lessons from writing a book in 4 months

a paid subscriber special <3

pic of cool writer girl and poet Dakota Warren

This is a special post. Why? Because today I reached 1,000 subscribers on Substack, a goal that seemed way too unrealistic, and got my first paid subscriber… So this one is quite literally for them - and anyone else that becomes a paid subscriber after that. I feel incredibly grateful that this platform exists to help me grow through my writing, so I want to make these blog posts as valuable and insightful as possible. Note: You can get a paid subscription for free by sharing my blog with a couple of friends!

November 2023 to February 2024 was honestly a wild time. I’m not the best at time management, but during those four months I had to write my first book, 65,000 words. When I went into my publisher’s office for the first time after finishing the book, they asked “how did you find the whole process?” and I replied honestly, “fun!” — it was over and I missed it instantly. The director laughed and said he was glad, that no one’s every replied fun before. Working on such an intensive project during a tight timeline means you pour your everything into it, and as much as that experience is intense and tiring, it is also very fun and fulfilling. It taught me tons of valuable lessons, big and small. Let’s keep things simple. Here’s a list of them: