My Writing Algorithm

Create all the content you want, but no one will read a book that isn't written.

Welcome, new subscribers!

Dream Big is about my writing journey. Approximately every two weeks, I post about: finding writing in my 40s, embracing a creative life, writing my first novel, and the everyday moments that inspire me as I juggle family life and my dreams of becoming a published author.

I’m so glad you’re here.

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After a short break, I’m getting back to writing and figuring how that will look now that it’s summer. While a lot of “writing” simply requires me, my laptop, and somewhere to focus (easier said than done with three kids out of school), anyone who wants to write, publish, and maybe even sell a book or two knows that there are more pieces to this puzzle than just getting words on the page. This includes the ever-elusive “author platform” and learning to market your(self) and your work. 

That said, out of all the writing-related emails I receive, the following subject line on a recent message wasn’t very unusual:

Can Authors Get a Book Deal Without Social Media?

Maybe because I’ve been feeling a little off track recently, it rattled me. I didn’t open it, thinking that it would just remind me of all the things I’m not doing well/yet/at all to boost my chances of success out there in the publishing world.

It’s not news that many writers, often introverts, would rather just write than spend their working hours trying to get noticed. It can feel uncomfortable, all that attention-seeking, as much as we seek publication and want to share our work. One can earn a degree in marketing and/or make a living from creating content, and there seems to be a new platform to conquer as soon as we master another. The overwhelm is understandable.

But I think I’ve figured something out.

As I mentioned in my last post, I took a much-needed break from writing after my boys’ school year ended. Initially, I only meant to rest from writing on Substack, but it ended up being a full break—from Substack, from my novel, from social media. I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I felt just as tired as my boys did in those last days of school, and it took us several days to regain our footing in yet another seasonal transition of routines and weather. 

I’d like to say I’m one of those writers who can’t not write. I understand the sentiment, that eventually, the words must flow or I’ll have a backlog of life stuff to process and ideas begging for attention. But I can easily fall off, less from the effort it takes to write but more from the challenge of getting to the page with an open heart and mind, energy to focus, and uninterrupted time. And when time and energy are in short supply, even a few hundred words feels like a gargantuan task.

However, while my household settled into a new summer rhythm of lemonade stands, camps, and first summer jobs, and I began to feel more rested, I also started to feel antsy. That’s when I knew my “break” had edged into procrastination. My agitation simmered at first, hitting a rolling boil when over two weeks had passed. Panicky thoughts rose to the surface:

I’m behind on word count. 

What if I don’t finish my novel by the end of summer?

I need to do more research for my novel.

I haven’t checked my inbox on Substack.

Am I a terrible literary citizen because I’m behind on reading others’ work? 

What about Substack Notes, or adding audio to Dream Big?

Have I lost subscribers?

I haven’t posted on Instagram! What about THE ALGORITHM?

It’s bonkers, right? I agree.

Finally, instead of really getting down on myself about not doing enough, I realized that this is how it is for me right now. I have been gifted with a life that is full, sometimes overflowing, with family, parenting, running a household, and I’ve decided to top it off with writing my first novel. I’ve always had a tendency to take on a lot, often enthusiastic in the beginning, with my mind racing beyond the boundaries of what is manageable. I try to temper that with realism, but I think to some extent it’s just part of how I roll. I go, go, go and, inevitably, crash in an exhausted heap when my body and mind demand rest.

On the surface, it’s a little unpolished, but the realization was liberating. Because somewhere deep down, I know I won’t quit; I always get up, dust myself off, and get back to it. By July 1, I felt so agitated about my inability to focus and get back to my work that I marched out of the house and pounded out 1700 words of my novel at a coffee shop.

Guess what else? Substack and Instagram didn’t implode due to my absence. Go figure. 

So, back to the original question: Can Authors Get a Book Deal Without Social Media? I still haven’t opened the email, so I don’t know the answer, but I’m sure there’s plenty to learn.

And I want to learn! But not at the cost of my soul or sanity (this does not include daily fluctuations of the latter) or work. I cannot be something I’m not, and I have a creative process and learning curve that’s a little up and down, back and forth, and downright messy at times. 

For now, I’m back at it with a vengeance. This recent bout of procrastination lit a fire—all part of my process, I now realize. Since Monday, I have written over 4,000 words in my novel (hopefully more by the time this posts) and broke 50k total this morning. I’ve got plenty of work to do, but the only way out is through, and it feels good to be moving forward once more.

I may have everything to learn, but there’s one thing I know for certain about book deals for a no-name, first-time novelist: There needs to be a book.

And that, I intend to deliver, algorithms notwithstanding.

If you would like to follow my best attempts to play nicely with Instagram’s algorithm, please join me on @MHanleyWriter for word count updates and other bits and pieces of my process.

Or just stick with me here on Substack.😊

Either way, I’m always incredibly grateful for your company on this journey.

Thank you for reading! One of the best ways to support writing you enjoy is to share it. Please consider sharing Dream Big with a friend who may like it too, either by forwarding this post via email or using the “share” button in the app. I’m grateful for your support of my work.