Romantic Spa Day for Writers: Reserve A Relaxing Retreat and Recharge Your Creative Battery

Hi writerly friends!

One more week of romance posts for February and then we’re back to our regularly scheduled postings. This week in Reader Life, I’m giving you guys a guide to planning your perfect writerly spa get away! Couple it with your Romantic writing retreat for an amazing writer vacation! Next week, I’ll give you guys my list of the top 10 mushy romance songs so be sure to check that out!

Of course, you can make sue of these tips alone or have a partner participate!

Take a bubble bath

I mean it. Take a bath. While you may not be used to taking baths opposed to showers,  they have been proven to be stress-relieving and relaxing. Pop in a bath bomb or some flower petals, light some candles, and grab the bubbles because you’re getting ready to have you-time!

Get and give massages

Sitting at a desk, typing for hours on end leaves the back, shoulders, and neck feeling strained. Book yourself a professional massage, couple’s massages or get with your partner and trade massages. Listen to relaxing music and put on some candles to set the mood.

Wind down with wine

Make sure to drink responsibly of course, but once in a while, it’s nice to take a break from writing and sit down with your favorite glass of red or rosé. Grab your current read or pop in ear buds to enjoy an audiobook while you wind down with your wine.

Yoga for writers

Like I said about the massages, writing can be strenuous work when you’re doing it for hours on end. Hop up from your desk every couple of hours and do some yoga! Kaitlin from Ink and Quills has come up with an amazing, yet simple 30-minute yoga routine for writers and I am obsessed with it! Click here to check it out!

Aromatherapy

If you’ve paid attention to the previous items on this list, then you know what I am going to say. Using candles and diffusers are a great way to keep your writing space smelling fresh and aromatherapy has been said to improve focus and productivity. Plus, the smell of lavender is just the best, so why not?

And that’s it for my 5 romantic spa tips for writers! What did you think of this list? Have you treated yourself lately? If not, try out some of these ideas and let me know what you think! Comment below and as always, thanks for reading!

Further Reading:

• Writing Every Day: What Writing as A Journalist Taught Me

• When Writing Becomes Difficult

• 5 Reasons Most Writers Quit

• Yoga For Writers: A 30-Minute Routine To Do Between Writing Sessions

Thumbnail photo by Breakingpic.

—Payton

4 Romantic Writing Retreats For February

Photo by Nathan Dumalo.

Hi writerly friends!

Today we’re discussing Romantic Writing Retreats. What are these, you ask? Well, with most Romantic retreats, couples go off on a sort of mini-honeymoon to rekindle their love for one another and become acquainted with the romantic side of their relationship. However, since this is a romantic writing retreat, its going to go a little different. Of course, you can bring your partner, and kill two birds with one stone—not your partner, duh!—by revitalizing your romantic passion with each other, and renewing your passion for writing with this list of romantic writing retreats!

Photo by Valeriia Bugaiova.

Exotic getaway

Of course, staying in Thailand or Morocco is great, and if you can then by all means. But you don’t have to break the bank to have a refreshing and inspirational vacation. One way you can bring a little of the unknown into your writing space is to design your home with themed décor to match your destination or take a mini-staycation to a themed hotel. According to Daily Break, there’s at least 14 themed hotels to check out and they’re more entertaining than the local sights they’re build around. Unexpectedly, my favorite on the list is number 12, the Library Hotel Love Room in New York, New York, but unfortunately, I’d probably get more reading done there then actual writing, if I’m being honest.

The good thing about exotic getaways, mini-staycations, and mini-honeymoons as a writer is it gets you out of your everyday writing space and gives you a change to welcome new inspiration from your environment.

Writing in the woods

In a few weeks, I’ll have another blog post called “10 Rules for Writing in the Woods” and I’ll be sure to link back to it from here, but until then, consider planning a mountain hike or woodsy afternoon trip to do some deep thinking (and writing) with nature. Be sure to charge up your laptop all the way and don’t forget the bug spray!

Writing on the beach

Similar to writing in the woods, I already have a blog post called “10 Rules for Writing on the Beach”  which you can read here. The beach, especially in the cooler months, can be such a lovely and inspirational place to get some great writing done. Rejuvinate your love for the written word by writing wave-side for a few hours. Just don’t forget the sunscreen.

Photo by Nadia Valko.

Rainy Day Writing

If you’re like me then, you identify as a pluviophile, or someone who loves rain more than sunlight and enjoys the peace of mind and refreshing nature of rainy days. What’s better than writing, for us, than combining our two loves—writing and rain? Take a trip to Seattle in the fall or take the day off when the next rainy day happens in your city, and take the time to write in the rain. Throw in a cozy blanket and a cup of coffee and I think you’ll have found writer heaven!

And that’s it for my romantic writing retreats for February 2020! I know it’s not much, but changing up your writing space just  a little, or getting out into nature for a bit does wonders for the creative process. It will prove to be an inspiring mini-adventure (how many times can I combine the word “mini” with something else in one blog post?) and will help you to rekindle and refresh your own love of writing along the way.

What do you think of these tips? Have you ever gone on a romantic writer retreat? Have you ever gone on a solo retreat? Of course, you can bring your partner, but if you really want an effective writer retreat, consider going it solo and see how much time you enjoy spending writing with the trees or from the comfort of a fun hotel room! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and thanks for reading!

Further reading:

• 10 Rules For Writing Your Book In The Woods (COVID-19 Social-Distancing Safe Summer Vacation Ideas!)

• Spring Break For Writers: 10 Rules For Writing Your Book On The Beach

—Payton

5 Actionable New Years’ Resolutions For Writers

Photo by Ivan Samkov.

This blog post was written by a human.

Hi readers and writerly friends! This week in Freelancing, we’re going over my top 5 actionable New Years’ Resolutions for Writers, so you can make the most of the New Year season!

1. Share your writing with others more often

It can be hard as a writer to be vulnerable and open to criticism, but it is crucial to our growth and improvement to feel comfortable putting our work out into the world, despite what others say. Always use your best judgment when dealing with criticism to determine if it was constructive or just negativity. But by opening up and letting the world into our stories, we grow and gradually become used to having other eyes on our work. Coming to terms with this is essential for aspiring writers desiring professional writing work.

2. Try a new writing style or medium for telling stories

Do you usually write in a certain POV or tense? Do your stories typically take on a humorous or satirical tone? What voice do you normally write in? Is your target audience the same every time? Change it up by writing new stories in different ways.

Another way to freshen up the writing process is to work with different methods of storytelling. Of course, audio-visual mediums can be used for storytelling and often are, but I’m specifically referring to the written word—poems, plays, short stories, novelettes, novels, articles, blog posts, and reviews. Consider writing in a different medium to explore and learn new techniques, styles, and practices.

3. Watch, read, and write stories in genres you’re unfamiliar with

This one likely requires some research but by branching out into a new genre, you learn all kinds of different storytelling techniques and styles that were gated by your own genre. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you open up your craft to new growth. Diving into new genres can seem unappealing at first, but you’ll find all kinds of hidden gems in other genres and the challenge will breed new creativity.

4. Make creativity part of your everyday routine

I written extensively on consistency and building in time for writing but the gist is this: writing every day makes you a better writer because a) practice does make perfect and b) it acts like exposure therapy by bringing you face-to-face with the fear associated with the writing process (fears of inadequacy or imperfection) often enough that you get used to it and overcome this obstacle.

Photo by Ivan Samkov.

As someone who was incredibly busy and believed in the idea that creativity strikes only at certain time, I used to think this was impossible, but I can assure you it is achievable. Consider one of the previous options such as writing in a new medium. By writing new blog posts for this blog, all the time, I am exposing myself to the writing process and therefore making it increasingly easier to write in my passion projects.

 The blog takes off the looming pressure of trying to achieve constant perfection and allows me to just write freely. Then, when I sit down to write fantasy, it’s easier every day, and since I’m all warmed up from writing blog posts, I can produce better quality work.

5. Learn to enjoy the writing process and not just the end result

How does that quote go? It’s all about the journey, not the destination? Writing is exactly like that. Our novels and stories are for others to enjoy and the process itself is for us to enjoy. It’s the intimate, scared process of bleeding onto the page, of pouring out our souls, and manufacturing stardust into the written word, and therefore it should be enjoyed.

Writers should completely and fully feel the fear, pain, sadness, confusion, satisfaction, happiness, excitement, and fulfillment, as well as all the other emotions that come with writing. They should wholeheartedly appreciate and understand the process of taking a fleeting thought and sculpting it into a living, breathing idea that takes root in the mind of others. They should value and hold dear the writing process because it is as integral to their being as air to the human lungs.

Photo by Ivan Samkov.

It’s never about the destination, the end product—because it’s not meant for us—it’s meant for our readers. It is however, about the process, the journey, the steps we take to get there and everything we experience along the way—the learning, the reckoning, the weaving of words to form a story. Most writers have a love hate relationship with the writing process and this is as it should be. However, we should also recognize the value and the wild, seemingly untamable beauty in the process.

Alright, let’s liven things up a bit, shall we? Sorry to get all mushy about writing on you there for a second. It’s something I hold dear to my heart so any chance I get, I am going to take the time to discuss the writing process.

That’s it for my 5 Actionable Writing New Year’s Resolutions for 2020! I really love all of these goals because they’re practical, actionable, and sustainable. I know those seem like buzzwords people just toss around, but I do really think these writing resolutions are ones that we all can stick to year-round!

What do you think of my writing resolutions? Do they overlap with your own writing resolutions? What would you add to this list? Comment below and let me know what you think!

