Join me in welcoming @Sharyn Hall, @Lauren Connally and @Hayleigh Roberts Thanks for joining the Queer Writers Collective. Feel free to introduce yourselves in the comments and share a bit about what you do and what you're working on 💙

So here's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Most authors approach YouTube like a billboard — "BUY MY BOOK." And honestly? That's why it doesn't work. Here's what I've learned running Wandering Creative Life: YouTube is the one platform where someone will sit and listen to you talk for 10, 15, 20 minutes. That's not an ad impression. That's a relationship. When I talk about my writing process, the retreats I host, what it actually looks like to be a queer author making $6 in royalties some months — the people who stick around aren't casual scrollers. They're the ones who end up in my DMs, in my community, buying the book because they know me. The algorithm doesn't find readers. You do — by being the author they want to follow. So my question for the group: are any of you using YouTube (or thinking about it)? What's stopped you so far? Drop it in the comments — let's have a conversation about it. 👇 www.youtube.com/@wanderingcreativelife

Whether you're celebrating, relaxing, working, or simply enjoying a little extra quiet this weekend, here are a few fun writing prompts to spark your creativity! 🎇 The Prompt: At exactly midnight, the fireworks don't fade away... Instead, they hang frozen in the sky, revealing a hidden message that only your main character can read. What does it say? Who sent it? And how does it change everything? Bonus challenge: Write for 15-30 minutes without editing. Let the story surprise you. When you're done, come back and share: ✨ A favorite line ✨ A short excerpt ✨ Or simply tell us how many words you wrote! However you're spending this long weekend, I hope you find a little time to create. Happy writing, everyone! ❤️ 🎆 Boom! Crackle! Plot Twist! 🎆 🔥 The fireworks aren't fireworks at all...they're signals. Your protagonist is the only person who notices the pattern in the sky and realizes someone is trying to warn them before it's too late. Who is sending the message? What danger is coming? And what happens next? ⏱️ Set a timer for 20 minutes. ✍️ Write without overthinking. 📖 Then come back and brag about your word count! 🎇 The Prompt: 🎆 Every firework represents a forgotten memory. When the sky lights up, your character suddenly remembers something they've lost for years. What memory returns? Why was it forgotten? And what happens because they remember? No pressure to write thousands of words—sometimes 200 words is enough to reconnect with your story. If you write this weekend, I'd love to hear how it goes. Happy writing! 💜

I've decided that for my next book, The Crown We Bury, that I'm going to put a lot of the budget toward artwork. I've noticed that many author's that share more artwork of their characters seem to have more engagement and results from their marketing so I'm going to give it a go! I've just started putting my characters into mood boards and reaching out to artists. I'm planning a Spring 2027 release of The Crown We Bury so I think now is the perfect time to get started on artwork requests!

Being an indie author means wearing a lot of hats. Actually, scratch that. Being an indie author means wearing all the hats. We're writers, editors, marketers, social media managers, graphic designers, event planners, newsletter creators, website managers, accountants, customer service representatives, and business owners—all while trying to keep the thing we love most alive: writing stories. And when you're preparing to launch a book, those responsibilities multiply. Suddenly, you're coordinating ARCs, posting on social media every day, updating your website, scheduling newsletters, reaching out to bookstores, planning launch events, managing ads, creating graphics, answering messages, and trying to convince yourself that you should probably be writing the next book, too. It's exciting. It's rewarding. And sometimes? It's exhausting. FULL BLOG: https://www.ardencoutts.com/blog-1/its-okay-to-step-away-why-indie-authors-need-breaks-too