Jenn Johnson

we're writers. of course posts on twitter and staring blankly at our story in existential dread count as writing

My writing brain last night: Sure, stabbing a main suspect 3000 words from the end of the novel seems like a good idea. Never mind he was supposed to lead our sleuth on a wild chase through the mountains. My writing brain this morning: You don't even know who stabbed him. #amwriting

The damn cat ate three leaves of my lucky writing four-leaf clover. Now I have a one leaf clover, and 5000 words to write to finish this novel.

Just had a big party for a milestone birthday (I won’t say which, but there was an 80s dance-off). At the same time, our town was hit by a major windstorm and some people were without power for days. So naturally we talked about both aging and gratitude for electricity. Now Facebook, having clearly listened in, is serving me posts about how Age is power.

I will say this about Chat GPT. It may be lying to me, but it lies eloquently and with conviction, and I can appreciate that.

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I’m feeling personally attacked right now💀👀🤣

#writersky #amwriting #writingcommunity #authorsky #indieauthor

Hosting 30+ people for my December milestone birthday this week. Also doing a cookie exchange the day before, despite being a terrible baker. Introvert panic rising. Plan: write a murder mystery about a cookie-exchange birthday gone wrong. #ThingsThatGetInTheWayOfWriting

Okay seriously self, get it together. You used to write until 11 pm. Surely to god you can still form a sentence at 8:15.... #aging #theresistanceisreal

@GaiusKonst56832 I am working on this look as we speak.

@JennJohnson27 Hmm. have you mastered the icy-cold stare that implies one should perish slowly and then go to hades? It does wonders for keeping small towns polite.

I met with a coach to help me build confidence in sharing my writing. Her suggestion: host an event at my local library about my writing process. Me: crawling under table Really... I was just hoping to feel braver about tweeting sometimes.

Everyone has a different style, I get that, but here's some advice. Regardless if you're writing a post or a novel, if the goal is a wide audience, keep it concise and precise. Using the simplest word and phrase which most accurately conveys your meaning will never let you down

Listening to "We Regret to Inform You" podcast—all these books and shows that only made it because someone refused to quit. The rejection history of A Wrinkle in Time is wild. Being an arbiter of taste is harder (and less accurate) than we pretend.

@ADPrice14 She was quite happy. She ended up selling two paintings after the craft fair. She's totally good with just getting out there. Trying to package some of that attitude!

@JennJohnson27 Sorry to hear that! It's a hard-knock life all around I guess.

I think everyone has to now, in some form. I was at a painter friend's house last night and she had just been to two craft fairs where she said sales were dismal, but she did get approached to display her paintings in a restaurant. And she gave away little cards of her paintings. I would love to develop that confidence!

@JennJohnson27 I can so relate to this! If I wanted to be outgoing and chatty, I'd work in politics or hospitality. Are violinists expected to tweet, I wonder? Or painters to guest blog or talk about their process with library patrons?

Does nobody drink at bookclubs anymore? Or am I just old (and therefore nobody drinks in *my* bookclubs anymore)? I remember when they used to be rather boozy affairs. Now rarely a drop of anything other than tea is consumed.

@GaiusKonst56832 'Tis true. Though I have no problem doing conference presentations in front of 300 strangers. There is something specific about social media and outing myself as a genre writer in my small literary leaning town.

@JennJohnson27 That suggestion...well, some plans sound good on paper, then reality intervenes. Why worry? From what little I've read from you, there is no problem except perhaps confidence. There is no reason for that, you are doing just fine.

Me: For Christmas, I want a dragon. Santa: Be realistic. Me: Ok, I want a 3 book publishing deal with a big 5 Santa: What kind of dragon do you want? #WritingCommmunity #kidlit #writing #picturebook

Returning to my WIP after a few days of resistance - unsure where the plot is going, too much energy needed for the day job. But the meditative state of writing, of being with the characters in the scene is always restorative. The words will always come.