Bibliography

• Samkov, Ivan. “Woman working home office.” (Thumbnail photo). Pexels photo, uploaded April 25, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2025.

• Samkov, Ivan. “Woman writing in notebook. Pexels photo, uploaded April 25, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2025. 

Related Topics

• Spring Cleaning for Writers: 10 Things Every Writer Should Do Before 2020 

• 8 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves In 2020

• 20 Bookish New Year’s Resolutions for 2020

• How To Organize Your Digital Life: 5 Tips For Staying Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• 5 MORE Ways to Stay Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• Get Things Done With The Pomodoro Technique

• 5 Reasons Most Writers Quit

• When Writing Becomes Difficult

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

• 5 Healthy Habits For Every Writer

• 8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your Productivity

• The 4 Most Useful FREE Apps for Writers in 2022 (Sync Across Multiple Devices, Not Only iOS)

• 20 Tips and Tricks for Successful Email Newsletters

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Spring Cleaning For Writers: 10 Things Every Writer Should Do Before The New Year! (2019)

This blog post was written by a human.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

Spring cleaning isn’t always fun but it’s something we have to do if we want to start the year off on the right foot. This is also true for our digital lives and as writers we have a lot of important files to keep track of so maintenance and organization are imperative. I’ve prepared a list of 10 things you can do to spring clean as a writer! This list includes everything from organization to automation to social media and more!

Clean up your digital work space

Of course, you want to make sure your physical desk is tidy and neat before you get to writing—I mean, outer order is inner calm, am I right? (Gretchen Rubin fans, comment below!) But you also want to make sure your digital work space is organized as well to avoid loss and distractions.

Four things you can do to tidy up your digital work space are:

• Sorting through old files, organizing the documents to be kept, and emptying the recycle bin

• Using apps like Folder Colorizer to help better sort files and make certain folders easily recognizable

• Defragmenting your hard drive and updating your computer (only defrag if you have a Hard Disk Drive since Solid State Drives automatically do this progress regularly)

• Uninstalling old and unused/unnecessary programs

Back up all the important things

There’s nothing worse than spending weeks, months, or years on a project and losing it to bad back-up practices—trust me, I know—I lost 37 chapters of an early edition of my novel to file corruption. It’s discouraging, painful, and easily avoidable. Use the cloud or get an external hard drive to store important files so loss doesn’t set you back in your writing.

Update all your passwords and keep your accounts secure!

Pink rubber-gloved hand holding a red and yellow cleaning spray bottle against an aqua background. Photo by Jeshoots.com.

This is often given and often overlooked advice but it’s important to maintain at least the bare minimum when it comes to passwords and account security. As an author with a brand to protect, you should regularly be updating passwords, so malicious users don’t get access to your accounts and content. Also, make sure your passwords aren’t the same across multiple platforms! Most security breaches that make it past bank-level encryption usually happen because members use the same passwords for several accounts and spyware on the other sites gain access to sensitive information when they log in. Don’t be this person. Keep passwords separate and secure.

Update your social media and website!

This includes about sections and bios, photos, job history, and any other content that might have changed and should be updated. Surely a few things have changed since the beginning of 2019, so make sure you’re starting the New Year with up-to-date socials. Have made any accomplishments? What projects are you working on that you can share? Include fun little snippets of your life in your about and bio sections. Also, ensure your profile pictures are current. If you haven’t had a professional head shot taken in a while, consider hiring a photographer to get new photos for your social media.

Update pinned posts on Twitter and Facebook

Another part of updating your socials is ensuring your pinned posts/tweets are up-to-date as well. Check any Facebook groups that you manage, your Facebook author/business page, your Twitter profile, and anything else that allows you to pin content. When was the last time you pinned that post? Whoa—my pinned tweet was from 2017! There’s nothing  that screams inactivity like an out-of-date pinned tweet or Facebook post! Keep pinned content updated just like you would your profile picture or bio!

Unsubscribe from others’ emails.

It’s 2020 and there is no reason you should be stuck on someone’s email newsletter list if you don’t genuinely enjoy the content, you’re having delivered to you email inbox. Unsubscribe from all the stores you don’t want to get promotional emails from and all the people you don’t even know. Look at your email inbox with your editorial glasses on and unsubscribe from any emails that don’t offer you any value as a writer. If you signed up for a newsletter once and all that influencer is doing is sending you emails about products, then unsubscribe!

Pro Tip: If the unsubscribe button is not located on the email or you have to take a long, convoluted path to unsubscribing from the newsletter, then mark the email as spam. Influencers or brands that don’t have the decency to comply with the CAN-SPAM act don’t even deserve your email on their list to begin with. Unsubscribe, sister.

Update your own emails!

Update all of your automated emails from newsletter confirmations to deliverables and any other kind of emails so that your automated emails are up-to-date. Make sure your email signatures are updated and displaying accurate contact information and socials.

Aqua and yellow notebooks with green pen. Photo by Chimene Gaspar.

Check your newsletter open rates to see exactly how many of your subscribers actually open your emails.  How are people responding to your emails?  Do subscribers like the freebies and other content you’ve given them? Do they download said content?

Consider updating the media in your emails so that graphics, photos, illustrations, fonts, and other decorative elements are not only new and refreshing but they are consistent and uniform with other social media.

Pro Tip: Canva is an excellent tool for crafting high-quality vector graphics that can be used in a wide array of projects. I use Canva for thumbnails in my YouTube videos, blog post thumbnails, and site buttons! Click here to check out Canva.

Update your website’s contact form and email links!

You can save so much time by making your contact form work for you! Avoid tons of unnecessary emails by requiring answers to detailed, specific questions. This allows you to gain as much information about the person trying to contact you, all in the first email. It will give you a better understanding of his/her needs and how to address the situation.

Here are a few fields to include in your contact form to help you get the most information in one go:

• Ask specific questions about the project in question (if applicable)

• Offer options for the reason they chose to reach out

• Get a referral name—who sent them your way? How did they find you?

• Get their website URL

• Depending on your work—either writing or editing or something else, you might want to have different options for different guests who might reach out. You can include a check box for guest bloggers, literary agents, or fans, or you can set up links to separate forms for these different types of visitors.

Keep track of your stats and watch the numbers grow!

From your email newsletter stats to Facebook groups to Twitter to your website, you should know your stats. Create a spreadsheet or write them down and keep track of them each month. Don’t take the numbers personally, they’re just a metric. Increases and decreases in subscribers or followers tell you all kinds of useful information—what’s working and what’s not, where you should back off, and where your content is thriving. Use these numbers to help you grow as a content creator. When the numbers start going up, you’ll find it’s quite fun keeping track of the steady increase!

Here’s where I keep track of my stats:

• Facebook Business Page

• Twitter

• LinkedIn Analytics

• Instagram

• MailChimp subscribers

• MailChimp campaign open rate

• Squarespace Analytics

• YouTube Analytics

Go over your goals for 2020 and make sure they’re specific, realistic, actionable, and sustainable. What did you do right in 2019? What big and small wins did you have in your creative field? What strengths and weaknesses do you have as a content creator and what did you learn from them? How can you improve in 2020?

Plan your attack for 2020

Have a serious conversation with yourself about what you’ve accomplished in 2019 and how you can use that momentum to do even more in 2020. Come up with an action plan based on your goals and needs. Take into account all of the resources you’re going to need to execute your action plan such as finances, education, support, time, preparation. Consider what you want your year to look like as a whole, from month to month, and over a week’s time and what you will need to make that vision a reality.

Spring cleaning is equally important digitally as it is physically and mentally. As a writer you should start the year off the right way by making sure your workspaces are organized, all of your online social media platforms, emails are up-to-date, all important content is backed up in the cloud or on an external device, your workstation is updated and passwords are changed regularly. These things will prepare you for 2020 and all the awesomeness the new decade has to offer your creative career.

That’s it for the 8 things all writers need to do before 2020 hits! What did you think about my Spring Cleaning for Writers list? Is there anything you’d add? Do you already practice these items? I’d love to hear your thoughts

Bibliography

• Jeshoots.com. "Person holding yellow plastic spray bottle." Unsplash photo, uploaded on July 18, 2019. December 27, 2019 (Thumbnail image).

• Gaspar, Chimene. "White and teal notebook" Pexels photo, uploaded on June 16, 2018. Accessed on December 27, 2019.

Related Topics

• For Content Creators and CEOs with ADHD: Strategies to Succeed Despite Overwhelm and Distractions

• How To Organize Your Digital Life: 5 Tips For Staying Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• 5 MORE Ways to Stay Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• Get Things Done With The Pomodoro Technique

• 5 Reasons Most Writers Quit

• When Writing Becomes Difficult

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

• 5 Healthy Habits For Every Writer

• 8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your Productivity

• The 4 Most Useful FREE Apps for Writers in 2022 (Sync Across Multiple Devices, Not Only iOS)

• 20 Tips and Tricks for Successful Email Newsletters

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Bucket List For Writers: 75+ Things Every Writer Should Do Way Before They Kick The Bucket

This blog post was written by a human.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

I’m a writer! I love lists! I love buckets! Okay, that third one might not be quite so true—I mean who loves buckets? Apparently, Shayla Raquel, the editorial blogger I borrowed inspiration—and this list—from. Shayla says Catherine Smith of Sooner Not Later first came up with this idea and she even completed 52 bucket list items in 2015. Low whistle. 😏 Impressive.

A lot of the goals on Shayla’s list are actual goals I have on my own bucket list so I thought it would be fun to put my own spin on it by scratching out what I’ve completed and adding my own items as well. I’m going to have to get creative to cross off green eggs and  ham as a vegan!

Make sure to read until the end to get your free PDF version so you can start crossing off items right away!

Without further ado, here’s the list!

Travel

• Go on a writing retreat

• Take the train

• Visit Stratford-upon-Avon to see where Shakespeare lived

• Take a weekend getaway to Walden Pond and live simply for a while—no cell phones!

• Set off on a literary pilgrimage to a site where your favorite author lived or spent his/her time writing

• Visit a printing plant to see how books are made

• Go to a book signing and show support for a local author

• Visit a famous bookstore in another state

• Go to a writers convention

• Visit a bookstore or library in another country (like Dublin, Ireland’s “The Long Room”)

• Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

• Spend a day in the Library of Congress

Experiences

• Do something weird just to write about it

• Use the 5 senses while reading or writing

• Start a book club or writing workshop

• Write an in-depth book review

• Get a little free library outside your home

• Complete the “100 Books Everyone Should Read” list from Bussiness Insider

• Start a personal library

• Go to the late show at the circus

• Create art out of books that are falling apart

• Read at least one book from every genre

• Cosplay as a book character and see if friends can guess it

• Read a ridiculously difficult book, like Ulysses (Not my line, but OMG! I’ve never read anything truer in my life.)

• Take a character quiz for your favorite story

• Start a savings fund for self-publishing

• Try editing a book

Personal Development

• Find a mentor

• Write an affirmation statement that expresses all your strengths as a writer

• Buy a book for a child

• Read The Elements of Style

• Donate any unused or forgotten books to a local library

• Donate copies of your book to a worthy cause

• Join at least three writing associations

• Mentor a teen who is interested in writing

• Create a productive writing space

• Trade manuscripts with a close writer friend and critique each other

• Subscribe to a "word of the day" email

• Tutor students in English

• Write a private self-help blog for yourself

Bookish Buys

• Collect a series

• Buy old books at garage sales—and barter!

• Get an autographed book

• Purchase a real inkwell and quill

• Go to a book signing and get a selfie with the author

• Visit a library

• Buy a beautiful leather (or vegan leather) journal

• Pick up a vintage polaroid camera

• Have a movie marathon based on the books you love

• Buy a first edition copy of a bestseller

• Purchase a handmade book

• Buy a typewriter

• Go on a blind date with a book

Literary Eats

• Host an Alice in Wonderland tea party

• Eat a cake that’s designed like a book

• Make green eggs and ham or other ficticious dishes

• Visit  a coffee shop you’ve never been to

• Have a midnight dinner like in the Night Circus

• Have second breakfast

• Throw a Great Gatsby-themed party

Write On!

• Win NaNoWriMo

• Get an article published

• Write under a pen name

• Write a poem

• Submit to Writer's Digest

• Write fan fiction

• Send fan mail to your favorite authors

• Write a comic strip or graphic novel

• Write 100,000 words for one project

• Guest blog for someone famous

• Write in a genre that you hate

• Write a letter to your future self

• Self-publish a book

• Send your ready-for-publication book to at least three traditional publishing houses

It looks like I’ve still got some things to check off my own list! Have you done any of the items above? Comment below and let me know what you think of the list! Don’t forget, the concept goes to Catherine Smith and Shayla Raquel for originally doing this bucket list for writers! Check out Shayla’s list here and Catherine’s Facebook page for Sooner NOT Later here.

If you love this writerly bucket list as much as we do, click here to download the printable PDF version so you can start crossing off items right away!

And that’s it for my writerly bucket list! Have you crossed any of these off of your own bucket list? What did you think? Did I forget anything! Let me know in the comments below!

Bibliography

• Carsten Peters, Glenn. “Person writing a bucket list on a book.” Unsplash photo, January 15, 2017.Accessed December 15, 2020. 

Further Reading

• Raquel, Shayla. "Bucket List For Writers" Accessed December 15, 2020

• Visit the Sooner NOT Later Facebook Page

• Bucket List For Writers Printable PDF by Payton Hayes 

Related Topics

• How to Read More Books in 2022

• How I Read A Book: My Book Reading Routine

• How To Organize Your Digital Life: 5 Tips For Staying Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• 5 MORE Ways to Stay Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• Get Things Done With The Pomodoro Technique

• 5 Reasons Most Writers Quit

• When Writing Becomes Difficult

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

• 5 Healthy Habits For Every Writer

• 8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your Productivity

• The 4 Most Useful FREE Apps for Writers in 2022 (Sync Across Multiple Devices, Not Only iOS)

• 20 Tips and Tricks for Email Newsletters That Don't Suck

• View my FAQ page for inspiration for your own!

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Get Things Done With The Pomodoro Technique

 This blog post was written by a human.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

25 Minutes On, 5 Minutes Off, 4 Times—It’s That Easy.

When I first learned about the Pomodoro Technique, I probably thought the same thing as you—the Pomodoro what now? But as I learned more about it, it became an incredibly useful tool in writing projects.

What is the Pomodoro technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is time management method first developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980’s. The technique employs a timer to break large workloads into intervals at 25 minutes in length separated by five-minute breaks. Each interval is called a pomodoro, or the Italian word for tomato. Francesco Cirillo used the word pomodoro because it was the name of the kitchen times he used as university student.

How does it work?

When you sit down to work, you set a time for 25 minutes and work as diligently as possible for that amount of time. When the timer goes off, you take a quick five minute break and then repeat the process four times. When you’ve completed your fourth pomodoro, you take a thirty minute break.

Why does it work so well?

This process has grown in popularity, especially in entrepreneurial circles, and that’s because it works. You wouldn’t expect something so simple and easy to implement to be so effective, but it really is. The reason is because by breaking your workload into smaller parts, you make bigger tasks seem less daunting. If you only have to really focus for 25 minutes, you begin to challenge yourself to see what you can complete in that time frame.

Using the Pomodoro technique for writing everyday

I don’t usually use this time management method in my editing projects because breaking my reading concentration slows me down, but I love using it when writing. Especially when combined with NaNoWriMo, the pomodoro technique is insanely useful for getting writing done. Often, sitting down to write a blog post such as this or work on my manuscript is still a daunting task for me, but by breaking it up into a measly 25 minutes of work, I know I can accomplish a lot more because by breaking it down, I am also removing the dread that comes with knowing I have to write so much.

I usually complete my blog posts in a much shorter amount of time because I work so diligently within my allotted 25 minutes, and when the times goes off before I’m finished, I take a break and I’m ready to jump back in and pick up where I left off, usually finishing up not too long after the break.

And that’s it for my how-to-guide for the Pomodoro Technique! Have you ever heard of this method of timekeeping? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Bibliography

• Tarazevich, Anna. "Close-up shot of a person touching a cell phone." Pexels image. February 4, 2021. Accessed September 1, 2025. 

Related Topics

• How To Organize Your Digital Life: 5 Tips For Staying Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• 5 MORE Ways to Stay Organized as a Writer or Freelancer

• Get Things Done With The Pomodoro Technique

• 5 Reasons Most Writers Quit

• When Writing Becomes Difficult

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

• 5 Healthy Habits For Every Writer

• 8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your Productivity

• The 4 Most Useful FREE Apps for Writers in 2022 (Sync Across Multiple Devices, Not Only iOS)

• 20 Tips and Tricks for Email Newsletters That Don't Suck

• View my FAQ page for inspiration for your own!

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

How I Got Started Reading When I Hated It

This blog post was written by a human.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

It might be surprising to learn that a published author, creative writer, and professional editor used to hate reading books. The truth is I wasn’t always an avid reader. To fully understand how my love for books, and more importantly—my love for stories has grown over the years, I have to back up to a time before I appreciated books.

I really learned how to read books in the third grade. I hated reading because I wasn’t good at it and thus, I wasn’t good at it because I hated it. It was a vicious cycle that repeated itself anytime my teacher assigned reading for homework. This resulted in me not doing so well in school and having to be held back in the third grade. I’m not ashamed of it now, but it made me feel like a complete failure. As I got older, I realized it was essential to my growth as a student, reader, and writer and I had no idea it would ultimately become my lifelong passion.

So, even though I’d learned how to read around first grade, I really learned to read proficiently during my second round of third grade. I had a kind, caring teacher who was really dedicated to helping me grow as a reader and worked with me to build my skill. Following the third grade, I almost instantly did better in all of my studies, passing tests with accuracy that was once gated by my reading inability.

Woman covering her face with a book. Photo by Siora Photography.

 I began reading books from the Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne and Barney the Bear-Killer, by Pat Sargent. I was drawn to Sargent’s story because of the cheetah on the cover of book seven in the series and reached for Osborne’s books of which I’d heard contained a magic tree-house that could take Jack and Sally anywhere they wanted to go. Between books that had to do my favorite animal, the cheetah, and endless adventures for kids, I had plenty of reading that I could connect with. These book series helped me to connect with compelling characters over a long stretch of books which kept me reading for a long time.

Games also helped better my reading abilities, which is why I am such a big advocate for giving children access to games. While video games are constantly under fire for promoting violence and toxic environments to children, I have to point out that playing World of Warcraft from the age of nine years old, has significantly benefited my reading skills. When I first started playing the MMO, my reading abilities weren’t too strong, and I had a lot of trouble reading game instructions and quest text. However, playing the games in combination with reading Sargent and Osborne, my reading proficiency increased.

Soon after I’d reached middle school, my family and I moved to Oklahoma and being the new girl, I turned to books until my friends found me. I got into graphic novels from James Paterson’s Maximum Ride Series and after falling in love with the characters from the manga books, I  began reading the full-length novels.

