MarinaProse

Travel, Tea, and Poetry

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Writing a Non-Binary Character

Even being nonbinary myself, I was still raised in a society where my mind is used to gendering people. Below are a few decisions I had to make when I began including nonbinary characters in my work, and things you should know about any non-binary character you are going to write. These answers will likely be different for every nonbinary person and character so keep that in mind. 

How Does Your Character Identify 

A character can identify as being just non-binary, but there are a lot of options. My character is genderless, meaning that the character does not identify with any gender at all. A character might be gender neutral, meaning that they do not feel particularly drawn to any gender. There are so many gender identities out there, so make sure you find the identity that best fits your character. For more gender identities, look here. 

What Pronouns Does Your Character Use

The pronouns we see most often are he/him, she/her, and they/them. However, there are plenty of pronoun options. 

(He/Him): He went to the store to buy himself chips for his party.   (She/Her): She went to the store to buy herself chips for her party. (They/Them): They went to the store to buy themself chips for their party. (No pronouns): Charlie went to the store to buy chips for the party. (Ne/Nem): Ne went to the store to buy nemself chips for ner party.

Keep in mind a non-binary person chooses their own pronouns. Being gender neutral, I used she/her pronouns for a long time. I recently decided to start using they/them pronouns. It is perfectly acceptable to continue using binary pronouns, such as he/him or she/her pronouns to refer to, say, an agender character that chooses those pronouns (regardless of if the character’s sex), but some agender people might prefer they/them, ze/zer, etc.

What Name Does Your Character Use Naming nonbinary or trans characters is different than naming other characters - because it is likely they chose their name themselves (but some trans and nonbinary people keep their birth names too!) If they did choose their name, the name says a lot about who the character is. 

Consider what a character values more than what the character is. For example, your character might be sweet, kind hearted, and gentle. I might name them “Grace” or “Liam” or “Angel”. However, if that character wants to be braver or stronger, they might prefer to call themselves “Raven”, “Xander”, or “Thorn”. Consider genderless names as well, “Alex”, “Spencer”, “Caden”. You can find lists of names online. A trans character may wish for a very traditional name, if your character is a trans woman she change her name to “Amanda” or “Claire”.  Some characters might want unique names, like “Lynix” or “Blayde”. Know your character well before you let them choose their name. 

 There are a few names nonbinary people seem to really love: Alex, Sam, Charlie, Ash, Luna, Indigo, and Willow come up a lot in the community. 

 Also, unless it’s relevant to the story, you do not have to include their birth name. 

 *Side note: While some non-binary people identify as trans, and some trans people identify as non-binary, but this isn’t always the case! More questions on non-binary life? Let me know!  Best of Luck and Happy Writing, Marina MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord

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Character Quirks

Having realistic quirks and habits is a good way to make a character feel ‘real’. A problem I run into though is that I have “favorite” quirks. Too many of my characters bite their lip while they think, make bad puns regularly, and constantly carry books.

What’s Not A “Quirk”

While I was researching for this post, I found that a lot of sites list mental health conditions, physical disabilities, and involuntary parts of a character’s appearance as a “quirk”. It is completely okay (and I would encourage you!) to include characters with mental health conditions such as depression, OCD, or ADHD - but these aren’t quirks. It’s important that you do your research into these feels and learn how to portray them correctly, as well as successfully include them in your story.  Secondly, being blind, or d/Deaf, or in a wheelchair isn’t a quirk. Including these characters, again, is great, but it isn’t a fun / cute quirk for a character. You should do a lot of research to make sure you portray these disabilities correctly. Finally, a site was listing “acne” and “frizzy hair” as quirks. Unless your character intentionally messes up their hair (for example, James Potter), having frizzy hair isn’t a quirk. It’s just part of how your character looks. 

Appearance Quirks 

Quirks can be related to the appearance of your character. While I mentioned frizzy hair and bad skin as poor examples of this, there are other great examples. Your character might always wear dresses or skirts. Maybe they tie their hair up all the time (or only at specific times, like Violet Baudelaire while she thinks). Maybe they prefer to dress in a specific color. They wear a lot of makeup or a lot of jewelry. When deciding on an appearance related quirk for a character, consider their style as well as their hygiene habits. Maybe they always have their hair in a ponytail because they hate washing it!

