In my writing life, I have been keeping several plates spinning simultaneously: researching agents to query, looking for comp titles, searching for short story markets and contests, posting weekly on Instagram, writing blog posts, planning a short story, polishing one novel, prewriting another.
When I say “prewriting,” others might say I am brainstorming. I tend to separate the two this way: brainstorming is the mental component; prewriting is the recording component.
Whether or not I am specifically thinking about a story, there is always some unconscious brainstorming happening. I’ll be doing a low mental-load task—sorting emails, cleaning, showering, falling asleep—and my mind will be running scenarios, making connections, asking and answering questions. I do my best to keep up and turn the brainstorming into prewriting.
For me, prewriting can take a number of different forms. I have notes in my phone. I keep a notebook to record any little thing that I think has potential to make it into a story someday. Sometimes I write about what I’m trying to write, or why I am struggling to start. Sometimes I record myself talking about my story, proposing ideas, tracing how one action and consequence leads to another. Sometimes I make Pinterest boards, build playlists, take personality tests for or “interview” my characters.
I had hoped to get beyond the prewriting stage back in April, but something always held me back. Between low energy and busyness, somehow there were never enough hours in the day (or the night). Other projects and tasks seemed more urgent; my attention was so divided I struggled to give my novel the focus it needed.
In other words, I let all kinds of excuses and detours—some legitimate, some less so—get between me and starting a first draft.
When I’m not writing, I’ve been watching the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. If you’re just joining me, I’m a lifelong Avalanche fan. To catch you up quickly, the Avs swept the Kings in the first round and went on to play the Wild in the second round. Although our series against Los Angeles convinced me, for a moment, that Colorado couldn’t lose again, our series against Minnesota has been less straightforward, and it’s not over yet.
The Avs encountered their first playoff detour last Saturday. I call it a detour now, but at the time, our 5-1 loss felt more like the road was suddenly unpaved beneath the Colorado Wagon. It was our first loss of the playoffs, and an ugly one at that.
Before the game was over, I noticed that in one corner of the internet, the Doom and Gloom faction was already predicting the death of our Stanley Cup dreams. Meanwhile, others reminded Avs Faithful that we never expected to hoist the Cup after just 16 playoff games. The first loss isn’t a death sentence in any best-of-seven series, even if it seems heavy in the moment.
In my writing life, I was feeling heavy near the end of April. I was disappointed in myself and struggled to give myself the grace I needed.
I (finally) set aside time dedicated only to working on my novel plot—no Pinterest boards, playlists, or personality tests allowed. It was just me and the blank page of a new Word document.
This novel is a sequel to the one I’m preparing to query, so I’m not bogged down by building a new world or fleshing out tons of new characters. I had a premise, a few versions of a synopsis, a theme, a Pinterest board, a new playlist. What then, I asked myself, was standing between me and starting a first draft?
As it turned out, the answer was shockingly simple: I needed to define a clear target to write toward. In this case, I defined three scenes: the beginning, middle, and end. Then, I roughly summarized what plot points could connect those three scenes together. It was inelegant and unintentional, but I had produced something like a (new) synopsis. Better yet, it was exactly what I needed. I finished that exercise on April 30th and started drafting my novel the following day.
Round Two, Game Three for the Avalanche was a painful detour from their winning ways, but they didn’t throw in the towel. The Avs went on to win Game Four 5-2, and as this blog post hits my website, I am hours away from watching the Avs play the Wild in Game Five.
Despite my detours in April, I am drafting now. Just writing about writing my book makes me want to go write my book.
I’ll keep you posted on my writing life and pursuit of publication, and as always, LET’S GO PIOS! GO AVS GO!