 In eighth grade, I attended Quartz Mountain Christian Camp for two weeks in the summer, and being new to the camp, I again turned to books. We had a lot of downtime in our cabins and with cell-phones off-limits, I decided to read a random book I’d packed in my suitcase on the off chance I’d get bored and have to read.

That’s exactly what happened, and the book I’d brought was Gillian Shield’s Immortal. This book was pivotal for me because it was the first time I’d read a book that I just couldn’t put down. It taught me a very important lesson in reading—there is a genre for everyone and if you don’t like reading, you just haven’t found the right genre. I didn’t know what genre it was yet, but I realized I had been reading all of the wrong books when I was younger and fantasy, romantic, thrillers, action novels and horror were where I should have been the whole time. (Okay, maybe horror isn’t something third graders should read, but still.)

My favorite genre to date, is the romantic thriller. I don’t know, maybe I really am one of those mushy, hopeless romantics after all, but there’s just something so compelling about supernatural love, forbidden romances, and tall, dark, handsome guys with way too much angst. What can I say? I think I have a type. Following Gillian Shield’s Immortals series, I dove straight into the Hush, Hush Saga, by Becca Fitzpatrick, which is my all-time favorite series to date. I’ve read it about eight times now, and I reach for the series every fall. (Except for 2019, where I got a little too excited a little too early and burned through the series in four days over the summer. Oops!)

By my freshman year of high school, I was so deep in the reading hole, I couldn’t get out. In one year, I’d read all of the Percy Jackson and Olympians series and Heroes of Olympus, both of which were written by Rick Riordan. That same year, I reread Maximum Ride, and read for the first time Gillian Shields new book, Destiny, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby, and the Warcraft: War of the Ancients Archive by Richard A Knaak. This was a new record for me, because not only had I read so many books in one year, I also burned through the last book, which was thicker than my upper arm, with proficiency.

Since I’d fallen in love with the game, it’s lore, and it’s characters, I was more prepared than ever to take on this thick tome of game lore, character backstory, and history of the world of Azeroth, in which the game was set. I’ve read it twice since then and every time, I enjoy it because I remember how enchanted and enthralled I’d felt when I’d first read it.

As a third grader, I’d never imagined I’d ever read at the level I do now, and as an adult I can’t imagine a life without books. They’ve helped shape me into the woman I am today, and through reading, I have cultivated a love for books and stories. I love equally the process of reading and the process of telling a story—two process that go hand in hand since a writer cannot expect to better their craft without reading the works of others.

I highly recommend reading and if it’s not something you’re interested in right now, keep looking, because I assure you, you just haven’t found the right genre yet!

And that’s the end of my hot take on reading when it’s something you hate. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Bibliography

• Siora Photography. "Photo of a woman covering her face with a white book." Unsplash photo uploaded on May 16, 2019. Accessed November 27, 2019. 

Related Topics

• How I Read A Book / My Book Reading Routine

• How I Got Started Reading When I Hated It

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

• Reading Slump Emergency Kit: 15 Surefire Ways To Break Out of a Reading Slump!

• 10 Tips For Planning Your 2020 Reading Challenge

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Questions That Readers or Critics Should Ask Themselves

This blog post was written by a human.

Hi readers and writerly friends!

As readers, we often turn to books as a form of relaxation, inspiration, and escape, but it shouldn’t always be completely mindless. When we read, we should ask ourselves some key questions so we can critically assess the story as we read it and evaluate our thoughts once we’ve finished with the story. Instead of just consuming media at face-value, we should actively try to look at what content we consume with a more critical-thinking sort of approach. This will allow us to garner a better understanding of the story’s themes, tones, subject matter, and ultimately, it’s purpose. Likewise, when we are critiquing somone’s work, we want to give them organized, useful, and actionable feedback so as to improve their writing. Some questions to think about as a reader are as follows:

Did this story engage me? Why or why not?

Is the story composed of compelling characters, an engaging plot, and interesting themes or is it just another fantasy or romance novel? Is this story a page-turner? Have you read it more than once and if so, what keeps you coming back? What makes you put the story down?

Did this hold my attention throughout?

Where was I most engaged and why? Does the writer consistently build and release tension throughout the story? Do you find any parts of the story that are dragging along and other that are moving too quickly? Do you find yourself having to reread sections because of boredom or because the author didn’t take the proper time to describe the situation using all of the senses?

Are any things confusing to me?

Could I follow the piece, or were there gaps, or need for more information? What else did I need to know? Is the writing style or plot confusing? Are there historical elements that require prior knowledge? Does the writer talk down to you as a reader or expect you to know things that they didn’t include supplementary information for?

What about language?

How would you describe it? How does it function in terms of what you feel the writer is trying to do? Is the writing convoluted or beautifully woven together? Does the writer use wordy, awkward, or clunky language that is distracting to the story? Does the writer expertly craft sentences that make you as a reader sigh and think, man I wish I’d come up with that?

What are you getting from the piece?

This could be any number of things, but it’s really helpful for you to feedback to the writer what is coming across for you, including the overall meaning or themes present in the story, emotional impact or enjoyment or anything else that you take from the story. Writers are really hungry to know what is coming across to their readers and what it looks like on the reader’s end.

And that’s it for my list of the five questions you should ask yourself as a reader or critic. What do you think of this list? Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments below!

Bibliography

• Thumbnail photo by John-Mark Smith.

Related Topics

• Active Reading Vs. Passive Reading: Using Psychology-Based Critical Reading Skills To Increase Information Absorption & Retention

• Read Like A Writer: What Analytical Reading Can Teach Us

• Questions You Should Ask Yourself As A Reader or Critic

• How to Read More Books

• How I Read A Book: My Book Reading Routine

• How I Got Started Reading When I Hated It

• Get Immersed in Your Reading: Writing With All Five Senses

• Reading Slump Emergency Kit: 15 Surefire Ways To Break Out of a Reading Slump!

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Starting Artists, Not Starving Artists

This blog post was written by a human.

Hello readers and writerly friends!

We’ve all heard of the infamous “starving artist” and those of us who are creative often try to avoid becoming this person. As creators, we all want to see our work succeed, or at least, we want to be able to provide for and live a comfortable life that allows us to continue to work on our passions. This is why it is so important that we support starting artists -so they don’t become starving artists, and so we don’t either.

A photo of a used watercolor palette. Photo by Greta Hoffman.

As a newer blogger and entrepreneur, I am speaking from experience when I say, going it alone can be overwhelming. There’s so many different elements to consider when trying to get your artwork noticed, and to a point where it can start providing for itself and for you, especially in this digital age, where we must also market ourselves, have an online presence, and constantly remain consistent. It can get overwhelming, pretty quickly.

This is where supporting other artists comes in. It can be so much easier for you to get started with the help of another artist. If you’re designing your own website, for instance, you might want to hire an artist to design your logos or images you’re planning to feature on your site. You might want to hire a freelance blog writer to start getting content up as soon as possible. You might want to hire a web-page designer to put the site together, if that’s not your thing either.

Woman writing in journal with coffee cup in hand. Photo by Lisa Fotios.

There’s so many ways for you to support creatives who are just starting out, and this is just an example for the website. Perhaps yo’re a writer and you’ve got the blog post thing covered, but maybe you don’t have all of the marketing handled, so well. Maybe you need someone to design a book cover for your next manuscript. Maybe you need an up and coming filmmaker to put together a book trailer for your lifestyle book. It doesn’t matter the project, you can always find a way to support an artist or freelancer who is just starting out in their field. In some cases, yes you might want a professional, but if you’re just starting out. or if its not a critical service you’re in need of, hiring an amateur artist can be mutually beneficial.

One way this job opportunity can be mutually beneficial is that it allows for a service review or testimonial for both sides. It also gives both parties a new client. Maybe you’re not designing a website, but no matter the job in question, you have a new client and so does your hire.

Another way this can be beneficial to you, is that it gives you the opportunity to get some of the work done without having to master the skills needed to complete it, yourself. Not all of us can be filmmakers, and writers, and editors, and web developers. While it helps to have a wide range of skills in your arsenal, it is also freeing to delegate and have someone else on your team to take care of these tasks so you can focus on your own service or product.

By supporting artists who are just starting out, you’re freeing up time in your schedule to commit to tasks that are the most important to you, you’re fostering a meaningful relationship between a new member of your team, and you’re giving back to the community. By supporting starting artists, you’re helping them to not become starving artists.

And that’s my hot take on supporting starting artists to avoid starving artists. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Bibliography

• Fotios, Lisa (@fotios-photo). “Woman writing in journal with coffee cup in hand.” Pexels photo by Lisa, February 6, 2018.

• Hoffman, Greta (@greta-hoffman). “A Used Watercolor Palette.” Pexels photo, April 27, 2021 (Thumbnail photo).

Related Topics

• Making Space With Oklahoma Contemporary: Interview With Pablo Barrera

• Exploring Oklahoma Murals Where Public Art Is More Than Paint

• Breathing New Life Into Humanities At Rose State College

• Starting Artists, Not Starving Artists 

• Lady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour: OKC Concert Recap

• I Visited The Full Circle Bookstore In Oklahoma City

• Writing Exercises from Jeff Tweedy's Book, How To Write One Song

• Experimentation Is Essential For Creators’ Growth (In Both Art and Writing)

• Screenwriting for Novelists: How Different Mediums Can Improve Your Writing

• “Twenty Little Poetry Projects” Writing Exercise by Jim Simmerman

• How To Write Poems With Artificial Intelligence (Using Google's Verse by Verse)

• Why Fanfiction is Great Writing Practice and How It Can Teach Writers to Write Well

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Get Immersed in Your Reading: Writing With The Five Senses

This blog post was written by a human. 

