Dear Writing Diary Entry #29
A Glimpse of a Writer’s Life in the Approaching Spring
In this entry, I talk about what I’m doing post-launch of my novel THE FATED and some fun projects I’m working on next.
March 12th, 2025
Dear Writing Diary,
From the flowers blooming all around and a new warmth in the breeze, I can tell spring is just around the corner! Summertime is my favorite, but I feel any change from one season to another always affects my writing in some way. Perhaps this is because as a writer I’m also an observer, and I can’t help but be fascinated by observing changes in my surroundings, such as how the same street can look so sunny and green in July and yet icy and covered in snow months later.
I also love how incorporating the seasons into my writing can subtly reflect the emotional state of my characters. For example, if my main couple in a story walks hand-in-hand beneath the falling petals of the cherry blossom trees in the spring, perhaps this colorful and vibrant setting can reflect the optimistic and promising start to their relationship. In contrast, if that same couple later walks on an autumn day side by side yet without holding hands, the half-bare trees and dead leaves crunching beneath their feet may hint at the growing rift in their relationship.
Similarly to the changing seasons, I, too, am now transitioning into another stage of my writing career for this year. Now that I’ve launched THE FATED, I’m focusing my efforts on marketing tactics to sustain sales while at the same time moving onto some fun future projects. Here’s a little more detail on each below:
Publishing
I’m currently working to make my paperback available at independent bookstores, libraries, and other retailers! I also will be attending an author event in a few months, so I look forward to being able to help support one of my favorite local independent bookstores.
I’m experimenting with some Amazon book ads, and it’s definitely a steep learning curve. I took the free Amazon ads course by Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur and read a helpful article on ads from Jane Friedman, but again it’s too soon to tell how successful (or not) my results will be.
I’m also exploring book newsletter promos, such Book Cave and Ereader News Today, to feature my book at a discounted rate for a limited time. I’ve heard these promos are good opportunities to make both sales but also increase visibility for my works.
Writing
Untitled Project for 2026 — I’m officially back on a writing deadline! I’m excited to be working on the first draft of a new fantasy project I hope to share next year.
Phoenix Story Project for 2025 – I’m also starting the cover design process for another fantasy project that you may be hearing more about in the very near future. I hope to release this project this year, and I’m exploring the possibility of creating several illustrations to go inside. This story is based on my favorite mythological character, the phoenix. I’ve always been inspired by the symbolism of a creature powerful enough to be burned and then rise from the ashes, and I look forward to sharing my own take on this beautiful myth.
What I’m Reading
I’m currently reading Tales from the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan, which is a series of short stories inspired by Chinese mythology. I’m enjoying each tale and the accompanying illustrations as well as the overall gorgeous exterior and interior presentation of this anthology.
What I’m Watching
I first fell in love with Korean dramas on my last nights of college (specifically the last nights before my final college exams!), and it is a love that still burns brightly today. Lately, however, I’ve had trouble staying interested in the Korean dramas I’ve tried watching. But that all changed when I binge-watched When the Phone Rings last weekend. Despite the fact that it is full of familiar tropes and absurd in so many ways, the acting, character development, and plot twists of this drama is stellar in every way, and I’m slightly (or not slightly) upset that there are no more episodes for me to watch.
Here's to seeing other adventures this spring holds.
-K
P.S. Whoever’s reading this, if you’ve enjoyed these glimpses into my writing life, could you please hit the subscribe button? I would love to share more of my writing journey with you in the future. :)