXT MEETING (tentatively): JUNE 1, 2026 @7:30 PM

In Other News

Don’t forget, if you’re having trouble naming your passion, finding time to work, or just want to discuss your WIP, I’m only a click away. Take the time. You won’t regret it.

Start or Finish today. I can help.

Book your FREE 15 minutes

Until next time

xxxlinsey

If not NOW, then WHEN?

Now you know what to do and when to do it, but that doesn’t mean the rest is easy, does it?

Sometimes you need a little guidance.

Like if you’ve got the best book idea….but no idea where to start to make it a reality.

OR

If you FINALLY finished the draft you’ve been working on for YEARS!

…BUT

You know it’s not ready for someone else to read. Not even your biggest cheerleader.

Don’t worry, I got you.

I have a note on my desk that asks, “Are you a Writer?” The answer is a resounding YES. Therefore, the next step is MAKE A COMMITMENT TO WRITING.

Maybe you’re not a writer. Maybe you’re an artist of another stripe. Sorry, but my advice is still the same. Decide then Commit.

Once you’ve made a commitment, you have a pathway. What’s the 1 thing you need to do to BE THAT THING every single day?

Voila, your new habit.

What’s NEXT?.

If you’re asking what’s next, it’s probably time for a professional to step in.

Don’t worry. That can be you, too. In fact, I firmly believe YOU have got to take your work and your process seriously before anyone else can.

If ANY of this sounds like you, FILL OUT THE FORM. It’s not a commitment. It’s only information.

LIVING WRITE:

WHAT IT IS:

A GUIDED COURSE to help you go from struggling with writer’s block to building a consistent daily routine that guarantees you get your first draft done.

HOW LONG IT LASTS:

5 GUIDED WEEKS. Does that mean you’re on a time frame? Not at all. Sometimes the pressure helps. Sometimes it hurts. You have the option to join a GROUP starting JUNE 2026, or you may contact me for a slower, more asynchronous process.

WHEN IT STARTS:

GROUP starting JUNE 2026

FILL OUT THE LIVING WRITE FORM

EDIT SOBER:

WHAT IT IS:

A GUIDED COURSE to help you go from paralyzed by the “Dirty Draft” to confidently finalizing a polished manuscript using a proven, critical process.

HOW LONG IT LASTS:

5 GUIDED WEEKS. This one has a tighter deadline. You may still go over, but we don’t want the process spinning endlessly. Give it a try at 5 weeks and see how you do. Again, you have the option to join a GROUP starting JUNE 2026, or you may contact me for a slower, more asynchronous pace.

WHEN IT STARTS:

GROUP starting JUNE 2026

FILL OUT THE EDIT SOBER FORM

FINISH IT:

WHAT IT IS:

1:1 CUSTOMIZED CREATIVE CONSULTING to help you go from STUCK to DONE by transforming your promising, in-progress draft into a completed, polished manuscript with a clear professional blueprint for publishing and monetization.

HOW LONG IT LASTS:

3-6 MONTHS.

WHEN IT STARTS:

ANYTIME you’re ready.

Remember, this is only a start. You are building a habit, and that begins with a single step.

Maybe this is it?

INTERESTED? [CONTACT me or COMMENT the Course Name you need!]

What’s Next:

PAPERBACK PROMO: MAY 2026! It’s here! Order signed copies (2/$20 or 3/$30) on my WEBSITE!

CURRENT NOVEL PROGRESS

ASD Draft 1: GOAL: 50K-word draft by May 1, 2026!

Words so far: 13,369

I spent some time away from the draft: thinking, planning, and revisiting old notes. It wasn’t wasted time at all, but now I feel behind on the draft itself. That’s ok; it’s part of the process. Easy for me to tell “someone else.”

I was reminded of my 50k reward when I haven’t earned my 20k. That’s also OK. One comes before the other but if the latter motivates me…well…maybe that’s something.

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

Tuesday Evenings: YouTube Stream at 5 PM Central / 6 EST

Creative Collective: NEXT MEETING (tentatively): MAY (the) 4 (be with you), 2026 @7:30 PM

In Other News

Don’t forget, if you’re having trouble naming your passion, finding time to work, or just want to discuss your WIP, I’m only a click away. Take the time. You won’t regret it.

Start or Finish today. I can help.

Book your FREE 15 minutes

Until next time

xxxlinsey

Mental or Physical?

So, now you’re organized, right?

Ha. Just kidding.

I bet you have a list of priorities. Maybe you even have the energy to attack them. Maybe not.

