Good morning friends!
Happy Friday, and a very happy birthday shout-out to my sister, Katie!
Admittedly, I didn’t know when you’d be hearing from me again after my last post. I didn’t have a game plan or editorial calendar to adhere to. All I knew was that I wanted my next newsletter to be a happy one.
And this is a happy one.
Consider it my official announcement.
I am writing a book, and I am so, so excited about it.
As much as I enjoy writing articles, my true passion has always been creative writing and I’ve always dreamed of becoming a published novelist someday. I’ve written countless stories and even a few manuscripts, each one a different writing experience than the last. You won’t find these in bookstores or magazines. I’ve kept them for myself (and friends/family who were interested in reading them). But this book feels different. One day, I’d like it to be my debut.
So, what’s the status of this project? Well, I don’t have an agent or a book deal. Not now, at least. I’m working on my first draft. It took a few tries to get my flow, but I think I’ve finally found it. I’m just about 75 pages in, and chipping away. My goal is to finish, if not by the summer, sometime during the summer. Between June and July, ideally. That way, I can get some eyes on it and be editing in the fall.
Sounds like a plan, but what’s it about? I don’t want to give too much away, but I’m categorizing the book as contemporary women’s fiction. It follows two sisters and the youngest’s best friend in their early 30s, establishing their identity as it relates to motherhood, sexuality, and career. It is both a conversation and an evaluation of just some of the lives women lead.
When I started this newsletter, I didn’t know, exactly, how I wanted to utilize it. I just wanted to write and connect with curious readers. I wanted to express myself through the things I love, and that translated to a myriad of content ranging from gift guides to outfit inspiration, favorites lists, author interviews, and the occasional travel piece. I still want to dabble in all the things, because that’s who I am; a person with a multitude of interests.
But, when it boils down to the heart of it, to the core of me, writing and books are my world. They’re a huge part of my identity. Writing, especially. It’s what I do, but it’s also who I am. Writing novels is what I want to do with my life. I’ve always known that, but recent events have made me reflect a little harder on life and have brought me back to this realization.
I don’t know what that will look like in terms of newsletter content. I do know that, if my writing this book is of interest, I’d love to keep you updated on this journey. Who knows? Maybe in the future, I’ll be writing a post about where you can snag a copy.
Isn’t that a happy thought?
Sooo exciting!!
So proud of you Julia 🥰. I will be one of your first fans. I have complete confidence in your ability to write this book!!!