Hello readers and writerly friends!

In the writing world, we always hear about ‘showing instead of telling’ but what if we, as readers helped bring the stories to life, ourselves. I’ve talked a little about immersion reading, on this blog before, but this takes it to a whole new level.

Sight

Of course, first and most impactful sense is that of sight, and it makes sense that we’d use that sense in our reading immersion. However, what might not be so obvious is that readers can create an environment in their minds, in the tangible world around them, and online to bring the stories their reading to life. First, I would create or save an existing pintrest board that is made specifically for your story. This is something I’ve been doing as a writer and it helps make my fantasy worlds more real and believable when I have something to actually look at.

Sound

The next most important sense is that of sound. You might be listening to an audiobook which definitely employs this sense. But if your reading a hard copy or e-book, you can also enjoy this kind of immersion. You can listen to playlists made for the genre of the story your reading, such as “Celtic Woods” for fantasy or “Dungeon Music” for a thriller. I really enjoy listening to video game soundtracks, and two of my favorites are the Assassin’s Creed Origins Soundtrack and the Ashenvale Soundtrack from World of Warcraft. Likewise, you can also create ambient soundscapes to play in the background while you’re reading. There are tons of ready-made mixes, such as “The Slytherin Common Room” or “Rivendell” on Ambient-Mixer.com!

Smell

The third sense, and one of the easiest to employ is that of smell. When I really want to feel immersed in the story I’m reading or writing, I will light a candle or put oils in my diffuser to give my environment a new scent and pull me deeper into the story. If you want to feel like you’re in a fall environment, you can burn a pumpkin-spiced or apple-cinnamon candle

Touch

This is one of the lesser-used senses for immersion reading but it can be incredibly effective, especially if the story is set in a certain season. (And even more effective if that season is active while you’re reading the story!) Touch sort of ties in with Smell in that if you want to feel like you’re in a certain season, you can manipulate your reading environment to match the conditions of the story! So, the story’s set in a frozen wasteland? You can just turn the A/C all the way up! (…or not.)

Taste

While not altogether impossible, this is easily the most difficult of the five senses to employ when immersing yourself in a story. Consider the setting and characters in the story and what they might eat or drink and try to recreate it. If you enjoy snacking while you read, then make something from or inspired by the story. Consider making fictitious dishes. Perhaps the characters drink tea or coffee? Brew yourself a cup, cozy up and get immersed.

What do you think about immersive reading with the 5 senses? Have you ever tried this? Let me know in the comments below!

Bibliography

• @lilartsy. “Photo of a coffee mug on top of a book.” Pexels photo, uploaded on November 12, 2019. Accessed June 29, 2019.

Further Reading

• Check out this article about ficticious dishes by Maria Popova.

• Immersion Reading: Audiobooks and Ambiance

• 10 Times I Was Attacked by The 5 Senses While Reading

• 10 Times A Book Made Me Hungry

Related Topics

• Active Reading Vs. Passive Reading: Using Psychology-Based Critical Reading Skills To Increase Information Absorption & Retention

• Read Like A Writer: What Analytical Reading Can Teach Us

• Questions You Should Ask Yourself As A Reader or Critic

• How to Read More Books

• How I Read A Book: My Book Reading Routine

• How I Got Started Reading When I Hated It

• Reading Slump Emergency Kit: 15 Surefire Ways To Break Out of a Reading Slump!

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

My Current Faves (of 2019)

This blog post was written by a human. 

*This blog post was originally three separate blog posts that I’ve condensed into one to save space on my blog. “My Favorite Poets of 2019” was initially published on June 15, 2019, “My Favorite Podcasts of 2019” was initially published on July 23, 2019, and “My Favorite Musical Artists of 2019” was initially published September 12, 2019, "My Top 5 Must-Read Motivational and Entrepreneurial Books" was published on 2019, so I’ve decided to set the “published date” for this post to the earliest original posting of June 15, 2019 for simplicity. 

*I am not affiliated with any of the poets, podcasts, publications, or musical artists listed in this post. If I have mistakenly platformed a problematic fave in this post, please comment or email me directly at Hello@PaytonHayes.com to let me know. 

Hi readers and writerly friends! Thanks for joining me in the Current Faves category of the blog. This week, I’m sharing my list of my current faves from 2019, including my favorite podcasts, poets, and musical artists.

My Favorite Podcasts of 2019

Working long shifts every day means I have plenty of free time to listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts. I’ve found a few podcasts that I really enjoy and I’ve left them below so you can enjoy them, too. I also organized them into categories so you can see the different types I’ve been into.

Bookish Podcasts

No Thanks We’re Booked with Mollie Tubeville and Katie

The No Thanks Were Booked podcast logo.

The No Thanks We’re Booked Podcast is hosted by Mollie and Katie, two girls who look at life through a bookish lens. On the show, they discuss all things books, author interviews, and their own reading journeys and how books have helped them grow into the women they are today. The sound of clinking cocktails and sizzling La Croix can be heard in the background of this bookish podcast where Katie and Mollie usually end up gushing over Anne of Green Gables, or referencing the Enneagram. These two bright, inspiring individuals share their favorite books, love for reading, and love for Jesus, in every episode.

Books In The Freezer with Stephanie Gagnon

The Books In The Freezer podcast logo.

Stephanie, host of the Books in the Freezer Podcast lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, beagle and cat. She’s an avid horror fiction reader and shares her love for the genre in her podcast and on her YouTube channel. The books in the Freezer Podcast discusses the deliciously disturbing world of horror fiction and actually got its name from Episode 13, Season 3 of Friends, where Joey hid his book, The Shining, by Stephen King, in the Freezer, because it was too scary. Stephanie uses this to rate her books from room temperature reads, to fridge books, and freezer readings.

Entrepreneurial and Motivational Podcasts

Detail Therapy with Amy Landino

The Detail Therapy podcast logo.

Award-winning YouTuber, public speaker, time-management maniac, and published author of her best-selling book, Vlog Like A Boss, Amy Landino hosts the Detail Therapy Podcast, where she discusses her tips and tricks for staying organized, minimizing chaos, fostering time-management skills, and what it means to go after the life that you want. She interviews all kinds of different entrepreneurs and successful people and nerds out over calendar-blocking and her beloved Prosecco. She co-owns Aftermarq with her husband, Vincenzo and cares for her blind beagle, Lucy. Amy always stresses the importance of work/life balance and how crucial self-care can be to a successful, healthy lifestyle.

The Gary Vee Audio Experience with Gary Vaynerchuck

The Gary Vee Audio Experience podcast logo.

The Gary Vee Audio Experience Podcast is hosted by marketing legend, Gary Vaynerchuk, himself. He is an entrepreneur, CEO, investor, vlogger, public speaker and social media wizard. He’s all about authenticity and keeping it real and his podcast definitely shows it. He’s got hundreds of episodes from answering fan questions, keynote speeches, marketing and business DailyVee segments from his video series, interviews, and fireside chats. Gary is inspiring and motivating, but over all, he is unapologetically himself. He gets into the nitty-gritty of what it means to have a great idea and how to bring it to life through actionable advice.

The Ground Up Show with Matt D’Avella

The Ground Up Show podcast logo.

Minimalist, filmmaker, YouTuber, and entrepreneur, Matt D’Avella hosts the Ground Up Show, where he interviews other successful entrepreneurs, and discusses what it means to go from 0-100, from the ground up. Matt provides listeners with the lessons he’s learned over the years from getting out of student debt, starting his business and building a life around what he loves. He and his interviewees explore humble beginnings, business start-up struggles, and inspiring transformation stories. He asks probing questions and dives deep into the real-life journeys of entrepreneurs in many different industries and walks of life. He discusses what it means to be a minimalist and to live with intention.

Lifestyle & Entertainment Podcasts

Kalyn’s Coffee Talk with Kalyn Nicholson

The Kalyn’s Coffee Talk podcast logo.

Kalyn’s Coffee Talk, is hosted by Kalyn Nicholson, a creative, published author of Catcher, life-style YouTuber, and online blogger. She is noted for being aesthetically pleasing and having an excellent eye for detail. An upbeat (multiple coffees not included) and uplifting podcast to start your morning, or wind down your afternoon with - covering everything from wellness, mental health and learning to live your best life free from self-judgment and doubt.

Previously Gifted by Tiffany Ferguson

The Previously Gifted podcast logo

Tiffany Ferguson, known as Tiffany Ferg on YouTube is widely interested in social and political issues and media and uses her platforms to share critical viewpoints of the day-to-day internet news. She also talks about her life as a “cusper” millennial/gen-z kid and what it has been like paying off student loans and credit card debt, studying abroad, and living in the big apple. She also half-analyses and half-jokes about having been ‘previously gifted’ and a member of the GATE program as a child and how that has affected her life thus far.

The Jenna + Julien Podcast by Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita

The Jenna + Julien Podcast logo

Iconic comedy YouTubers and meme-supreme king and queen, Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita are the hosts of the Jenna + Julien Podcast. They often discuss popular topics and play fun podcast games such as “Nuclear Winter,” or “Don’t Even Get Me Started.” When they’re not guessing song lyrics or discussing who would get the proverbial boot in an apocalyptic scenario, they’re petting their problematic, yet precious pups, or tending to their plethora of plants. They always keep it real on the podcast.

Do you listen to any of these podcasts from my list? If so, let me know in the comments below! Keep reading to see who made it on my list of favorite poets and list of favorite musical artists for 2019!

