Express Yourself

Your First Book Attempt Might Be a Loveable But Unreadable Monster

Sometimes the lessons you learn from writing a book aren’t quite what you expected

illustration by author

I’ve heard that a lot of writers have a similar origin story: They’re reading a novel and suddenly stop. “Holy crap,” they say, “I can do better than this!” Then they close the book and sit there, or they fall down and lie there, dazed.

“I can do better than this,” they whisper. “I really can.”

This is my story. It happened with a book my mother gave me called The Strumpet Sea. I don’t remember the book, but I think it was about a strumpet and a sea.

By the way, what’s your book? Which one made you cry out to the universe, “I can do this!”?

The Limiting Belief Behind the Worst Kind of Writer’s Block

I just looked up the definition of “strumpet” and shocked myself. “Strumpet” can mean “prostitute.” What the hell, mom?

I don’t remember sex workers in that book. I remember lots of water and a boat. Could I have been so…