Springtime Favorites

Walks in my favorite park.

Long time, no blog! It’s nearly summer now, but I wanted to share a mini-recap of some of the things I’ve enjoyed this spring. I even made aesthetic vision boards for this season:

None of these photos were taken by me.

I don’t own any of these photos.

These images sum up the kind of woman I want to be as I walk through spring and into summer: active in my community and nature; living a slow-paced life; reading lots; rejoicing in and being grateful for the simple joys; nurturing my plants; listening to tons of music; playing instruments; connecting to Christ; having a healthy lifestyle overall.

Current Favorite Songs

• “Doubt (Demo)” by Twenty One Pilots • “Alesis” by Mk.gee • “One More Day” by Sons of Sunday • “What Was That” by Lorde • “I Lied to You” by Miles Caton (and the rest of the “Sinners” soundtrack) • “Sunset Blvd” by Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco

• “Traitor” by Olivia Rodrigo • “Famous Last Words” by My Chemical Romance

I’m also super stoked for new records coming soon from Yungblud (June 20), Lorde (June 27), and both Twenty One Pilots and Tom Odell (Sept. 5, my birthday 🥺💜).

My Reading List

The amount of books I’m in the middle of reading right now is ungodly. I have had to fetch and/or make an insane amount of bookmarks because I’ve been reading so much. The above titles are some of the ones I’m working through. I’m also looking forward to reading the newest Hunger Games prequel, the latest book in the Court of Roses series and more. My full 2025 reading list can be found here.

Other Obsessions

• “Sinners” (which I’ve seen twice now) • “Schitt’s Creek” (which I finished for the first time recently, so good!) • Park walks • Running • Reading poetry to heal the soul • Taking care of plants • Video games • Choosing to be the healthiest version of myself • “Stranger Things” • Family • Green juice

What about you? What favorite things have you enjoyed this spring?

You wanna sink, so I’m gonna let you,

Things That Matter

My toxic trait is trying to read several books at once (see also: thinking I am entitled to buying at least one or two new plants each weekend).

Right now I'm reading "The Secret History"; "Goth: A History"; Brian Wilson's memoir; and now Joshua Becker's "Things That Matter." It's this last book that's been my main focus as of late.

As highlighted in my November 2023 post, "MORE!," I feel like lately my life has been consumed with wanting more, more, more. "Things That Matter" has offered me a way to reset. The book walks through different types of distractions that keep us from our life's work and passions. It's so timely for me, and even though I'm less than a fourth of the way through the book, I already have a couple of key takeaways that I wanted to share with you.

Joshua Becker's former mentor, Robert Thune Sr.,

often set an intention for each day right when he woke up.

He said, "Every morning, before I start my day, I set my intention with a simple sentence: 'Today, I commit myself to _________.'"

I loved the heck out of that. As someone who works from home, sometimes it can feel like every day is much the same: Wake up, get ready, work, rinse, repeat. Setting an intention is a good way to narrow in on a tiny task or goal for the day and work with all my heart to complete it. Some examples Joshua shared were: "Today, I commit myself to being a faithful spouse" and "Today, I commit myself to selflessness." Or, "Today, I commit myself to healthy eating." "Today, I commit myself to my work goal."💜

Joshua also mentioned the manifesto of Melanie Kirk, which really resonated with me:

"A vow to live every day as if it's my one and only chance to make a mark, because IT IS. To live my life on purpose. To stop wasting time on things that don't matter. To step out of my comfort zone. To live with passion and courage of my convictions. To let go of the 'what if's.' To never, ever give up even when things get tough. Because at the end of the day life is far too precious a gift to squander."

What a great encouragement! I'm excited to keep reading this book and see what other little gems I can scribble in my journal or jot down on an index card and place around my house for instant encouragement. To me, this book has been a great reminder so far of making every moment matter, not in a stressful way, but with ultimate intention. Joshua Becker is also a minimalist, and while that's not my journey, I've also been inspired to clear out the clutter (read: piles of clothes I don't wear) and free up more space in my mind and life for, again, the "things that matter."

Happy Sunday! What have you been reading lately?

Feeling inspired,

More!

Does anybody else ever feel like they have so much stuff?