My Favorite Podcasts of 2019 - Round Up

• No Thanks We’re Booked with Mollie and Katie

• Books In The Freezer with Stephanie

• Detail Therapy with Amy Landino

• The Gary Vee Audio Experience with Gary Vaynerchuck

• The Ground Up Show with Matt D’Avella

• Kalyn’s Coffee Talk with Kalyn Nicholson

• Previously Gifted by Tiffany Ferguson

• The Jenna & Julien Podcast by Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita

---

My Favorite Poets of 2019

These poets have taught me do much about writing thought and feeling-provoking poems as well as many interesting truths about the world and those in it. Their writing is so inspiring and I'd recommend them to anyone looking to get into more modern poetry.

Upile Chisala

Born in 1994 and raised in Zomba, Malawi, writer Upile Chisala hopes to tell stories from the margins and, through her work, to help others and herself come to terms with pasts, celebrate presents, and confidently dream beautiful futures. She writes truthful, yet beautiful poetry and prose from the lens of an immigrant, African American woman.

Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur is an Indian-born Canadian poet, writer, illustrator, and performer. She immigrated to Canada as a child and has since settled in Toronto. She writes prose and poetry about beauty, pain and survival. Her poems reveal truth in the human existence and the pain and love that can be found along the way. She is a bestselling author of two books and a beloved poet in the digital age.

Christopher Poindexter

Christopher Poindexter is a bohemian poet who began writing poetry on a rebellious trip to California when he was 18. He considers himself more of an observer, trying to make sense of the human condition in all of its grit and glory. He currently has three books, Lavender, Old Soul Love, and Naked Human, all of which I would recommend. He is the poet that first got me into reading and writing poetry and his poems are beautiful and terrifying at the same time. He writes about the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between.

Leah J. Stone

Leah J. Stone is a poet and memory recorder popular on Instagram for her punchy, short poems that pull at her readers’ emotions. She has one book called Dig Yourself Up, a collection of poetry and prose; a written form of self discovery. A home for those who believe in magic, and the diversity of what it means to be human in this abstract world. Stone’s poems always have me thinking, man, I wish I would have written that, because they’re so lovely and provocative. Stone’s poems make you feel something—be it good or bad.

Screenshot of poem “fig. #123”from page 5 from Gray’s Anatomy: The Poems by Christopher Anthony Leibow.

Another favorite poem of mine is actually a found poem from the more than 150 years’ old seminal scientific text, Gray’s Anatomy, by Henry Gray. I stumbled on this poem from an online slideshow, by Christopher Anthony Leibow, called Grays’ Anatomy: The Poems. I’ve included the screenshot of the poem below as well as the link to the slideshow on Slideshare.

Another poem worth mentioning in this list is Howl, by American beat poet, Allen Ginsberg. Howl is seen as a game-changer primarily because it expressed for the first time a modern psychological angst, an urban existence fueled by drugs, jazz, sex, travel, and expansion of the mind. Love or hate it, Howl is important because it is of urban birth, the language simultaneously surreal and vulgar, jazzy and foul, yet full of real life, sensitivity and hope. Today Howl is acknowledged as a literary classic in the sense that it broke through cultural barriers, challenged establishment and encapsulated the anger and frustrations of a generation. I’ve included this poem because we just covered it in one of my American Lit courses and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since!

What do you think of these poets? Do you read Poindexter, Chisala, or Kaur? Let me know in the comments below!

My Favorite Poets of 2019 - Round Up

• Upile Chisala

• Rupi Kaur

• Christopher Poindexter

• Leah J. Stone

• Christopher Anthony Leibow

• Allen Ginsberg

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My Top 5 Must-Read Motivational and Entrepreneurial Books

Motivational, entrepreneurial, or self-help books have grown immensely in population over the past five years and its easy to see why. While these kind of books aren’t all in the same category, they have three things in common and that’s that they’re helpful for everyone in any industry, they help jump-start the process of building better habits, they re-engineer the idea of taking charge of your day, and they show readers how to start going after the life that you want. This is a list of my favorite motivational books from 2019.

The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins

The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins

Throughout your life, you've had parents, coaches, teachers, friends, and mentors who have pushed you to be better than your excuses and bigger than your fears. What if the secret to having the confidence and courage to enrich your life and work is simply knowing how to push yourself?

Using the science habits, riveting stories and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a "push moment." Then, she'll give you one simple tool you can use to become your greatest self. It take just five seconds to use this tool, and every time you do, you'll be in great company.

More than 8 million people have watched Mel's TEDx Talk, and executives inside of the world's largest brands are using the tool to increase productivity, collaboration, and engagement.

Will it Fly? by Pat Flynn

Will it Fly? by Pat Flynn

Stop rushing into businesses born from half-baked ideas, misguided theories, and other forms of self-delusion. A lack of proper validation kills more businesses than anything else. As Joel Barker says, 'Speed is only useful if you re running in the right direction.' Will It Fly? will help you make sure you are clear for takeoff.

It answers questions like:

• Does your business idea have merit?

• Will it succeed in the market you re trying to serve, or will it just be a waste of time and resources?

• Is it a good idea for YOU?

Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schimmitauer

Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schimmitauer

Vlog Like a Boss is the complete guide to video blogging. Amy Schmittauer is the Vlog Boss. As a new media triple threat -- YouTuber, keynote speaker, and bestselling author -- she coaches people to go after what they want in life and leverage online video to make it happen. Creator of the popular YouTube series Savvy Sexy Social, her channel boasts a global community and millions of views. Now, in her first book, she will show you how to Vlog Like a Boss and get the attention you deserve.

A collection of strategies and tactics from years of experience in online video, Schmittauer shares time-tested, proven methods to creating brand awareness with vlogging that will build a loyal community for years to come. This complete guide will show you how to:

• overcome the 3 major fears that hold many people back from making videos

• create your most engaging vlog every time with the Authority Video Formula

• achieve your on-camera talent (and no, you don't need to be a natural )

• leverage the "secret" to video success that creates fans for life

• and much more

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Do you ever suspect that everyone else has life figured out and you don’t have a clue? If so, Rachel Hollis has something to tell you: that’s a lie.

With painful honesty and fearless humor, Rachel unpacks and examines the falsehoods that once left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy, and reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them. In the process, she encourages, entertains, and even kicks a little butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the joyous, confident woman you were meant to be.

With unflinching faith and rock-hard tenacity, Girl, Wash Your Face shows you how to live with passion and hustle--and how to give yourself grace without giving up.

You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero

You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero

In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, bestselling author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word, helping you to: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, Create a life you totally love. And create it NOW, Make some damn money already. The kind you've never made before.

By the end of You Are a Badass, you'll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can't change, how to change what you don't love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.

I hope you enjoyed this list of my top 5 motivational and entrepreneurial books of 2019! I know this is kind of early to be p putting this list together but as of now it is my current top five list. If it changes before the end of the year, I will update as needed.

My Top 5 Must-Read Motivational and Entrepreneurial Books - Round Up

• The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins

• Will it Fly? by Pat Flynn

• Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schimmitauer

• Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

• You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero

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My Favorite Musical Artists of 2019

I’m somehow, simultaneously the kind of person who listens to the same song over and over again until I hate it, someone who listens to playlists (by artist), someone who listens to a song from one genre such as rock and then one from future bass and then another from the folk music genre, and ALSO, someone who can listen to two different songs at a time (don’t ask me about that one—I don’t even know how or why.) The point is, I clearly have some strange music habits and a diverse music taste with over 5,000 songs in my musical repertoire and across almost every genre (excluding country—not even sorry.)

But one thing I’ve got in common with most people on the internet is that my favorite musical artists are constantly in flux. I remember being really into the harder side of alternative music from classic rock all the way to screamo and death metal, back in middle school and high-school. And in my early years of college, I was super into rave music, dubstep and all things electronic.

Now, I’m more into pop, r&b, rap, punk rock, and pretty much everything else I used to listen to because—what I’ve noticed is that once I am done listening to a song on repeat so many times that I will never need to hear it again, it eventually makes its way into my usual rotation.

Basically, once I’ve burned myself out on a particular song, artist, album, or genre, I will give it a break and then bring it back, later. However, I am still in the “repeat” part of that process for several artists, and I’d argue they’re my favorite musical artists of 2019, because the replay count is still increasing.

The 1975

It’s no surprise that a coffee-drinking, creative gal like myself is OBSESSED with the 1975. Some of my favorite tracks from them include “Somebody Else,” “I Like America And America Likes Me,” “Ugh!,” “Mine,” and “Sincerity is Scary.”

Carly Rae Jepsen

Known, unfortunately, for her single “Call Me Maybe” Carly Rae Jepsen is one of the decades most talented pop artists, but she doesn’t get nearly enough of the recognition she deserves. She’s known as the Call-Me-Maybe-Girl and she has tons of records that easily surpass that one viral hit. Even more heartbreaking, her song, “Run Away With Me” a musical masterpiece that was turned into a meme in 2015 during the popularity of Vine is something I will NEVER forgive the world for letting flop. “Run Away With Me,” “Automatically in Love,” “Fever,” “LA Hallucinations,” “The One,” “Higher” “Cut to the Feeling,” “I really Like You,” and “I Didn’t Just Come Here To Dance” (and just about every other one of her songs) are my favorites from Carly Rae Jepsen.

Børns

Børns is a colorful, multinstrumentalist, singer and songwriter known for the songs, “American Money,” “Fool,” “10,000 Emerald Pools,” “Past Lives,” and “Electric Love”—all of which are my favorites.