Physical Quirks 

Physical quirks are decided by what a character does. They hum while hey walk, they are constantly texting, they chew on their fingers. They could be clumsy, or like to skip instead of walk. Maybe they have a very poor sense of balance. For these, I usual try to picture a character walking down a hallway alone and just see what they naturally do. 

Mental Quirks 

These quirks are things characters mostly do in their head (although sometimes they may say it). They might be a huge fan of a strange TV show. They might curse a lot - or never curse ever. Perhaps they know every detail about random celebrities, or they are trivia masters knowing tons of odd facts. They listen to the same songs on repeat forever or insist on writing everything down. Consider what your character is thinking about when they’re alone. 

Verbal Quirks 

Everything they say sounds like a question. Do they lie a lot? Or maybe they never lie, or can’t lie. They might randomly sing things they are saying, or make up little songs or rhymes. They might say ‘um’ a lot. While you’re out and about, listen to how other people talk and take notes of their quirks in their speech. Keep a list around so you have something to consider characters. 

Putting it Together 

Obviously, there are endless quirks out there and I can’t cover them all. So it really comes down to just keeping track of some sort. 

For a lot of characters, quirks will come naturally, but sometimes you’ll want to assign one or two to round a character out. So a character might always have their nails painted (appearance), constantly have a song stuck in their head that they hum or whistle  (mental), and be a terrible liar (verbal). Small details like these help make a character more realistic for readers. 

This is especially useful for minor characters, because they fill out a character as well as make them easy to reference. “I had to sit down between the girl in pink and the woman loudly chewing her gum.” You might never see those characters again, and maybe they aren’t even a quirk - maybe that’s just what they’re doing right now - but it distinguishes the characters in the room, fills in a little more of your setting, and helps you reference who is around your character. 

Best of Luck and Happy Writing, Marina MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord

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How to Write A Character

In order to write a character, you need to know a character. If you’ve ever read fanfiction of a series you really enjoy, you have surely stumbled across some terrible portrayals of characters you know and love. Think about a Katniss who spends her evenings giggling about how cute Peeta is, or an adult Huckleberry Finn who dresses in a button-down shirt and dress shoes and runs the local general store, where he is quite the gentleman and lives with his church-going wife and two prim-and-proper young children. If you click the link to a fanfiction and read: Hermione came down the stairs from her dormitory wearing a pink flowery dress with her hair tied back in two braids. “Oh my gawd, guys,” Hermione said, blushing. “Stop staring at me!” I feel like there is a pretty good chance that you would close that fanfiction and move onto the next one. The #OOC (Out Of Character) tag on most fanfiction sites are not frequently searched ones. Readers know their characters, and they know who they are and how they act just as well as they know their best friends. You need to know your characters that well too.

When you wake up in the morning (or afternoon, or at night), you have a routine, you have a normal day, and you have a job that you either love or hate or don’t care about. It is important to know a character’s normal life and routine, even if during the story that is broken. It is important to know a characters motivations and reasons. “Because plot” is not actually a good reason for a character to do anything. 

“Minor” Characters

Knowing a character does not mean writing their biography, but you do need to know their stories, even if it never makes the cut, especially if it is your main  character. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a “minor character”. Take this scene, for example:

“Margery piled her groceries onto the counter, rummaging through her bag for her wallet.

“That’ll be $17.81,” The cashier said. He had one earbud in his ear and was tapping his foot along to a beat. Margery handed him a twenty and grabbed her bags, rushing for the door. The pimple-faced teen hardly had time to open the register before Margery was out the door. “

The cashier did not even get a name, but I know who he is. The pimple-faced teen is struggling in his local high school, he hates his English class and is trying to save up money for a car. The cashier was not important to the story; Margery will never meet him again. Still, he is a person in that universe, and he has a life outside of the one I wrote for him. He has friends, and enemies, and parents. He has a dog that he isn’t fond of, and a cell phone that often isn’t functional. He’s never had a girlfriend, but he’s had a crush on the same blonde chess club member since he started high school. He always wanted to play basketball but has never given it a try. Knowing these things about minor characters will make your world real to readers.

The Big MC

Your main character is one of the driving forces in what you’ve written. If he, she, or ze is inconsistent, your story will be too. If you have free time, getting to know your character exercises can be great tools for you to use. Put your character on a first date. What do they talk about? How do they dress? Why did they decide to go? Your character wakes up from a terrible nightmare. What was it about? Who do they call for comfort? Why did it scare them so much? Getting to know your character is something that is going to greatly improve your story. One of the weakest things in writing is when an MC (Main Character) goes OOC.

