Hi there,
Welcome back! Did you ever think you’d be seeing this newsletter again? If not, I can’t blame you – I didn’t know if I was ever going to start writing it again.
So what the heck happened? Well, the sequence of events goes something like this…
Remember last October when I started my own company, WriteHQ, after being laid off from my copy editing job? It turns out that WriteHQ provides a valuable service: SEO-focused content writing that’s not outsourced overseas. In fact, a lot of people want that service.
While this is very good news for me and my wallet, it’s not such good news for Quinn Writes. Writing a weekly newsletter was all well and good when I had two clients and plenty of billable hours to spare. These days… not so much.
But just when I was considering abandoning ship on this effort altogether, I got a sweet text message from an old friend I hadn’t talked to in a while. Here it is, for your viewing pleasure:
This is such a great example of how one small act of kindness can make a bigger difference than we ever realize. Knowing that this newsletter was reaching people and that friends old and new were enjoying it revitalized my desire to start it up again. And although my friend couldn’t have known her text would have that effect when she sent it, she was thoughtful enough to mention my work – and for that, I owe her a BIG thank you.
So here’s what I’m going to do now: Set reasonable expectations. Instead of releasing a weekly newsletter, I’m going to share Quinn Writes on a monthly basis. You’ll still get the scoop on what I’m reading, writing, and doing… and of course, any pertinent updates on my life.
I suppose that about covers it. Let’s get back to the good stuff…
What am I reading?
Remember about five seconds ago, when I was telling you how I have NO TIME on my hands? Yeah, that interfered with my reading habits a bit, too. My goal of reading 24 books this year, however, is somehow still on track. Here’s the record to prove it:
I know, I know… only one book in July. But I would like to clarify that Helen of Troy by Margaret George is a (excellent) 600-page read. So it’s almost like reading two books.
And yes, one of my August books was a business book. Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman is not exactly a light read, but it’s certainly an informative one. I would highly recommend it if you are starting a business – or are interested in the strategic blueprint behind growing and scaling a company.
Either way, I’m hoping to return to some more typical literature next. For October, the first book on my list is A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. I bought this months ago and have been meaning to read it for a while. It’s finally time!
If you have any book suggestions for me, go ahead and leave a comment! I’m always in the market for recommendations.
Finally, I have one other great read that I simply can’t keep to myself. Friends of mine recently started their own monthly Substack venture, a newsletter called “We’ve Never Been Wrong.”
Their description sums it up better than I ever could:
A new and exciting explosion of opinion in which two twenty-something women attempt to convince their small community of readers that they’ve never been wrong.
Yep. That’s the premise. And it’s so insanely good. So if you’re missing your weekly dose of Quinn Writes and need another newsletter to fill your plate, I can’t recommend “We’ve Never Been Wrong” enough. Authors Julia and Bernadette fully commit to the bit – and they will 100% sell you on Noah Kahan, New England nostalgia, and unhindered creativity.
Trust me on this one. I, too, have never been wrong.
What am I writing?
Remember that novel I’ve been working on? Yeah, I’m still working on it.
But here’s the good news: I’m making progress! My novel, which is currently titled Leaving and Never Coming Back, is in second-draft form and is nearly complete. I have only about 2.5 chapter remaining to rewrite, which is a huge victory. The rewrite process has been grueling, and I can’t wait to move on to draft three.
If you’re a repeat reader around here, you might remember that I decided to embark on this full rewrite project per the advice of Matt Bell in his excellent craft book, Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts.
The book is full of practical, useful advice – and I’m finally at the stage when I get to open it up once again and find out what draft three should entail. With twenty-some pages left in draft two to rewrite, it’s exciting to see the progress I’ve made.
In fact, to illustrate that point, here’s a picture of me the first time I printed out my novel, when I finally finished the FIRST WHOLE DRAFT. For reference, this was in August 2022 – over a year ago!
The pile of paper on that table is now in a three-ring binder in my closet. It’s about 150 pages, if I remember correctly. These days, my novel is clocking in at 264 pages and counting.
Now, size isn’t the only thing that matters. In my opinion, page count really doesn’t matter at all if there’s nothing good in there. But in this case, I’d like to think that I have 264 rich, bright, engaging pages detailing the riveting and unpredictable journey that my main character’s life takes.
So what the heck have I been writing that nearly doubled the size of my novel?
Well, between the first and second draft phases, I received feedback from a few trusted friends and first-round readers. As I rewrote the work, I incorporated their feedback as well as my own notes and considerations. I was able to build out side characters more fully, rearrange scenes and sequences of events, and tell a more complete story the second time around. I’m hopeful that, come third draft time, I’ll be in a good place to make revisions go a little faster.
If you’ve written a book, know someone who has written a book, have thoughts about writing books, literally whatever… don’t hesitate to reach out! I would love to hear any tips/tricks/pointers/etc.
What am I doing?
To put it briefly… working, working, and more working. But other than that, I’ve been kayaking, F45-ing, hot girl walking, and home decorating the summer away. Oh yeah, did I mention that Drew and I are homeowners now?
Actually, a lot has changed around here. Drew and I also become an aunt and uncle to the most AMAZING pair of twin babies.
(If you know my family, take a deep breath! My siblings are NOT parents yet. Drew’s sister and brother-in-law had twins in June, and we’re obsessed with them. I’m super lucky to be an honorary aunt to the world’s cutest beans.)
Alright, alright. I’m getting to the point…
What am I doing in terms of my writing career?
That’s a great question, thanks for asking! The big news around here is that my short story, “McDonald’s Kills People,” is getting published in the Richmond-based literary magazine Makeout Creek. (If you’re interested, you can preorder it right here.)
And another exciting part of that equation? I’m reading the story for a release event taking place at Bottom Feeder Books in Pittsburgh, PA on Friday, October 13. If you’re in the area, come on by.
This is my first publication – if you don’t count the William & Mary Student Literary Awards booklet – and I’m pretty pumped about it. So that’s the positive news this month. Hopefully it’s far from my last publication!
On the more negative side, my quest to publish my children’s book Scarlett’s Countdown to Christmas has not been so fruitful.
I may be taking the self-publishing route with this one, so if you have any advice on that front, please let me know. I would love to find a traditional publisher, but it’s simply not getting picked up.
TLDR…
Anyway, those are my updates for you this month! Thanks for sticking with me for the three-month hiatus and then this extraordinarily long issue of Quinn Writes. This is the 30th issue of this newsletter, and I’m so happy to bring it back to your inbox once again. I can’t wait to talk to you all next month!
Happy reading,
Quinn
Love the picture of you and Drew!!