Lately I've been grappling with the sheer fact of all my things, and how much it seems I have acquired over the years. My mom shared with me this creator on YouTube who makes videos on minimalism and her 10-item wardrobe, and I've enjoyed watching some of her content. I don't think I could be a minimalist to that extreme extent, but I've enjoyed some of the principles behind her videos. 

Here's what I've discovered: The more I find myself in pursuit of stuff (namely, clothes, an obsession which could go on indefinitely as fashion is so ever-evolving), I find myself less able to hear the still, small voice of Jesus in my everyday life. It's convicting and dismaying, even as I find myself still on the hunt for more things to consume my time, money and energy.

As I've been sorting through my closet today, these thoughts came to mind. The things I think will fulfill me (a flowy tiered maxi skirt; a pair of impossibly cool boots) never truly do. And then they end up discarded or forgotten in some corner of my closet the moment the next thing comes along.

It seems our whole society has been peddled the idea of having more, more, more at the click of a button in a way that those from generations past never had to deal with. Much has been written on fast fashion and the incessant trend cycling only sped up by social media. As someone who's trying to distance myself more from the digital noise for my own mental health, I return to this space for a tiny reprieve. These days, I'm longing to unplug from the idea that I'm always one new product away from my "perfect wardrobe" and into my own creativity, and my relationship with Christ. I'm trying to focus more on what matters, rather than get caught in the never-ending pursuit of what will fade. 🌼

Be kind to yourself,

Snapshot of a Season | Act 1, Scene 1

We're entering a new season, can you feel it? My sister and I sit on the couch, laughing and crying as we watch an episode of Queer Eye. Happy tears, anxious tears. This week has been a study in emotion, both in expressing it and knowing when to hold it back. It has been the regrowth of sensitivity, of learning to keep my heart open, of tender-hearted prayer with palms up to the sky.

I know I won't always have this. And that's hard.

At the same time, "I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready to move on." Why is it that I must long for a new season, all the while mourning the present one? One day I will wake up in a different town and a different home and my sister won't be on the other side of the wall, playing J. Cole at full volume and strutting about the room in high-waisted denim and yellow espadrilles. One day this will all be different, and it will be good, but I will miss this. I know it, I do. But it doesn't stop me from longing for the future.

The other day, a wedding invitation came in the mail from my cousin.

And then another wedding invitation, from my other cousin. And somehow time is moving, and now it's us, my family, and my friends, who are putting on the rings and having the babies, and I don't know how this happened or who gave us permission to grow up. Change is good, change is good. Life is change, and we move forward. But wow, it's all going by faster than I expected.

A couple of weeks ago,
Daisy and Kaylie and I went to see the Lion King remake.

I sat in a darkened theater and silently wept as Mufasa died, once again. Why did I feel like somehow this time it was going to be different? I don't know why, but I did. Like maybe we could change things. Like maybe he could just hold on a little longer until help arrived. The music to that film just cuts me to the core. It was an odd feeling, connecting with a film that I adored as a child, seeing it again as an adult. In a way, that exactly describes how I've been feeling - as if two parts of me are meeting in the middle, and shaking hands with each other. One part past, one part future, both pulling me in different directions.

So, what even is this post?

This is me processing. It is a sigh of relief, a reclaiming of this space. A tree letting her roots exhale and grow. And you know, I have to say, I'm writing this for me (hence the rambles), but to the people who have stuck around this blog to read even one post or leave a kind word or two: you all are just the sweetest of souls. And I'm grateful that we get to share our thoughts with each other and that you, too, see value in creative spaces and the evolution of those spaces and their authors. I would rather see this space change over time than become sad and stagnant. 

Re: blogging: I think that somewhere along the way, I lost the poetry.

Not that this was ever really a poetry blog. But I miss the outlet these "pages" once were. And I miss having art in my life that is for me. I realized yesterday that I don't write anymore. It took a trip out into the country to realize how much I rely on the Internet and social media to keep myself entertained. I miss those days as a child when I would write by hand with clunky pencils and create stories from nothing. Before my brain was hardwired with this compulsion to constantly "keep up." So I come to this space seeking to reinvent it once more, and to celebrate the fact that it even exists at all.

In less than a month, I will turn 26.