Treat your character like your best friend. You know your friend’s name and birthday. Maybe you know you know their favorite childhood memory and their parent’s names. You know if they’re religious, and you know how their first relationship ended. You might not know every detail of their life, but you would notice if they came into class or work acting strangely. You need to be able to notice if your characters are acting strangely.

At the same time, people change and so can characters. If Wanda, who has always been an incredibly outgoing and friendly high school cheerleader, got beat up on her way home from school yesterday, it is very likely that she isn’t going to be herself for a while. Moods are definite factors in how characters behave. Traumatic events can bring a character down quickly, and it will take a long time to bounce back. Don’t give a character a day or two to be okay, it might take the rest of the book. Similarly, good things might bring up a mood. These changes should feel natural and have reasons - they shouldn’t be out of nowhere or just to move a plot along. 

Keep your characters realistic and understandable. Everyone has a story, and it’s not always your job to share it, but know it, and keep those character true to who they are.

Best of luck and happy writing!

Marina

MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord

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Final Days: An Avatar the Last Airbender Fanfiction

A short, kind of sad, fanfiction that covers the grief, loss, and regrets following Mai, Katara, and Toph through glimpses of their lives in the hours, days, months, and years after the war ends.

All 9 chapters available now on AO3.

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Brainstorming for Writers

Brainstorming is a useful tool to have up your sleeve. The best time to exercise this is when you are trying to think of a new project to start, or if you get stuck on a project you're currently working on.

So today we're talking about how to brainstorm.

Method 1: Get it All Out

Our first method is the "get it all out" method. This is where you sit down and just write every idea that comes to your head. It could be a plot, it could be a tiny piece of worldbuilding, it could be just a character concept - get it all down. There's no 'bad' ideas at this stage.

One thing to keep in mind with this method: you do have to write it down. It may be tempting to just think through ideas and write down your favorites, but that isn't what the exercise is for. You never know what tiny crumb of an idea is going to be the thing that helps move you forward. Write it down: we can sort through it later.

Method 2: Mindless Tasks

I used to write a lot more when I was in high school. Why? Because I was tuning out math class by daydreaming. If you are the kind of writer that gets their best ideas in the shower, or while driving, cooking dinner, going on long walks - that is your hint that your brainstorming sessions lie in mundane tasks. Practice keeping a notebook nearby or having your phone record you talking out loud. (Just make sure you're being safe, especially while driving please!)

It wouldn't be a bad idea to those mundane times as a resource. Recently I got stuck on how I wanted a character's backstory to go and my first step to figuring it out was: "I'm going to go take a shower". It might feel counter-intuitive to walk away from my word document but I know I'll have thoughts in the shower that help me work through the questions.

Method 3: Rubber Duck Theory

This method is for specifically when you get stuck. Stop and explain your plot or character dilemma to something like a rubber duck: something that is just sitting there blankly for you to talk at.

Sometimes you'll find that just explaining and talking through the situation, you stumble upon an answer.

Those are three methods I use. How do you best brainstorm?

Happy writing,

Marina

MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord

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Writing Advice for Beginners or Beginnings

Whether you are just starting your first project or your 15th, here's some tips and tricks to getting started.

Bad Habits of Beginning Writers Creating Writing Habits Prewriting 101 Returning to Old Works Setting Up Your Space Starting Again (if you’ve stopped) Where to Start Writing the BeginningWriting What You Don’t Know 5 Truths About Being A Writer

Best of luck and happy writing! Marina

MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord Support this blog on Patreon or Ko-fi 

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5 Truths About Being A Writer

It’s unfortunate that we live in a world where writing is often not seen as a “serious” career path. When you tell someone you’re a writer, it’s not taken seriously. They often ask questions about if you’ve been published, and if you “really get paid for that”. When you announce that you just sold your short story for $15, people are surprised to find that you are excited. So, put those people out of your head and focus on these five truths about being a writer.

1) It Doesn’t Matter How Often You Write.

A lot of people recommend that you write everyday. If you do, that’s fantastic (and I am so jealous) but it’s okay if you don’t. Writing everyday can be draining. It’s a big commitment. It’s okay if you’re not there. Try to write as often as you can, or as often as you want to. You’re still a writer. No one needs to see how many hours you spend writing in order to accept that.

2) It Doesn’t Matter If You Have Never Been Published.

The publishing industry is a tough one to break into, and it can be very discouraging to receive so many rejection letters. It happens to all of us, don’t let it get you down. If you’ve never been published (and if you want to be), keep trying. It’ll happen.

3) It Doesn’t Matter If You Get Paid, Or How Much.

The day that you finally get an acceptance, it’s going to feel amazing no matter what. Still, it can be disappointing to only receive a few dollars for your work. Whether or not you are getting paid, and no matter how much they offer you, you’re still a writer. Also, keep in mind that you don’t have to agree to low payment just to be published. You’re allowed to demand more for your work (even if they don’t agree).

4) It Doesn’t Matter If You Hate What You Write.

This is really important. You’re supposed to find problems if you work. A friend once told me, “The day you look at your writing and think to yourself ‘This is perfect’ is the day that you are no longer a writer. We always grow, and we always learn. We will never be perfect.” Our own inner critic is what makes us better. Please continue to reread a draft of your work and shake your head wondering what you were thinking. Then edit it, make it better. Writer Stewart Ferris advises that we should go through that process at least 11 times before we force another human to read our writing, and he makes a great point. Editing is so important, and it’s this hateful angry voice in your head that is actually going to help you improve.

5) It Doesn’t Matter If You Never Share Your Work

You’re allowed to write for yourself. You don’t have anything to prove to anyone else, and if you don’t want to share your writing with others, then don’t. You’re allowed to have your work just for yourself to enjoy. You are still just as much of a writer as I am, or as your peers are, or Stephen King.

Best of Luck and Happy Writing, Marina MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord

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Writing What You Don’t Know

Over and over again, you’ll hear the same advice: write what you know.  There is a reason we see so many straight male protagonists. It’s because we have so many straight male writers. How many times have you seen a main character who is also a writer? It is actually pretty common. Writers naturally create characters, settings, and entire worlds that are familiar to them.

Writer what you know does not mean “write things that you already know about”.  Write what you know means don’t make up nonsense. Do your research. 

For a fiction writer, it can be very easy to create a character who is also a writer. When someone asks that character, “What do you do for a living?” the character can talk about how his short story just got rejected by a publisher. It’s the fifteen time he has been rejected, and his wife wants him to get a real job, and he is wondering if the café across the street serves Irish coffees. It’s a position many writers have probably been in.

On the other hand, for a fiction writer, having a character be, say, an auto-mechanic, might be more complicated. When the car breaks down and someone says, “Oh, Tiffany is an auto-mechanic! She can fix it!” Tiffany can jump out of the car and the best the writer will be able to do is say “and then Tiffany fixed it.” If the writer works a little harder, they might know to have Jeremy pass her jumper cables from the trunk. The story will lack the details associated with being an auto-mechanic.  

We live in an age where writing what you know actually means “write everything”. We are lucky enough to have Google at our fingertips; a writer can readily create an astronaut, a marine biologist, an engineer, or a trumpet player with ease. Listen to the advice when you hear it, “write what you know”, and keep writing.

Best of luck, Marina MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord

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Writing a Beginning

If you’re new here, I’ve already talked about the best ways to get started, but once you have an idea and you do get started, many people find themselves starting a story in the most natural place: the beginning.

Writing a beginning is challenging. You can’t be boring, because readers will leave. You can’t be too exciting because no one knows what is going on.  You have to walk this fine line of exposing enough information so your reader understands what is happening but not too much that your reader is overwhelmed. Give details so that the readers get attached to characters, but find a way to show it rather than to tell it.

You might think: “well, the beginning, obviously!” but starting from the beginning isn’t always the best idea. Kylie was born to Janet and Lawrence McGuller on July 5th, 1990 at 11:04 in the morning. It was raining that day, and her father missed her birth because he was out of town. That’s the beginning of Kylie’s story, but it’s boring and no one cares. So the next logical conclusion is to skip 20 years into the future when Kylie, now in college with a history major and playing in the school’s marching band, finds herself face to face with a minotaur. She’s standing there with nothing but a butter knife, a stick of butter, and a toasted bagel. This is definitely a more exciting place to start, and it wouldn’t be bad. However, the reader, while entertained, has no reason to care if Kylie lives or dies. It’ll make a good story ,sure, but there is no personal connection yet. If the minotaur wins, the reader will shrug it off. It wouldn’t be as impactful as Dumbledore falling from the tower, or Rue laying surrounded by flowers. The reader won’t remember Kylie very much. 