The Color Grey

Moving on from alternative music, I’ve also been really into rap, hip-hop, and r&b. One of my favorite, yet lesser-known rap artists is The Color Grey, or Grey, the Antwerp based rapper and hip-hop artist. His music caught the attention of other music-lovers, rappers, and critics due to his unique mingling of important messages woven in with jazzy background music. Some of my favorites by The Color Grey are “Silence Speaks,” “Need to Know,” “Options,” “Sins” and “Vibes” in that order.

Tinashe

One of the most talented, yet underrated artists of our time is Tinashe. Her wordplay, vocals, dance skills, and musical wizardry is so incredible I am genuinely surprised she isn’t as big as other artists in her genre. At the time of writing this blog post, I am listening to my all-time favorite Tinashe song—”Bet” Some other favorites include “Feels Like Vegas,” “No Contest,” and “C’est La Vie.”

Purity Ring

One of the most obscure, yet ingenious bands I’ve ever stumbled across is Purity Ring. The band combines pop, rap, r&b, and old poetry to create music that touches you on multiple levels from lyrics, to tune, to overall composition. I find myself marveling at their lyrical genius and kicking myself, thinking, why didn’t I come up with that? My favorites from Purity Ring are “Asido,” “Crawlersout,” “Lofticries,” “Obedear,” “push pull,” “Repetition,” “Stranger than Earth,” “heartsigh,” and “begin again.” Not to mention, their album cover art is stunning.

Sickick

I won’t expose him here, but if you know, you know, Sickick has been on the music scene for yeeeears. He is gaining popularity on YouTube, but is widely known for his covers of popular artists songs and mash-ups. He’s gained attention for his insane ability to keep complex rhythms, natural vocal control, and skill in making and mixing fresh, new music unlike anything the trap/rap/pop scene has seen yet. Some of my favorites by Sickick include his “Jason Derulo Mashup,” “Sean Paul Mashup,” “Kill Me Slowly,” “Mind Games,” “Infected,” “G.M.O.D,” and “Don’t Catch Feelings.”

Bring Me The Horizon

Last but not least, we’re bringing it back around to alternative music, because how could I not? BMTH is doing something phenomenal in weaving multiple genres together with their new music. Some fans will argue that those who are into their newer music aren’t true fans, but I have always enjoyed their music, and as I’ve chilled out over the years (and so have they,) I’ve come to appreciate their slower, more laid-back tracks. Some of my favorites include “Mother Tongue,” “In The Dark,” “Mantra,” “Blasphemy,” “True Friends,” “That’s The Spirit,” “Throne,” “Doomed,” “Follow You,” and “Happy Song.”

A Day to Remember

While we’re on the topic of punk rock music, I figured I should mention one of my favorite bands of all time—A Day To Remember. Some of my favorite songs from A Day To Remember include “End of Me,” “Sometimes, You’re the Hammer, Sometimes, You’re The Nail,” “Best of Me,” “Colder Than My Heart, If You Can Imagine,” “My Life For Hire,” “I Heard It’s The Softest Thing In The World,” “You Should’ve Killed Me When You Had The Chance,” and “Life @ 11.” Can you believe those super long song titles!

I Prevail

Taking it back to my roots in rock—and more specifically, punk rock—I’ve been listening to I Prevail almost non-stop, lately. Some of my favorite tracks are from their newest record, Trauma, including “Every Time You Leave,” “I Don’t Belong Here,” “Breaking Down,” “Gasoline,” “DOA,” “Low,” “Let Me Be Sad,” “Rise Above It,” and “Hurricane,” not necessarily in that order. (I know I almost named the entire list of songs from that album but 1) they’re really good! and 2) Jeez, can this list get any more emo?

That wraps up my top 10 favorite musical artists for 2019. It was hard to compile such a short list since I listen to such a diverse range of music, but those are definitely my favorites. Some honorable mentions include Juliet Simms, Lady Gaga, Deadmau5, and Ghost Town however, I chose not to include these artists because they fall into my all-time favorites lists and I didn’t want too much overlap. Clearly the biggest genre present in this list is alternative, and specifically punk rock—which isn’t surprising—after listening to punk rock exclusively during my formative years, it makes sense that the artists I listened to then would still hold meaning for me now.

My Favorite Musical Artists of 2019 - Round Up

(Not in any particular order. Many of these songs weren’t released in 2019 alone, but I decided to count them because these are my all-time favorite songs by bands I listened to for most of 2019.)

• The 1975

• Carly Rae Jepsen

• Børns

• The Color Grey

• Tinashe

• Purity Ring

• Sickick

• Bring Me The Horizon

• A Day to Remember

• I Prevail

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If you made it this far in the post—wow, you’re a real one. I doubt anyone is reading this in the year of our lord 2025, but if so, drop a comment to let me know you’re here! Who was your favorite poet or musician of 2019? Did you have a favorite podcast back then? Let me know!

Bibliography

• Brian-O. "Poetry Selections: from ‘Soft Magic’ by Upile Chisala" (Author portrait image). Black Lit Blog, May, 6, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2025.

• Chisala, Upile. Nectar (Author bio). 2019. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.

• Chisala, Upile. Nectar (Cover image) 2019. Goodreads. Accessed June 15, 2019. 

• Chisala, Upile. soft magic. (Cover image and author bio). 2015. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.

• D'Avella, Matt. "The Ground Up Show" (Podcast logo image). Soundcloud, Accessed July 23, 2019.

• Ferguson, Tiffany. "Previously Gifted Podcast" (Podcast logo image), Apple Podcasts. Accessed September 1, 2025.

• Flynn, Pat. “Will It Fly?: How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don't Waste Your Time and Money” (Book cover). Amazon, 2016. Accessed July 25, 2019. 

• Gagnon, Stephanie. "Books in the Freeze - A Horror Fiction Podcast" (Podcast logo image). PodBean. Accessed July 23, 2019.

• Hollis, Rachel. "Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be" (Book cover). Amazon, 2018. Accessed July 23, 2019.

• Kaur, Rupi. The Sun and Her Flowers. (Cover image and author bio). 2017. Accessed June 15, 2019.

• Kaur, Rupi. Milk and Honey (Cover image and author bio). 2015. Accessed June 15, 2019.

• Landino, Amy. "Vlog Like a Boss: How to Kill It Online with Video Blogging" (Book cover). Amazon, 2017. Accessed July 23, 2019. 

• Landino, Amy. "Detail Therapy" (Podcast logo image) Spotify. Accessed June 15, 2019. 

• Leibow, Christopher Anthony. 2012. Gray's Anatomy: The Poems. (Screenshot of page 5). SlideShare. August 24, 2012. Accessed June 15, 2019.

• Marbles, Jenna and Julien Solomita. "Jenna Julien Podcast" (Podcast logo image) . Spotify, Accessed July 23, 2019. 

• Molina, Andres. A cup of coffee and a notebook on a table.” Unsplash photo, uploaded on November 23, 2021. Accessed June 15, 2019 (Thumbnail image).

• McClurg, Jocelyn. “'Milk and Honey' author Rupi Kaur plans second helping.” USA Today, May 24, 2017. Accessed June 15, 2019 (Portrait of Rupi Kaur used in the gallery above).

• Poindexter, Christopher. Lavender (Remastered) (Cover image and author bio). 2017. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.

• Poindexter, Christopher. Old Soul Love (Cover image and author bio). 2017. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.

• Poindexter, Christopher. Naked Human (Cover image and author bio). 2018. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.

• Robbins, Mel. "The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage" (Book cover). Goodreads, 2017. Accessed July 25, 2019.

• Sincero, Jen. "You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life" (Book cover). Amazon, 2013. Accessed July 25, 2019. 

• Stone, Leah J.. Dig Yourself Up Cover image and author bio section. Amazon, accessed  June 15, 2019.

• Studio71. “Kalyn’s Coffee Talk” (Podcast logo image). Castbox, Accessed July 23, 2019. 

• Tubeville, Mollie and Katie. “No Thanks We’re Booked” (Podcast logo image). Accessed July 23, 2019.

• Vaynerchuck, Gary. “Podcast - Gary Vaynerchuck” (Podcast logo image). Accessed July 23, 2019.

Further Reading

• Click here to view soft magic. by Upile Chisala on Amazon

• Click here to view Nectar by Upile Chisala on Amazon

• Click here to view Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur on Amazon

• Click here to view The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur on Amazon

• Click here to view Dig Yourself Up by Leah J. Stone on Amazon

• Click here to view Lavender (Remastered) by Christopher Poindexter on Amazon

• Click here to view Naked Human by Christopher Poindexter on Amazon

• Click here to view Old Soul Love by Christopher Poindexter on Amazon

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Freelancing Basics

This blog post was written by a human.

Hello readers and writerly friends!

If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by! In this blog post we’re discussing what it takes to get started as a freelance editor in the publishing industry. Freelance editing can be just as rewarding and fulfilling as editing for a traditional publisher, but likewise, it can be just as difficult getting started. I’ve put together a few lists to help you get started with your freelance editing business. If you’re not into freelance editing, that’s okay! Many of these tips can be applied to freelancers in other industries!

Getting started as a freelance publishing professional

These tips are specifically for freelance editors (hello—speaking from experience here!) but feel free to tweak each bullet point as needed, to fit your industry and niche.

• Apply to internships while still in school and even after, to build your real-world experience in the industry, as well as your experience working with industry-standard programs and editing techniques.

• Take masterclasses specializing in the different degrees of manuscript editing, grammar, and the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS.)

• Aim for editing certifications to show your education and qualifications.

• Join editorial associations to build connections with other editors in these networks and build your repertoire of resources in the editing industry.

