Dear Writing Diary Entry #30

On New (Bookish) Beginnings & A Wellness Weekend

March 26^th, 2025

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."

-Charles Dickens

Dear Writing Diary,

It feels magical to be working on a new project again. I believe this one will challenge my writing and graphic art skills in a profound and hopefully rewarding way. Over the last few weeks, I've had to shift my mindset back into full-creative mode. In essence, I've had to mentally step back from The Fated—the novel I released at the end of February—and detach from the outcome of its publication as much as I can. I've carried this book in my heart for so long and revived it from the dead so many times that it proved challenging to let go of at last.

Even now, I have to restrain myself from refreshing the royalty reports every day or constantly researching for the next promo or podcast opportunity to further market my book (I was on a podcast earlier this month, which you can find here, and during which I had the chance to speak about my journey to publication and all the rejections and setbacks I faced leading up to it). While continued marketing for my book is important, I only have so many hours in the day, and my time now needs to be focused primarily on my next project if I want to release it in the fall.

Still, I don’t want to place so much pressure on myself with such a tight writing, graphic designing, and work schedule that I risk burning out. During my debut novel’s launch last month, I was staying up late every night doing marketing-related things as well as pressuring myself to come up with strategies to reach a certain number of sales. It was exhausting, and after a few weeks, I mandated a “Wellness Weekend” for myself in which I did absolutely nothing writing-related for three days. Ever since then, I’ve intentionally slowed my writing schedule back to a more normal and sustainable pace. I take breaks when I need to. When I’ve stared at a screen for too long, I go on walks and admire the spring flowers and warming sunshine. I take time away from writing and creating to catch up with friends and family. I strive every day to remember to have a little more patience with myself—and just the right amount of fun. After all, what would be the point in being an indie author with the freedom to write on my own schedule if I didn’t enjoy it along the way?

Some of the highlights from my Wellness Weekend include the following:

What I listened to:

• Okay, so even though I didn’t do anything writing-related this weekend, I did listen to a writing-related podcast with Brandon Sanderson and Tim Ferriss, and I would totally recommend it for aspiring writers and published authors alike.

• In the spirit of wellness, I listened to some calming short meditations on the app Insight Timer. The app also contains relaxing soundscapes that can be used as background music for writing as well.

What I watched:

• I continued my Kdrama binge-watching spree with the sleeper hit series “Lovely Runner”. This drama dealt with themes of time-travel, romance, comedy, and family beautifully, and the writing was masterful.

What I discovered in my backyard:

• In the courtyard around where I live, I spotted a grapefruit tree, and I fall more in love with the fragrance it emits every day as I pass by it.

What I treated myself to:

• Now while there is food for health, there is also food for the soul. So for this Wellness Weekend, I treated myself to one of the most delicious cinnamon rolls I’ve ever tasted, and I don’t regret a single bite.

Here's to seeing what this new season 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. :)