The trick and the challenge is to get the reader to care before you threaten the life of your characters. That’s that the beginning is for. So you have to start before Kylie meets the minotaur. Maybe it’s just half a chapter of Kylie on the phone with her mom, talking about how excited she is to graduate early and how promising her future is. Then throw the minotaur in.

I’m sure you have a lot of very interesting characters waiting in line to get mentioned. Many writers pick their main character to start off with, but you don’t have to. The wise old wizard full of relevant information, or the antagonist’s point of view can be interesting, if not overdone. Starting with a character doing something gets action going quickly.

Another option is to open with a detailed description of the setting. This lets the reader set up the scene and really see what’s happening. It helps to immerse them into the story. It’s been agreed by a lot of writers that opening with dialogue is the worst move. Of course, writing never has rules, but when opening with dialogue, consider that the reader has no idea who is speaking. You throw the reader into the middle of something while they’re blind.

As always, best of luck and happy writing.  Marina MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord

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Indie Authors: Have Your Book Read!

If you are an indie author, a first time author, or writer with a smaller following: get your book read by our book club in 2026!

We are specifically looking for lesser known authors.

Submission Requirements You must be a first time author, indie author, or demonstrate a small following/network (less than 100 reviews, for example). You can only submit one book for the 2026 period. The book must be completed, edited, and published already or definitely going to be published at least 1 month in advance of the reading period.

The monthly reading periods are: - January: Open to anyone. - February: Open to Black authors. - March: Open to Asian/Pacific Islander authors. - April: Open to Autistic authors. - May: Open to Jewish authors. - June: Open to Queer authors. - July: Open to anyone. - August: Open to Black and NBPOC authors. - September: Open to Hispanic/Latin American authors. - October: Open to Queer authors. - November: Open to Indigenous authors. - December: Open to anyone.

How to Submit: Submit your book to be considered by emailing: [email protected]

Subject Line: [Month] Book Club Submission. Include: - an author bio 300 words or less - a synopsis of the book 500 words or less - a link to your book where it is available/sold - at the bottom, separately, what genre your book is and word count - if you are willing to do a virtual Q&A with the book club via discord (this will not effect your application, you do not have to agree to this).

Conditions: You can only submit for one month, but you will automatically be considered for "Open to Anyone" months as well as repeated and open months (so for example, if you are a Black author submitting for February, you will automatically be considered for July, August, and December).

If you fit two categories (for example, if you are a black/queer author), let us know at the bottom of your submission. We are very open to feedback if you feel there is an underrepresented group that we should be seeking out the voices of to amplify - please let us know.

If Selected: If your book is chosen to be our book club book, members of our book club will be encouraged to purchase your book to read for that month.

Our members are strongly encouraged to leave honest reviews on Goodreads and Amazon.

We will also share your book on our social media.

Readers: If you would like to join our bookclub, you can join us on Discord.

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Getting Started: Writing, and a New Blog.

The fact is, getting started on anything is a universal horror. & there are so many reasons why. Procrastination. Fear of failure. Distractions. Not being sure where to start.

I created this blog weeks ago, and I have yet to post anything because no post would be “good enough” to be the first post. My problem with getting started, at least with this blog, was my fear of failure combined with not being sure where to start. So, in an effort to get over that, I decided to talk about getting started, or rather, how to get started.

1: Accept the fact that a first draft is, without a doubt, going to suck.

If you look at your first draft and think to yourself “I am probably the most brilliant person alive because this is perfect” – writing is probably not the career for you (that, or you’re actually the world’s next brilliant mind. Don’t let me discourage you). Everyone from your high school English teacher to JK Rowling has shitty first drafts.

The thing is, somewhere, deep in that shitty first draft, is something. It might be one paragraph, or one image, or one scene, or maybe even one word, but something won’t be terrible, and then you have started. Accepting the fact that you have time to form a second draft and a third and a fiftieth helps with overcoming a fear of failure. Fail all you want, you can always try again, and you can always get better.

2: Write every day.

Procrastinating that novel you’ve been meaning to write since high school? Haven’t started that AP paper due next week? Whatever it is you’re trying to get done, write a little bit every day. Even if you sit down on day one and only get as far as your name, or a title, next time you open that document or notebook, you aren’t staring at a menacing blank page that mocks your very existence. The next day come back and just bang out a potential opening line, paragraph if you can. Even if you take informal bullet points of potential ideas, or just make an outline, you now have something to work with, and it makes it so much easier to jump in the next time.

3: Go Cold Turkey

If you are anything like me, you sign on your computer and begin to write, and it lasts maybe ten minutes. Then you decided that you absolutely need to google a Wikipedia article about women’s fashion in the 1500s (you know, so you can describe your character properly), and somehow, three hours later, you find yourself learning how to speak a Bantu language of Gabon from a wiki article you found through hyperlinks. And somehow, you have written nothing else. There are programs online decided to help you. If you download “cold turkey”, a free program online, you can block your usual procrastination sites: Facebook, tumblr, twitter, youtube, Netflix, etc. You could also manually turn off your wifi and keep yourself offline. Shut off the phone.

Keep in mind that you can always go back and add more later. If you’re not sure what a female character in the 1500s should be wearing, skip it. You can fill that in later. For now, just keep going. If it is possible for you, set up a space just for writing. A desk, or a study if you have one, and don’t do anything else in that area. Turn off your phone and make sure you are fed and used the bathroom and just spend your time writing without the distraction. For some people, having a designated time to write helps them as well.

The most important thing you can do is just start. Put something down on the page, anything, and work from there.

Best of luck and happy writing,

Marina 

MarinaProse’s Writing Blog

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How to Start Writing Again

For a while, I was doing a great job. I had an article out on this blog once a week. I was writing new poems, editing old stories, and drafting a novel plus outlining a new fanfiction. I was on a roll. Sometime during the winter months, I slowed down. I wasn’t as interested in my novel, I was bored with fanfiction, I had no new ideas for poems or stories, and I had nothing to say in articles. My blog got quiet, and I’d stare at my google drive, uninspired to open anything. So I started wondering: how do I start writing again? How do I force myself to fall back in love with storytelling?

Step 1: Forgiveness

It’s okay that you slowed down or stopped writing. It’s okay that you missed blog posts, or updates. One thing I learned about myself in college was about the vicious cycle of guilt when it comes to projects. I’d have work to do and I wouldn’t do it. Then, I would feel guilty trying to do anything else (other work, video games, going out) because I felt like I should do the work I missed first. If the due date was past, I couldn’t let it go. I had failed to meet that goal. 

Breaking the cycle of guilt is my number one priority. When I sit down to write, I don’t waste my time saying “oh, but I owe them a blog post from three weeks ago…” or “I haven’t updated my fanfiction in a month.” That does not matter, you are forgiven, and it is okay. Take a moment and write whatever you want to write. Get that out there. If writing is your job, focus on your next deadline, not the one that you missed. I promise that’s easier. You can go back some other time. 

Step 2: Write Anything

I’ve written before on how to start writing, which for many people is the hardest part. If you don’t have anything that you want to say, you can just start typing. Write every word that comes to mind until you begin to make sentences. It’ll suck, but that’s okay. It helps make writing a habit, and it’s something. 

Step 3: Writing Prompts and Writing Buddies

When writing and I are on a break and trying to rekindle our love, I reach out to writing communities for support. I am in writing communities that do word sprints: We set a time for 15 - 30 minutes and write as much as we can in that time. Sometimes the stories are pretty good, sometimes it’s garbage. Again, it’s about making writing into a habit, so this is a great way to get going. So, grab your friends and force them to write with you. It’s more fun in numbers.

(Need a writing buddy? Join our discord!)  

For more advice on getting back into writing, you can check out this article on overcoming writers block. 

Best of luck and happy writing, Marina MarinaProse’s Writing Blog Follow on Facebook | Twitter | Join on Discord

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Setting Up Your Space

If you don’t already have a space dedicated to your writing, I highly recommend setting up one. Writing space is the best way to ensure that when you sit down to focus, you’re able to get work done. A lot of people are very particular about how their desks are set up. I am one of those people. If I sit down to work, I need my desk to be welcoming and comfortable. 