• Read all the books you can—on industry, writing, style and everything in between. Seriously. (And novels in your specific genre too, of course!) I have an ever-growing list of my favorite craft books. These are so helpful, not only for becoming more familiar with the editorial industry, but they will help you read and think more critically as an editor as well. I’ve linked some resources in the Further Reading section at the end of this post!

Notebook next to black eyeglasses and a cup of pens. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood

Finding work as a freelance professional

• Collaborate with other editors online and in-person to gain new perspectives, techniques and successful practices of others.

• Connect with literary agents and other editors for their “reject” clients to build experience and make connections with artists who are just getting started. (reject clients may include clients the other editors and agents simply didn’t vibe with our didn’t have time to take on the projects of and does not necessarily;y refer to clients that are incompetent or lacking.)

• Offer services both online and in your community to increase your experience.

• Apply to any business or person with an online presence. Writing online copy is just as important as manuscript editing, especially in the digital age.

• Specialize. Don’t try to do everything when you’re just starting out. Try a couple of different types of editing to see what you like and stick with that for a while. You’ll hone your skills and be more experienced in that niche.

Brown suede couch draped in leopard print throw blankets. Photo by Erik Mclean

Working from home as a freelancer

• Time batch similar tasks. Freelance Editor, Mollie Turbeville, from Molliereads on YouTube, and bestselling author, award-winning speaker and entrepreneur, Amy Landino are both uber-successful boss ladies, living their best lives and managing their time with time-batching. The key to this is to schedule similar events and tasks on the same days, to eliminate wasted time. One way they use this practice is on days when they film for their channels, they will film several videos in one day while their “film-ready” or they’ll schedule several meetups in one day at the same coffee shop to cut down on time spent getting ready and travelling.

• Keep looking for work. While your schedule may dance between being busy and slow work days, it’s important to keep multiple projects lined up. In this industry, its best to prepare for situations out of our control, such as when a writer backs out of a project.

• Plan realistic hours for your work. It’s important to keep busy, but it is likewise important to create a meaningful and sustainable schedule for yourself. As an editor, burnout comes more often and destructive than for other occupations. Similarly, it is important to remember that when it is time to work, you must be responsible for yourself and your time. Editors cannot wait for motivation or creativity to strike because most projects are time-sensitive. Set realistic hours and stick to your schedule.

• Create a workspace conducive to successful business practice. Environment is everything for freelance editors. For the same reason it is important that students don’t sleep where the study or study where they sleep, freelancers need a workspace that can be differentiated from their home environment. In the student example, it’s easy to see where the mental lines become blurred if one studies in their bed. This has been proven to decrease study effectiveness and degrade students ability to stay on task and alert in an area they associate with sleep. Similar to this example, freelances must be able to separate work life and home life to avoid burnout and to avoid blurring the lines between work and play. This may mean implementing a physical distinction, such as a divider or even setting up a home office separate from sources of entertainment. This distinction should make it so that when you’re in your workspace, you aren’t distracted or tempted to procrastinate and when you’re in your home, you don’t feel the pressure of work when it’s time to wind down.

Bibliography

• Sikkema, Kelly (@kellysikkema). “White printer paper on brown wooden table.” Unsplash, September 1, 2020 (Thumbnail photo).

• Hazelwood, Suzy (@suzyhazelwood). “Close-up photography of  notebook near pens.” Pexels photo, June 6, 2018. 

• Mclean, Erik (@introspectivedsgn). “Deer painting over brown fabric sofa with reading torchiere on corner.” Unsplash photo, March 28, 2019. 

Further Reading

•  15 Misconceptions About Freelancing

• Payton’s Picks (20+ books on writing, editing, marketing, and publishing books, publishing industry insiders, and freelancing tips)

• How To Organize Your Digital Life: 5 Tips For Staying Organized As A Writer Or Freelancer

• 5 MORE Ways To Stay Organized As A Writer Or Freelancer

Related Topics

• The Importance of Befriending Your Competition

• 20 Tips and Tricks for Email Newsletters That Don't Suck

• Oversaturation In A World of Overconsumption (There's No Such Thing)

• Editing Misconceptions: Editors Aren’t Monsters

• 4 Of The  Most Useful FREE Apps For Writers 

• For Content Creators and CEOs with ADHD: Strategies to Succeed Despite Overwhelm and Distractions

• 8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your Productivity

Recent Blog Posts

This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Lady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour : Oklahoma City Concert Recap

Gaga performing “Dancing In Circles” at the start of the show. Photo by Guin Holland.

This was an article I wrote for The 6420 Magazine back in 2017, following Gaga’s Joanne World Tour. I went to the concert with my sister and we had an absolute ball. Of course this article is completely biased because I am a HUGE fan of Gaga, but I tried to be as level-headed as possible when looking back over my concert footage. This article did not make it into the magazine due to time-sensitivity and the nature of the article being more of a review than newsworthy. Regardless, this is my blog so I’m posting it here for my fellow Monsters to enjoy! If you attended Oklahoma City tour date, leave me a comment below!

Third to last, in the long lineup of world-wide shows for the Joanne World Tour, Oklahoma City welcomed Lady Gaga with open arms. Although the show started over an entire hour later than originally scheduled, Gaga did not disappoint. She opened the show with “Diamond Heart,” a stunning performance filled with rocking theatrics, killer vocals and fabulous costumes that could only scratch the surface of the night to come.

The Joanne World Tour Concert featured throwbacks from “Pokerface,” to “Just Dance,” to “Bad Romance,” and many more. Fans danced, cried, screamed and sang their hearts out with Gaga, on December 9th at the concert which, like many others in the lineup, was sold out.

Towards the middle of the concert, Gaga took a slight political turn by asking the audience who was and wasn’t part of the LGBTQ+ community.  She told concertgoers that they may have been dragged to her concert by someone and that they might lean over and whisper, “hey, Dad, I’m gay, this is Lady Gaga,” or “hey, Mom, I’m gay, this is Lady Gaga.”  This earned her a collective chuckle from the audience.

Lady Gaga performing "Come to Mama" at Joanne World Tour in Tacoma. Photo by Ronald Woan.

She said that it was okay because “we’re all family here.” She began reciting the lyrics to “Come to Mama,” the 9th track on Joanne and fans chimed in, supporting her and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Before she jumped into the song, however, she paused and added, “to all of those here, who don’t believe in equality, I’ve got something to say. Come to Mama.”

After the upbeat tune, Gaga took a moment to say a few kind words about the families suffering the rampaging fires devastating southern California. Following her speech, she sang and played the piano, treating fans to a special performance of “Edge of Glory.”  Fans cried and sang along as the star poured her heart out in song. “Put on your shades, ‘cause I’ll be dancing in the flames,” she sang, then paused. “Man, does that have a different meaning, tonight?” she said, referring to the California wildfires.

Lady Gage donned Jayce Green’s hand-painted jean jacket while onstage. Photo by Katie Pennington.

Later on, fans tossed gifts onto the stage and the star shrugged on a fan-made, custom jean jacket with her face painted on the back and read a heartfelt fan letter before treating fans to a spectacular performance of “The Cure.”  She danced it out, belting even the highest notes of the song, whilst continuously moving to the music. “Million Reasons” was one of the most emotional and heartfelt songs of the entire show, not only because fans knew as soon as the song came to a close, so did their time with the singer, but also because of the meaning behind the song, itself, and Gaga’s phenomenal piano playing and extraordinary vocals. Even at the end of a show, she was able to hit each and every single note in the song, seemingly effortlessly.

Lady Gaga singing “Million Reasons” at the end of the Joanne World Tour concert in OKC. Photo by Jasmine Turner.

Lady Gaga is nothing short of an entertainer and she did just that -she entertained among many other things including speaking out on issues such as the status of the LGBTQ+ community and the amount of hatred in the world. She also spoke about loving each other and spread an overall positive message to fans and non-fans, alike. She flawlessly interwove old and new songs, costume changes, pyrotechnics, electronic, rock and western music and put on an incredible show that concert-goers will remember for the rest of their lives.

THANK YOU to everyone who allowed me to use your photos for this article. I know this concert was a pretty spiritual experience for everyone who could attend and it means everything that you not only capture some of the most iconic moments of the show, but that you’d let me use them to show others what a wonderful time we all had. I hope to see some of you at her next tour! #chromatica

And that’s it for my recap of Lady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour Concert in OKC. Didn’t get enough of Gaga? Well, good news for you, I have another article where I reviewed Gaga’s Five Foot Two Netflix documentary for The 15th Street News, which you can find in the Further Reading section below. If you enjoyed this blog post, please like and consider leaving a comment!

Bibliography

• Holland, Gun. “Gaga performing ‘Dancing In Circles’ at the start of the show.” Instagram, December 10, 2017. 

• Pennington, Katie. “Lady Gage donned Jayce Green’s hand-painted jean jacket while onstage.” Photo by Katie Pennington.

• Turner, Jasmine. “Lady Gaga singing ‘Million Reasons’ at the end of the Joanne World Tour concert in OKC.” Instagram, December 10, 2017.

• Woan, Ronald. “Lady Gaga performing ‘Come to Mama’ at Joanne World Tour in Tacoma.” Flickr, August 7. 2010 (Thumbnail image).

Further Reading

• Hayes, Payton. “Gaga: Five Foot Two: A Personal Look At The Girl Behind The Makeup.” The 15th Street News October 23, 2017.

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• I Visited The Full Circle Bookstore In Oklahoma City

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This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.

Written by Payton Hayes | Last Updated: September 1, 2025