I almost feel as if August is both a prelude of what's to come in my next year, and a season closing, fading out into something new. I don't have exact, concrete thoughts for what the future might hold, but I feel a general sense that inspiration is going to be at the heart of it. Exhibit 1: Last night I felt inspired and revived my old Tumblr. Maybe I'll drop it in a couple of days, or maybe it will become a new space to share my thoughts. Either way, I want expression to be at the heart of my 26th year. Is it weird that I feel like I'm claiming whatever "26" will be for me, now? And taking advantage of the freshness of a new year before it even arrives? Doing it anyway.

To do:

Read more C. S. Lewis. Revive the Twenty Five Project. Write full novels to the albums I've been obsessed with lately (read: music by Bastille, Imagine Dragons). Keep praying with open palms. Keep your door and heart open. Buy flowers. Sing songs.

Til next time, 

E

BEGINNINGS | Learning to Replace Negative Thoughts with Biblical Truth

I will be the first to admit that a lot of the time, I struggle to believe what is true.
I could blame it on our culture and its constant stream of media, but that wouldn't really be fair. What is more often the case is that I choose to listen to my own thoughts instead of what I know my family and friends and the Lord are all saying to me: good, beautiful things. Why is that?

Years ago when I spent a week with tanned legs and bandanas galore at summer camp, I learned that to get rid of one thought,
it helped to ruminate on another.

That was a big part of me beginning to realize just how I could shift my mindset. 
For every negative thought I had, I found a Bible verse to replace it, so when I was feeling angry, insecure or doubtful, I could read what the Bible had to say on that particular topic. That was also probably the same summer I came home to show the weird and (literally) campy program videos to my non-camp friends and learned that one should never, ever do that. BUT I DIGRESS.

Those verse cards helped me learn how to swap bad thoughts and replace them with truth. Which is something I find myself needing to learn again now as an adult, interestingly enough.

My friend Jenny also created a similar resource for me when I was still in middle school. Jenny is the best, I seriously have to give her mad props for being a mentor to me at a time when I was 13 and hyper as heck. The little card she made me is still taped inside my Bible front cover to this day and has a list of all the things God says about me (and you). Cards like this have been such a help to me over the years, so I thought I'd share it with you:

My God...

Loves me: Isaiah 43:4-5
Cares about my feelings: 1 Peter 5:7
Knows everything about me: Psalm 139:1-10
Is close to me: Acts 17:27
Forgives my sins: 1 John 1:9
Is my friend: John 15:15
Died for me: Romans 5:8
Never changes: Malachi 3:6
Comforts me: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Hears me when I pray: Micah 7:7

All credits go to Jenny. I was so blessed by these both then and now, my heart.

What about you?

Do you ever struggle with negative thoughts, and if so, what do you do to feel better? Did you ever go to summer camp and make weird memories? And what is one thing you're looking forward to this weekend? Thanks for reading, friends.

BEGINNINGS | Introducing February's Theme & Some Quote Love

Before we move any further into the already super-short month of February, allow me to introduce this month's theme: BEGINNINGS. It may seem kind of counterintuitive to post about new beginnings and fresh starts in the second month of the year, after all the New Year's inspiration for goal setting and reinvention has somewhat cooled. But that is exactly the point!

This February, I am finding myself in search of balance, rest, and restoration.

The Lord has shown me that with Him, I can begin again and again and again, and that He always has grace for my mistakes. If that looks like a fresh start on February 10, and not the super shiny January 1 #BestSelf I craved, then so be it. I am longing for that new life that the Lord can breathe into a familiar routine as He helps me navigate this season of life.

To start off BEGINNINGS, I compiled a list of inspiring quotes and lyrics about rejuvenation, time, beginning. As I feel refreshed and encouraged to move further into 2019 in God's strength, I find that I am still looking for my own words to share. So please enjoy these lovely little bits of goodness, in a new segment I'm calling Quote Love, woop woop, cheerio, pip pip and all that:

Quote Love: BEGINNINGS Edition

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance."
- Oscar Wilde

Oh dear, is this one ever true. Knowing yourself and prioritizing time to preserve the person that you are is vital. No one is perfect but working on yourself and learning and growing are the best steps to take in becoming who you want to be.

"For last year's words belong to last year's language
and next year's words await another voice."
- T. S. Eliot

I could snap, this is poetry in motion. Gone now are the words and the thoughts of even five minutes ago. So long as we have breath, there is always a chance for us to start over again. Now is the time to lean into a fresh goal, perspective, head space or moment of grace for ourselves.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning,
great is Your faithfulness."
- Lamentations 3:22-23

There is nothing I could possibly add to increase the impact of this phenomenal passage,
so I write only to say that it's a promise, and we can cling to it. My heart!

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end.

But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

- Winston Churchill

I don't even know why but this one hit me so hard, I actually said "OOF" aloud. 

LIKE WHAT WINSTON?!

"Woke up in the corner store, someone saying my name,
Everybody moving around, acting like nothing had changed,
But something had changed in me."
- Bleachers, "Good Morning"

I will never cease to be amazed by this song, or Jack Antonoff's music in general. To me, that whole second Bleachers record feels like moving on, starting over, saying goodbye. It hits me in the heart. My fave, my fave, my fave.

What about you?

What kinds of things do new beginnings bring to mind? Does anybody else struggle to live up to the pressure of a January New Year's #BestSelf? And do you have any Quote Love to share with me?

This is the first post in the BEGINNINGS Series!
Stay tuned for more posts in the series coming atcha real soon.

NOURISH | Cultivating One Day of the Week for Nothing But Rest

Full disclaimer: I absolutely adore Sundays. Sunday mornings in particular, when the only things on my to-do list are to sleep in, drink coffee, and read. But Sundays weren't always so peaceful. Even after a long week of work and a busy Saturday out and about, I used to try and make my Sundays (gah) productive. BUT NO MORE, I SAY.

Before we continue, *please* go listen to the most perfect Sunday morning song there ever was as your Required Background Music for this post.

I don't know if any of you are like this, but I used to...not let myself rest? I used to demand too much of myself in terms of both creativity and running, which in the end led to inevitable burnout. Saving Sundays for myself has been a way to actively nourish that quiet part of me that just wants to snuggle up in bed with coffee and reflect on the week. And read #AllTheThings.

Now I have a whole day where I know going in that I'm not going to be doing much of anything. Just...breathing. Exhaling after a long week. Looking through blogs before church. Choosing caramel iced coffee instead of chaos.

Everyone's routine is different, but I think it's important that we each carve out time to rest. I look forward to my Sunday mornings more than just about any other time of the week, and it's because I'm consistently choosing to prioritize it for peace.

How to Cultivate a Rest Day in 5 Steps or Less or Your Money Back

1. Pick the day where you have the least to do. Rest days work best on those days where you don't have a work shift to get ready for or classes to attend. You might still have some small priority tasks, but generally the best time to rest is when you know you're going to have less on your plate.

2. Get comfy. Pajama pants, slippers, blankets, beanies. IT'S ALL ABOUT OPTIMAL COMFORT HERE, PEOPLE.

3. Grab a beverage of choice. I prefer coffee but you do you, boo.

4. Inspire yourself. Something I've been trying to do more of lately is actively assemble a list of videos, articles and other little links for me to enjoy on Sunday mornings with my coffee. Often these are thought pieces or song recommendations I didn't get to check out earlier in the week. I save them all up in a document (and rip pages out of my old magazines, shhhhh) and read them all on Sunday. It's my new favorite thing.

5. Go out. Or don't! But I typically find that venturing out into society on my rest day (even if it's just an hour for church or to grab yogurt), makes me feel more accomplished. No one even has to see you. You can just go for a drive. But do it! You'll be glad you did.

What about you?

Do you have a designated rest day that helps you recharge? Or do you carve out time for rest a little bit each day? I have now shared my Sunday morning hermit steps with you, my friends. And now, to crawl back into my cave....

Miss last week's NOURISH post? Check it out here!
Or click here to browse through all the posts in the NOURISH series.

The Definitive Guide to Not Having It All Together

Lately, I've been trying to Keep Up.

Everything online seems to scream at me that I need the clothes, the #aesthetic, the fitness journey, the picture-perfect blog. Meanwhile your girl just wants to wear her favorite thrift-store cardigan and continue her family Christmas movie marathon (We've watched Home Alone and Christmas with the Kranks, if you're curious. Elf is up next).

It can be so easy to fall into thoughts of comparison and appearance-obsession, because that's what the Internet seems to invite.

But all I want is to use it to create something great and honest, even if that means bowing out of the social media and numbers game. I don't know why I even think about those things. My end goal is not to have an explosive social media following. I just want to share my thoughts and have a genuine connection with people, even if it's only a few. To me, that means more. 

But yo, sometimes it's really tough.

This morning in my car, my hands raw from the cold as I scrolled through my phone's cracked screen, I thought randomly of 2nd Corinthians 12:9. "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." That really made me feel at peace. Because lately I haven't been wanting to be weak, I've been trying to be strong. I've been pretty anxious. I totally forgot that the Lord wants me to be weak, because then He can be strong through me. I also thought about that verse James 4:6: "But He gives us more grace."

So it's completely fine to not have it all together.

Which is good, because I definitely don't. A little while ago I was thinking about giving up with this whole blogging thing; it was just getting me down. But when I have moments of stillness like this it re-centers me. I remember how much I enjoy connecting with a person over shared words and reading someone else's thoughts. I've loved having honest conversations with some of you over things on my The 25 Project blog, and it means a lot that even one person would care to read my words. That makes me smile.

What about you?

Do you ever feel like you have to have it all together or chase perfection? How do you combat the social media/blogging numbers game? PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR TIPS. And for fun, what is your favorite Christmas movie and/or treat? I'm in prime Christmas mode over here, my dudes. 🎅

Inspired By: Jack Antonoff of Bleachers

Photo credit here, my edit.

Don't you love when someone else's art influences your own?

Here's how it happened: The other day I was watching YouTube, as you do, when I got caught in a vortex of Jack Antonoff videos. I watched interviews, live performances, the whole shebang. But a neat thing happened (that often doesn't when I'm watching YouTube) - instead of feeling drained or restless, I felt inspired.

*Cue the music*

Sometimes another artist perfectly expresses what you were already thinking yourself. Someone who's been there, done that and can put words to what you've always known inside, but couldn't articulate. After learning more about Jack Antonoff's creative process, I realized that my own creative endeavors (namely writing) don't have to be about what others want or expect from me.

What we all need to do is just create the thing already, 
even if no one else understands it. Create it for YOU.

This inspired me to sit down and write today without worrying about the audience who might one day read my words. I wrote for the joy of it, not the potential future success.

And that is how great art is made! But really, though.

What about you?

Has any artist inspired you in your creative journey?
Have you had any writing epiphanies lately? Tell me about it below!

The Creatives Project #2: Evangeline Yackel

Hello, friends!!

Welcome back to the second installment of the Creatives Project! The series kicked off with the wonderful Julia Ryan and continues with the gloriously creative and whimsically hilarious Evangeline of An Odd Blog. Be sure to stop by her blog and show her some love! And now, without further ado....

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS!

Who or what inspires you to create?

"I get inspired by two people: Myself and God. God inspires me everyday in so many ways, but especially with writing. He is the ultimate wordbuilder, plotter and reviser. He was in love with His characters before anyone else. I know this is the cheesiest Christian writer thing to say, but it's true. Whenever I look around at the world, I try to remember that He created everything from nothing. He had no point of reference or something else to build on. It was all pure inspiration. When I put it in that perspective, my own writing struggles seem to melt away and I am filled with inspiration."  

What time of day do you do your best creative work?

Source: Pinterest

"I like to think that I'm one of those creative geniuses who write feverishly into the night, fueled by caffeine, but alas, I go to bed by 10:30 every night, and fall asleep at my computer if I stay up any later. I get my best creative work done between the hours of 7-10 a.m."

What has been your biggest challenge in your own creative journey?

"They say that writing is a lonely career, and it's very true. As much as I love my family, they all don't know the first thing when it comes to writing, so I always end up babbling about something novel-related, and they nod along. I've had to learn how to edit, rewrite, push through plot holes, how to do everything all on my own. I'm sure that's the case with a lot of writers. It's an isolating job, and I've had to word hard to not get used to that isolated feeling and stay there forever."

What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?

"Because I am pretty sure that everyone knows the best flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip. It has been my favorite for as long as I can remember, and it ain't about to change. I am very passionate in my love for Mint Chip."

(SAME, GIRL, SAME.)

What do you do when you're in a creative rut or have writer's block?

Source: Pinterest

 "I haven't been in a creative rut in a long time for two reasons:

I treat myself kindly. It's been quite the process to let go of the sky-high expectations of myself (which was why I used to get writer's block all the time), and treat myself with some kindness. I give myself a lot more room for relaxation. My outlook on productivity is that as long as I'm moving forward, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, it makes the day worthwhile. Lack of pressure lets the creative juju flow easier (I don't know what "creative juju" means, but let's just go with it).

I quickly figure out what's stopping me up. On the rare occasion that I do find myself in a creative rut, I figure out what the issue is. For me, it's never just being drained creatively, it's always for another reason. So I figure out why, fix it (which sometimes involves curling in a ball and crying), and move on."

What is your favorite season?

"If I could live in a world of winter, I would. The White Witch had the right idea: casting a world into eternal ice and cold. #Lifegoals"

Evangeline's Advice for Creatives:

Source: Pinterest

"You are not doing this to please anyone else. It doesn't matter what people say or think. The advice "Write the book you want to read" gave me the book I'm proudest of. If you want to write a book that you think no one else will want to read, go for it. If you want to bake a zucchini chocolate pizza, do it. If you want to knit socks for lizards, reach for the stars. Just because someone else doesn't agree with or understand it doesn't mean that it is not valid and amazing. ALSO: Don't be afraid to be proud of your work. I know so many people who always shrug off compliments because they don't want to seem arrogant. Accept the compliment. Acknowledge that your work is good."

A huge thank you to Evangeline for being a part of the Creatives Project! Your answers were super enlightening and witty. Love it! Don't forget to check out Evangeline's blog here!

Would you like to be the next blogger featured in the Creatives Project? Check it out here! How do you power through a creative rut? And do you also love Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream as much as Evangeline and I do? ♥

7 Simple Ways to Stay Inspired for NaNoWriMo All November Long

Hello, humans!

Somehow, impossibly, we are 2 weeks away from NaNoWriMo! I don't know how we're halfway through October already, but here we are. I know a lot of the blogging community participates in National Novel Writing Month in November, but there can be a lot of stress involved in writing 50,000 words if you don't pace yourself. WE HAVE TO STAY CALM, PEOPLE. Here are 7 glorious ideas for staying inspired (and keeping your cool) all November long!

Make an Aesthetic Board

There is nothing harder than writing a book without visual inspiration! Pinterest is literally a lifesaver for these types of things - you can find all kinds of inspiring pictures of people, places or pithy quotes to capture the theme of your novel. This is the most recent board I made for my novel-to-be, Dreamland, and it is keeping me motivated. Bonus tip: Print out some of your favorite images and hang them on your bulletin board!

Create a Playlist

How can you be moved to write scenes without music? I don't know about you, but listening to music before or during my writing helps bring out the emotional intensity of my words and ideas. Use Spotify or iTunes to loop albums or handpick songs in a playlist. Or go old school and make a mix CD! AND THEN SEND IT TO ME IN THE POST I WANT TO HEAR THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC

Branch Out a Little

Every now and then, find a new place to put down your pen. Sure, you can write at home or in the same old coffee shop as usual, but taking one day to visit a new writing spot can be inspiring! Treat yourself to a different kind of latte than you'd usually drink and try some place new. You never know who you might meet or what might inspire you!

Limit Your Social Media Time

It's great to communicate, but with all the words you'll be writing in November, you might need to step back. From your blog, from Twitter, from all semblances of reality and the life you had before...ALL OF IT, GONE. Just kidding! But don't waste precious creative juices, people. You need time to recharge and social media can be draining.

Don't Compare Yourself

Remember, this is for fun! A lot of the joy of NaNoWriMo can be connecting with other writers and discussing the writing process, but WOWZA, don't stress because you're not as far along as someone else. This is your story and your journey. Enjoy the month! And enjoy life. ♥

People Watch

This is an actual quote I overheard in the library one day....OUR?!

People say the darndest things, yo. My Creative Writing professor said something in my freshman year of college that has always stuck with me: "Always have a little notebook on hand to write down ideas." You will be surprised at how little details and snatches of conversation can find their way into your novels! I have a bunch of mini notebooks that I rely on whenever I need a character name or pancreas-related line of dialogue.

SLEEP

I think this one speaks for itself.

What about you?

How do you stay inspired during NaNoWriMo? Have you ever participated before? Tell me all about the novels you are planning to write, friends!