Clutter Free

Like the desk used by Virginia Woolf (image borrowed from here), my space is has to be clutter free. If my desk gets buried in papers, books, headphones and wires, etc, then I can’t work until I tidy it. Clutter is an absolute “no” in my book. 

Sounds

I talked a lot about writing with sounds recently and how they can help your writing. Some sounds can hurt your writing process, too, so be careful about what sounds you allow in your writing space.

Take a look at Jane Austen’s desk (found here). I can just imagine hearing the peaceful scratching of the quill on the paper, and a gentle breeze rustling leaves outside her window, maybe a bird is chirping outside too. I know that those sounds would relax me and help me focus. If you live somewhere (like I do) where rustling leaves are replaced by loud cars, and your birds chirping are actually jackhammers from the construction work outside, it might be smart to invest in some good headphones. 

A Plant

Did you know that according to a Texas A&M study, workers who had plants in their room were 13% more creative? (Also - plants help with depression, cold symptoms, and indoor air pollution!) I am a very big supporter of having plants everywhere, but especially in your creative space. 

Nigella Lawson (food writer, image found here) has a large tree and some flowers in front of her writing space, as well as a third plant on the shelf behind her. 

A Light

My mom used to come into my room when I was reading at night and turn the light on saying that reading in the dark is bad for my eyes. Of course, getting up to turn off the light when I am ready for sleep is bad for my laziness, and now that I’m an adult, paying for the electricity on a writer’s salary isn’t easy.

Writer Colm Tóibín’s desk features a large beautiful lamp, so I have to assume that Colm’s mother complained about working in the dark as well. That, or it’s common sense that it’s important to be able to see. If you don’t like lamps shining in your face, try positioning your desk near the window to allow natural lighting. My personal favorite though? Writing at night by candlelight. All this to say: your lighting helps you set the vibe. 

Pens and Index Cards

Papers, notebooks, pens, colors, etc are useful tools while writing. I use index cards to keep track of writing notes. The ones that are currently on my desk include a small map of the fantasy world I’m working in, a family tree, a map of the main village, and some house plans for my main character’s homes. 

Writer Will Self (picture source)  has a wall full of post-its next to his desk, which I have no doubt is full of great ideas! Keep your notes close so you can peek as often as you need to without wasting too much time. 

A Drink

If I start writing without  a cup of tea in my hand, it’s never long before I stop to get one. Then, on the way, I notice how dusty the kitchen windowsill is and start to clean it. When I get the teabag from the cupboard, I see some crackers, and how nice would some cheese and crackers be with my tea? But I’m out of cheese, so I go to the store and - well, you can see where this is going. I don’t get any writing done! Now, while this is somewhat of an exaggeration, you do waste your precious writing time going to get your drinks. So make sure you have your coffee, tea, water, wine, or beer on the desk before you settle down to work. 

Susan Orlean, a journalist, has a diet coke next to her computer to keep her hydrated while she writes (photo from here). (Warning: Cats and other cute fluffy animals will distract you from writing. Having a furry friend near your writing desk is not productive, but can be very very fun). 

What does your writing desk look like? Submit a picture of your work space and why your space helps keep you productive!

Best of luck and happy writing, 

Marina

MarinaProse’s Writing Blog

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November 2025 Tea of the Month - Darjeeling Darjeeling is a sweet black tea from India. It has a fruity scent with hints of citrus and flowers. Some experts say that the hints of melatonin in the tea may make you sleepy, but it definitely wakes me up.

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NaNoWriMo Group

If you miss NaNoWriMo join our mini one on discord!! https://discord.gg/NnWWgmJ8Uj

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Returning to Cold Works

Last week I talked about how to start writing again. One of the struggles of coming back is picking up what you had left behind in the past. Part of being a writer means having folder after folder of half written novels, detailed outlines, and notebooks full of ideas that you haven’t finished. Unfortunately for us, it doesn’t matter how many character outlines, world maps, and plot plans you have laid out. An unfinished story isn’t going to pay the bills. There are a few things to figure out when returning to a work that you gave up on, but the most important question is: Why did you stop?

1) Life Got In The Way

The problem: You get too busy, and your other priorities push your story aside until one day you realize that you forgot to go back. 

