Ok, so you probably realize that writing a book requires, well… writing, and then lots (and lots) of editing before publishing. You’re right about that. By the time I hit “publish,” I’ve rewritten my entire book at least seven times and reread sections approximately a billion. (Give or take a few hundred thousand.)
But there’s so much more to it than just sitting down with a cup of coffee and typing away. Writing a book is equal parts inspiration, chaos, discipline, and caffeine. And sometimes? It’s just stubbornness.
Let me give you a peek behind the curtain.
✨ Inspiration
Inspiration can strike at any moment, in any form… and often at the worst possible time. (Like when I’m shampooing my hair or halfway through teaching a lesson.)
For example, I got the idea for my upcoming sweet holiday novella, Cookie Dad (early access on Ream, now), from a Facebook group for teachers. Someone made a funny comment that snowballed in my head until-boom-a whole heartwarming story about cookies, kindness, and second chances appeared.
The Ancient Ones started because of a writing challenge to create an underwater ghost story. (How could I not?) And Demigods and Misfits was born from my love of Harry Potter and Camp Half-Blood. I wanted to mash that sense of wonder and adventure together into something uniquely mine and that was school appropriate so I could write alongside my students.
Sometimes songs inspire scenes. Sometimes people I meet spark a character. Sometimes dreams come knocking at 3 a.m., demanding to be written down before they vanish. And stuck scenes? Oh, those usually untangle themselves when I’m driving or in the shower – places where I can’t actually take notes, of course.
There’s truly no rhyme or reason to it. Inspiration doesn’t follow schedules. It’s more like an excitable cat that shows up unannounced and insists on your full attention. So I’ve learned to buckle up for the ride… or at least jot down notes so I can chase the idea later.
✍️ Writing
I’m what you’d call a mood writer – just as much as I’m a mood reader. I hop between projects like I hop between genres. I’ve got my comfort worlds, my palate cleansers, and the ones that require chocolate and dramatic music.
Usually, I have at least two active stories going at any given time, with several other documents open for ideas or notes of places and names. My current mix is The Ones Who Didn’t Burn, a dark, love-and-revenge story, alongside the YA fantasy Tournament of Demigods and Misfits. You’d think those two would clash, and maybe they do, but somehow switching between them keeps my creativity fresh.
Lurking in the background, I’ve also got The Ones Who Didn’t Burn (an adult fantasy that’s been haunting me for months) and book two of Parallel Worlds waiting for their turn. I’ll write whichever one speaks loudest that day – unless my computer decides it absolutely must reboot right now, again, closing all my tabs and testing my will to live.
Each story has its own rhythm, and I’ve learned to follow the one that calls the loudest. It’s chaotic, yes, but it works.
🧩 Process
Everyone’s writing process looks different, and mine depends heavily on my schedule. Between teaching full-time, running this blog, having a family, and trying to keep up with marketing (we’ll talk about that soon), writing happens in the spaces between everything else.
Some days, that means writing during lunch breaks or in the waiting room. Other days, I’m too tired to form coherent sentences, so I use that time for easier tasks like planning posts, designing graphics, or working on book marketing.
I used to feel guilty about not writing “every day,” but now I know the creative process doesn’t thrive on guilt. It thrives on grace, random songs, and the occasional bout of chaos-fueled inspiration.
Have you read any of my stories? I would love to know which ones and what you thought about them. Even, how I could improve!
https://linktr.ee/authorrachelroy
https://reamstories.com/rachelroy
Here’s a code for 25% off any tier of my Ream for 3 months: RACHELROY25 (easy to remember, not very original – lol).