This is hard. It’s a hard process, but it’s worth it. All the best things always are.

So, we persist.

Last week, we answered WHERE? and HOW? Now, we step into WHEN: You guessed it.

NOW.

If HERE is as good a place to start as any, then there’s no time like the present, either.

If you’re following this process, you’ve got a list. Let’s make it work for you in 3 steps:

Remove what’s not working

ELIMINATE the Excess. Whether you’re clearing your calendar or your counter, START SMALL. Not everything needs to go, and you need data to show what’s not working.

Are you not showing up? Why Not? Is a tool dysfunctional? Pitch it. Is an event draining you? Reschedule or delegate.

In a previous email, I gave you the challenge to FLASH FILE items in your space [COMMENT or DM ME if you need to know how to FLASH FILE (hint: it will change the way you clean)!].

Reassess what you want

REMEMBER your Big Goal. I was reminded recently (hence all the habits talk) that what we want is (annoyingly) frequently on the other side of what we’re refusing/resisting.

Ponder that and ask yourself: “What is the 1 Thing that, if done daily, could not help but get me where I am?”

Voila, your new habit.

Recommit to the process

DECIDE what to be and go be it. If that 1 thing is not going to get you to your passion, then you don’t need to do it. It’s that simple.

What’s NOT at all simple, I’m afraid, is that you may have the wrong passion.

If your dream isn’t enough to drive you, or it’s time to PIVOT, let’s talk!

What’s Next:

PAPERBACK PROMO: COMING SOON (MAY)! PRE-ORDER Signed copies on my WEBSITE!

EDIT SOBER and LIVING WRITE in JUNE 2026 (GROUP)

If you’re looking to start a NEW DRAFT, NEW ROUTINE, or EDIT a current project, LET’S TALK about LIVING WRITE or EDIT SOBER, starting JUNE 2026 (for groups, but asynchronous courses are available)!

INTERESTED? [Contact me or COMMENT the Course Name you need!]

CURRENT NOVEL PROGRESS

ASD Draft 1: GOAL: 50K-word draft by May 1, 2026!

Words so far: 12,011

Stuck in the Muddy Middle. It happens. I knew it would. Most of the story to this point has already been written or at least gathered. From here on out, it’s about 65% new territory. Wish me luck!

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

Tuesday Evenings: YouTube Stream at 5 PM Central / 6 EST

Creative Collective: NEXT MEETING (tentatively): MAY (the) 4 (be with you), 2026 @7:30 PM

In Other News

Don’t forget, if you’re having trouble naming your passion, finding time to work, or just want to discuss your WIP, I’m only a click away. Take the time. You won’t regret it.

Start or Finish today. I can help.

Book your FREE 15 minutes

Until next time

xxxlinsey

Are you overwhelmed by your Spring Cleaning (or any major task on your plate)? The best thing to do is START.

BUT WHERE? I hear you ask. Right here. Right where you are.

BUT HOW? If you don’t like this answer, I have others, but the way my brain works, sometimes I have to Corral the Chaos, and the best way to do that is WRITE. IT. DOWN. and get it OUT of my brain box. From there, I can put it in front of my eyeballs, see it, and then deal with it. Making an actionable, efficient list is usually my answer.

HERE’S how…but first you have to know what you want to do.

Write it down. Identify it. Own it. You want it. Are you ready to get it? Let’s go!

1. Identify the Big Task.

I’ve talked about this before and offered a handout called EAT THE ELEPHANT, which I am happy to do again [COMMENT or DM me to get it!]

The idea is simple: break a big task into smaller, more manageable tasks to make progress more noticeable and efficient.

2. Break [the Big Task] Down

I’m working on a new novel. That might be my big task. From there I can expect some or all of the following categories. These can become my Subtasks:

• Drafting
• [Self]-Editing
• [Outside]-Editing
• Front Matter
• Back Matter
• Cover

I try not to break down a Big Task into more than 6 Subtasks, so really check if your tasks could be combined. For example, I could totally combine the Editing and the Front/Back Matters if I needed to, but this breakdown is the most helpful for me. Use what works for you.

3. Break [each Subtask] Down [again]

Then it’s time to break down each Subtask. Again, I try not to let this get out of hand, but here’s where you can go crazy with those tasks. These are ACTION ITEMS and they can be sorted by priority.

If you get stuck, I recently heard/saw a useful Acronym that I’ve further adapted:

ABCDE

A: ACTION ITEM -Alpha task- do this NOW.

B: BE READY – Beta task – do this NEXT.

C: CONSIDER – What’s next? – what’s the following MOST IMPORTANT task?

D: DELEGATE – give this to someone else.

E: ELIMINATE – don’t do this at all OR shift it to the next week/category/priority level.

Rinse and Repeat

If you get stuck, return to your list and see if you can BREAK DOWN any items any further.

If not, try LABELING everything with ABCDE and

PRIORITIZING the As, Bs, and Cs.

Finally, CONTACT ME! I CAN HELP!

What’s Next:

PAPERBACK PROMO: COMING SOON (MAY)! PRE-ORDER Signed copies on my WEBSITE!

EDIT SOBER and LIVING WRITE in JUNE 2026 (GROUP)

If you’re looking to start a NEW DRAFT, NEW ROUTINE, or EDIT a current project, LET’S TALK about LIVING WRITE or EDIT SOBER, starting JUNE 2026 (for groups, but asynchronous courses are available)!

INTERESTED? [Contact me or COMMENT the Course Name you need!]

LIVING WRITE and EDIT SOBER are 5-week courses that include a guided journal with practical prompts and exercises to keep you moving forward every day for more than a month.

In just 5 weeks, you’ll have…

a new routine, “Dirty Draft,” or both with LIVING WRITE!

a READABLE draft worthy of beta readers or an editor with EDIT SOBER!

CURRENT NOVEL PROGRESS

ASD Draft 1: NEW GOAL: 50K-word draft by May 1, 2026!

Words so far: 11,905

It’s been going well. Most of the words have been dumped with some revision, but I am now entering a stage where I have to produce more connecting material. Wish me luck!

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

Tuesday Evenings: YouTube Stream at 5 PM Central / 6 EST

Creative Collective: NEXT MEETING (tentatively): MAY (the) 4 (be with you), 2026 @7:30 PM

In Other News

Don’t forget, if you’re having trouble naming your passion, finding time to work, or just want to discuss your WIP, I’m only a click away. Take the time. You won’t regret it.

Start or Finish today. I can help.

Book your FREE 15 minutes

Until next time

xxxlinsey

Remember the adage, “April Showers Bring May Flowers?” Maybe it’s not an adage. I don’t know where it comes from or what it means, necessarily, and while I could look it up (and maybe I should for research purposes), maybe I’ll let the wonder linger a while. Maybe you will look it up.

Here’s how I’m using it this month: I’m adding, habit by habit, to my list of things I accomplish each week.

Not a “to-do” list. More like a “ta-da!” list.

What I hope it will yield is a fresher perspective, some new light, and more good stuff.

Is it that time of year for you too? Are you Spring Cleaning?

By the way, this goes perfectly with my weekly email [sign up at linseyewing.com]. We’re in Chapter 4 of The Artist’s Way, the chapter about (re)discovering your Creative Identity.

I really don’t know what says “Identity” better than Spring Cleaning. I mean, it’s ALL:

“I LIKE THIS,” and “THIS doesn’t work for me anymore.”

What’s Next: EDIT SOBER and LIVING WRITE in JUNE 2026 (GROUP)

Spring Cleaning is also a time of transition, of both waiting and doing, and of persevering without being able to see the end result. Kinda like creating a creative routine. Kinda like editing. Kinda like the middle of any project worth doing.

So, join me?

LIVING WRITE and EDIT SOBER are 5-week courses that include a guided journal with practical prompts and exercises to keep you moving forward every day for more than a month.

In just 5 weeks, you’ll have…

a new routine, “Dirty Draft,” or both with LIVING WRITE!

a READABLE draft worthy of beta readers or an editor with EDIT SOBER!

INTERESTED? Asynchronous courses are available!

CURRENT NOVEL PROGRESS

TDG is LIVE: https://a.co/d/9YJ3ztr

ASD Draft 1: NEW GOAL: 50K-word draft by May 1, 2026!

I made it through my first week of the Rough Draft Challenge (RDC) with over 5k words under my belt! I only missed one day (yesterday), which made me mad to lose the streak, but I am glad and also aware that there are many days left in the month and year.

HAPPENING THIS MONTH

Tuesday Evenings: YouTube Stream at 5 PM Central / 6 EST

Creative Collective: NEXT MEETING (tentatively): MAY (the) 4 (be with you), 2026 @7:30 PM

In Other News

Don’t forget, if you’re having trouble naming your passion, finding time to work, or just want to discuss your WIP, I’m only a click away. Take the time. You won’t regret it.

Start or Finish today. I can help.

Book your FREE 15 minutes

Until next time

xxxlinsey