The solution: Find the time for writing. It’s okay that you got busy, but in order for your writing to be picked up again, you need to actually start writing again. Reread your old notes, and read the begin (read it, don’t edit it. It’s too soon to get distracted again!) so you can remember where you were going with the story. Then, try to pick up where you left off. Practice writing every day until you get back in the habit writing. 

2) Loss of Interest 

The problem: It’s the old: “It’s not me, it’s you” dilemma. The story hit a wall. There’s nothing to do, or there is a large time gap before the next plot point happens. Your characters are rebelling against you, and every time you try to write, the blinking line mocks you on a blank computer page. If, by this point, you hate your story, then you’ve stopped because you’ve lost interest. 

The solution: One solution would be to take an honest break. Not a guilty “I don’t know what to do next” and you turn off your computer for the night break. Walk away from this project for a month or so. Work on something else. 

Another solution could be adding something new. A new character, a new plot twist, a new problem. If you need help with this, google some writing prompts. Don’t worry about it being great - for now just worry about continuing to move forward. 

My third idea is to talk with a friend. Tell them about your story, and why you loved it. Try to remember what sparked your love in the first place. Something once made you get this far, what was it? Try to get that back. It might take some revising, or even rewriting of parts (or the whole thing). Before you decide to start over though - try just making notes of what you need to change, and then pick up where you left off as if those changes were already made. What you don’t want to do is restart 8 times and never get past 20k words. Aim for the finish line - you can go back for your rewrites later. 

3) I Don’t Know What to Do Next

The problem: You’ve lost your way. You had an idea, and took off with it, running through the pages. Then, the momentum slowed down and suddenly your characters are staring at you blankly, saying “what’s next, boss?” and you don’t have an answer for them. Maybe you know where you want them to go, which helps. Often times, you might have no idea at all what the future has in store for this little world, and that makes it even tougher. 

The solution: I can’t tell you how to finish your story, that’s up to you, but I can help you figure it out. If you know where you want the story to go, try skipping to the end. There is no law saying that you have to write everything in order. If you write the end, you might have a better idea of what you need to get to it. 

If you don’t know what’s going to happen, try some writing prompts. Try taking away something your character needs or loves. Or, push your own problem onto your character! Instead of being upset that you don’t know what to do next, have them deal with it. Let them have a break down as they try to figure out what their  next steps are. If that doesn’t work, force them to do something. You might end up with 50 pages of them cleaning their house but at least you are still moving (and hey, it worked for The Hobbit). Eventually, you might find that they go somewhere on their own. 

As always, best of luck. 

Happy Writing,  Marina

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Indie Authors: Have Your Book Read!

If you are an indie author, a first time author, or writer with a smaller following: get your book read by our book club in 2026!

We are specifically looking for lesser known authors.

Submission Requirements You must be a first time author, indie author, or demonstrate a small following/network (less than 100 reviews, for example). You can only submit one book for the 2026 period. The book must be completed, edited, and published already or definitely going to be published at least 1 month in advance of the reading period.

The monthly reading periods are: - January: Open to anyone. - February: Open to Black authors. - March: Open to Asian/Pacific Islander authors. - April: Open to Autistic authors. - May: Open to Jewish authors. - June: Open to Queer authors. - July: Open to anyone. - August: Open to Black and NBPOC authors. - September: Open to Hispanic/Latin American authors. - October: Open to Queer authors. - November: Open to Indigenous authors. - December: Open to anyone.

How to Submit: Submit your book to be considered by emailing: [email protected]

Subject Line: [Month] Book Club Submission. Include: - an author bio 300 words or less - a synopsis of the book 500 words or less - a link to your book where it is available/sold - at the bottom, separately, what genre your book is and word count - if you are willing to do a virtual Q&A with the book club via discord (this will not effect your application, you do not have to agree to this).

Conditions: You can only submit for one month, but you will automatically be considered for "Open to Anyone" months as well as repeated and open months (so for example, if you are a Black author submitting for February, you will automatically be considered for July, August, and December).

If you fit two categories (for example, if you are a black/queer author), let us know at the bottom of your submission. We are very open to feedback if you feel there is an underrepresented group that we should be seeking out the voices of to amplify - please let us know.

If Selected: If your book is chosen to be our book club book, members of our book club will be encouraged to purchase your book to read for that month.

Our members are strongly encouraged to leave honest reviews on Goodreads and Amazon.

We will also share your book on our social media.

Readers: If you would like to join our bookclub, you can join us on Discord.