Hi Writing Group! My April Progress.

As promised: My progress in April.

I think of you as a member of my big, bold, extended writing group, and when I articulated my 2025 goals, I promised to share my monthly progress with you. Tomorrow is the last day of April, and since the month has been a whirlwind of ups and downs, why wait any longer? Let’s get to it!

Up, Up and Away! 

Last time I posted an update I mentioned a paranormal romance experiment that took me for a wild ride. In April I decided to see the experiment through and will release it in serial form on Wattpad. Starting in May, look for Dream Walkers: Heart & Hand.

Before I decided to publish, I did a good bit of research (using AI assistance), which drew me to the serial format and in particular Wattpad.

First, I was impressed with how serial fiction readership is growing. And while Amazon couldn’t make their serial-fiction Vella work as part of their business model, other serial platforms saw increases in the number of readers and engagement, which suggested to me that Vella’s problems stemmed from Amazon, not the format or readers.

Second, when I looked into the different platforms, Wattpad stood out for its active community of writers and readers, breadth of genres, growth opportunities for authors, and best of all, the ease of engaging in conversations with readers. For a writer like me who is new and experimenting, connecting with you is an exciting prospect.

All this means, if you’re into paranormal romance (full disclosure: spice, slow burn), please visit Wattpad and join in the fun! BTW, since Dream Walkers: Heart & Hand is very different from my nonfiction work, I decided to publish it under a pen name, Judy Davila. (In case you’re considering a pseudonym for any of your work, Joanna Penn has a good discussion about why/when to use pen names here.) I'll announce book installments via TikTok.

Another Up!

Do you follow me on this blog, Facebook or Insta? (Please do!) Then, you might have noticed I’m ramping up From Draft to Craft: A New Writer's Guide to Feedback. This ebook is designed to help new writers through the feedback process.

Why this book? Because I know how daunting it can feel to be faced with someone else’s manuscript and have to give comments. When I started my creative writing, I didn’t know what to look for or how to frame my opinions. There was a lot of vocabulary of art, but I didn’t know what phrases like ‘character arc’ and ‘theme’ really meant. Likewise, when I thought about asking for feedback, I was paralyzed with terror! Then, when I got comments, what was I supposed to do with them?

So, my painful memories of engaging in the feedback process drove me to write about my experiences and share what other authors said about their experiences. Plus, you’ll get helpful tips and advice I wish I had when I was starting out.

If you’re a new writer and can relate to feedback discomfort, this book will help you. Follow me for the launch date later this year.

Recharging! The recent weather has been gorgeous! While I couldn't get away for a whole day, my husband and I escaped to a local conservation area for an impromptu picnic alongside Cross River. We spent our time breathing in the beauty surrounding us, and I allowed my mind to put aside all worry about the present day to imagine future stories. I came away feeling so refreshed!

We picnicked by Cross River.

A Down

At the top of this post, I mentioned there were downs alongside the ups. So, here's my down: With several creative projects in front of me, my attention flitted in multiple directions throughout April. Fun, but my goal was to make significant progress on my main project and I didn't.

That's why I’m committing to double down in May. Thank goodness I’m in a group where I connect with other writers and can hold myself accountable to my goals. These people mean the world to me and their encouragement helps me get my work done. Suggestion: Get involved in an accountability group, if you're like me (i.e., get distracted) and want to complete your writerly project.

I look forward to sharing my May progress in about four weeks. (May will be my one-year anniversary of embracing my writing and creativity!) Until then, look back on your own writing during April and tell me what stands out to you? Did you reach a milestone? Did you have an 'aha' moment? Let me know in the comments.