Design Your Own Reading Challenge for 2026

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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Mention the term reading challenge and some people will roll their eyes. Not me. I’m a big fan of them, so much so that I’ve created my own challenge the past few years.

For those not familiar with them, reading challenges are a test of sorts to coax you to read different types of books, explore new genres or new authors. It can be done either alone or as a small group, and for any length of time, whether it’s for three months or one year.. Reading challenges can spice up your reading life and even help you tackle those books in your TBR pile. It’s one of the reasons I look forward to the start of the new year, so I can begin a new challenge.

If you decide to participate in a challenge, or want to create your own, here are a few things to keep in mind:

* It’s not about how many books you read, but the quality and nature of those books. Some people aim to read as many books as they can, but do you really want to rush through the reading experience? Books are meant to be consumed at a slow, steady pace to absorb the plot, characters, theme and emotions.

* Set a goal for yourself. What do you want to accomplish during the challenge? Is there a certain genre you want to explore that you haven’t read before? Perhaps you want to return to the classics? Or an author you’d like to read more of, say Stephen King or Agatha Christie.

* Set a time allotment. Most challenges I know usually take place over the course of one year. But maybe you prefer a shorter challenge, like three or six months where you can focus on a particular genre or author.

* Have fun with the challenge. Be imaginative. Come up with unique categories, such as a book you found in the garbage or dumpster. (Hey, you never know what you might find there.) Check your TBR shelf for inspiration.

With these tips in mind, you’re ready to start 2026 with a brand new approach to reading. If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve come up with several challenge options that you can adapt for your own use.

Reading Challenge #1: By Prompt

Challenge #1 is the traditional version you’ve likely heard of with a never-ending list of prompts. Do a search online and you can find all sorts of challenges of this nature. There are roughly 40 prompts in the list below, but you don’t have to follow all of them. You can add or alter the list as you see fit. Most importantly, have fun.

1. A favorite author
2. An author from your hometown
3. An author you’ve never read
4. A book you read when you were in high school
5. A genre you don’t normally read
6. A book that’s been sitting on your TBR shelf for more than 2 years.
7. A book with more than 400 pages
8. A book with less than 200 pages
9. A book published in the year you were born
10. A book with a one-word title
11. A book you bought second-hand or at a discount store
12. A book you bought new
13. A book you borrowed from the library
14. A book recommended to you by a fellow reader
15. A book set in a foreign country, not Paris or London
16. A book with a color in the title
17. A book with a number in the title
18. A book with a place in the title
19. A book made into a movie or TV series
20. A book by a debut author
21. A banned book
22. A fairytale retelling
23. A workplace romance
24. A memoir by a non-celebrity
25. A book with an job/occupation in the title
26. A book published in the past year (2025)
27. A book published more than 100 years ago.
28. A book published by a small or indie publisher
29. A book with a lengthy subtitle
30. A book written by two authors or one author with a pseudonym
31. A book with a character with a unique name
32. A book you found in the garbage or dumpster
33. A book with a picture of food on the cover
34. A book with a body of water on the cover
35. A book you heard about on social media
36. A book by a minority author
37. A current bestseller
38. A book with a person’s name in the title
39. A book set in Hawaii or Alaska
40. A young adult mystery or romance

Reading Challenge #2: By genre

Each month is dedicated to a different genre. For example, January might be ideal for curling up by the fire with a lengthy fantasy or science fiction series. Another month might be dedicated to current bestsellers or indulging in one of the classics. I always find October to be the perfect time for a good mystery or horror novel, while February is always reserved for romance because of Valentine’s Day.

I’ve listed the most common genres below. How you want to assign one to each month is up to you.

Mystery/suspense
Romance
True crime
Science Fiction
Fantasy/Romantasy
Memoir or Biography
Non-fiction
Literary fiction
Young adult
Classic literature
Current bestseller
Horror
Spy thriller
Paranormal
Historical fiction

Reading Challenge #3: By theme or topic

If genre is too basic and you wish to take your reading challenge to the next level, try making reading choices based on theme. You probably notice from your TBR collection that you’ve acquired books with similar themes. For example, I tend to read books about libraries, bookshops and struggling writers. Perhaps you read stories set on a university campus or feature students as the main characters. Or your favorite memoir is about sports celebrities. You get the idea.

Themes can be fun to read because they’re broad enough to cover different genres and authors, so you don’t have to think about that aspect of the challenge. Here are some common themes, or come up with one of your own.

Money or finance
Love/romance
History
Family
Faith
Pets or animals
Books or libraries
Bodies of water
Sports
The arts (dancing, music, painting, etc.)
Sports
Food/Cooking
Earth/environment
Science or technology
Health or medical theme

Reading Challenge #4: By Setting or Location

If none of the aforementioned categories rocks your boat, there’s another option: by location. Whether you love to travel or prefer to stay close to home, reading a book set in a specific location can transport you to any place in the world. Think of these possible locations for your next reading challenge:

Parts of the U.S.:
Washington, D.C.
California
Texas
Florida
New York City
A farm in the Midwest
Pacific Northwest
Boston or Northeast
New Orleans
Southern states
Hawaii
Alaska
On a cruise ship

Outside the U.S.:
Mexico
Canada
Paris, France
London, England
Italy
Greece
India
Germany
The Caribbean
Japan
China
Russia

Reading Challenge #5: By Time Period or Decade

I came across this challenge by The Book Girls Guide and thought I would add it to our challenge options. The ladies at Book Girls Guide do a great job of compiling and summarizing books for their readers. Every year for the past six years, they’ve presented a reading challenge based on decades. If you love historical fiction, this might be the challenge for you. Sure, it’s one single genre, but with the focus on the time frame of history, no two stories are alike and you can learn so much about events and people who shaped history.

My challenge to you is to choose one challenge and have fun with it.

Creative Ways to Express Gratitude

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Next week, many families in the U.S. will be celebrating Thanksgiving with their loved ones. It’s a time to give thanks for all that life has given them.

It’s at this time that my thoughts often turn to gratitude. I pause to reflect on one simple question: What am I grateful for?

Gratitude, though, doesn’t have to be a once-a-year experience. It can also be a regular habit, something to meditate over once a day or once a week. When gratitude becomes a habit and part of a regular thought process, it can offer many health benefits, according to the UCLA Health blog. Expressing gratitude can: 

* Reduce depression
* Lessen anxiety
* Support heart health
* Relieve stress
* Improve sleep

With so many potential benefits for your health, it’s no wonder many people, including writers, have adopted a gratitude mindset. Fortunately, writers have many paths to express gratitude, ranging from something as simple as a gratitude list to more complex projects like writing an essay or short story.

Is there something – or someone – you are grateful for? Take a moment to say thank you, and not just verbally. Use your creative skills to express your feelings. Here are a few ideas to accomplish that, or use one of your own.

* A gratitude list – Take stock of the things you are grateful for in a simple list. Take a moment to jot down the people and things that are important to you. Getting into a routine of making a gratitude list every week or every month can improve your mood and your mindset. 

* A gratitude journal – For some people, a gratitude journal is a regular part of their gratitude practice, something they maintain every day rather than once a week or once a month. They use the journal to record their thoughts about gratitude, and keep track of the ways they express it to others. While the gratitude list may be completed as the mood strikes you, the journal is usually maintained every day and can become part of a regular routine.

* Write an essay. Is there a particular person or event that changed your life in some way? Consider writing about it as an essay or narrative non-fiction piece. The aim isn’t about getting the piece published – although that would be a bonus – but to express gratitude in an unusual and unexpected way.

* Write a short story. If essays aren’t your thing, consider writing the event as a short story. If there’s someone special you want to show gratitude toward, use them as inspiration for one of your characters.

* Send a greeting card (or make your own). I’m a bit old fashioned and love sending greeting cards at Christmas. But there’s no rule that says you have to do that only at that time of year or at birthdays. A greeting card at Thanksgiving expressing that you’re thankful for someone’s love, support, or friendship can be especially meaningful because it’s not competing with other greeting cards. If you have the time and inspiration, design your own greeting card and write your own heartfelt message.

* Write a letter. Contrary to popular assumptions, letters have not gone out of style. A note or letter, especially if it’s handwritten, can be one of the most memorable gifts you can give to someone. People tend to keep these letters and notes for a long time. If you’re not sure what to say right away, draft the letter first then rewrite it on some nice stationery.

* Create a gratitude jar. Don’t have time to write a letter? Want to keep track of all that you’re grateful for? Try keeping a gratitude jar. On slips of paper, write down the name of a person that you appreciate being in your life or an event that changed you in some way. This approach is helpful if you don’t have to sit down to think of everything you’re grateful for, but rather on the fly. After a while, the jar will fill up.

This is an exercise for yourself; no one else needs to know about it. When you’re feeling blue, you can read each slip of paper to remind yourself of the people and events you are most grateful for. 

Do you have a special way of expressing your gratitude?

I’ll leave with this inspiring quote from Plato: “A grateful mind is a great mind which eventually attracts to itself great things.

No blog post next week because of the holiday. Until next time, know that I am grateful to you, my readers, for all your support. You’ve helped me keep this blog going for more than nine years. Thank you!

Overcoming Rewriting Paralysis

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Whenever I get to the end of my first draft of whatever novel I’m working on, I’m filled with a range of emotions: joy, relief, satisfaction and pride. After spending weeks and months crafting a story I hope readers will love and creating characters I care about, I’m ready to celebrate.

The celebration is short-lived, however. Because I know there’s more work to do. A LOT more work. Being an intuitive writer, I don’t do much planning beforehand except sketching out the initial scenes. By the end of the drafting phase, my manuscript is a mess. That’s when I come face to face with the monster in the room – the rewrite.

For me, revision and rewriting is a daunting process, much like getting my wisdom teeth pulled. I usually spend hours staring at my pages wondering what to do next.

Recently, I came across a term for this. It’s called rewriting paralysis, defined by a state of being stuck and unable to move forward with a writing project because you’re frozen by the daunting task of revision.

For more information, check out this excellent piece by creativity coach Anne Carley who explains what rewriting paralysis is all about. There are several signs that you’re experiencing rewriting paralysis (sometimes called analysis paralysis because you’re over-analyzing a writing problem).

* You experience brain freeze. Or what others might call writer’s block. After looking at so many scenes, your mind goes numb. You wonder if you’ve covered every aspect of your story. Even if you do sense you’re missing a scene or two, your brain stops working. When you try to finish your story, the words won’t come.

* You feel emotionally spent. You’ve poured so much of your emotional energy into writing the first draft that you have nothing left for the rewrite.

* Your inner critic takes over the creative process. Maybe it berates you for sloppy work or keeps reminding you that you’re wasting your time. The critic’s non-stop chatter discourages you from finishing the rewrite.

* Self-doubt creeps in. Now that you’ve finished the draft, you’ve given the manuscript time and space to breathe. But in that space, the critic’s cousin Self-Doubt makes its presence known.  The more you doubt yourself, the more you wonder if you’re doing the right thing or if you should start over.

* You feel overwhelmed by the task ahead. Paralysis sets in because the project suddenly seems too big and overwhelming to tackle on your own. You’ve created a monster, but now you wonder how to turn it into Cinderella. You’re not sure how or where to begin the rewrite process, so you set aside the manuscript and hope for inspiration.

Fortunately, there are remedies to re-energize your project and push through the rewriting phase. I’ve experimented with some of these with some success. They might help you too.

Strategy 1: If the project seems too big and overwhelming, it might help to attack the rewrite by breaking it down into smaller sections, working through each Act or several scenes at a time. Author and book coach Janice Hardy suggests creating an editorial map that lets you see how your story is progressing. She also recommends creating a revision plan to organize each edit and check them off as you finish them.

Strategy 2: Draft a synopsis of your current work-in-progress. The end of the first draft may be the perfect time to draft a synopsis to make sure the story is progressing the way you imagined. The synopsis can reveal problem areas that need to be fixed. For example, when I drafted a synopsis for my current project, it revealed part of my protagonist’s backstory that explained why she felt so conflicted toward her deceased mother. Up to that point, that backstory had been a mystery to me.

Strategy 3: Review story structure. Paralysis might occur because you haven’t worked out the plot of your story, or it might be missing certain elements. The end of the drafting phase might be a good time to review story structure. There are multiple structure types, and it’s not always easy to choose the best one that fits your story. For information about story structure, check out this guide from Reedsy or this blog series and book, Structuring Your Novel by author K. M. Weiland.

Strategy 4: Study the revision process or take a course in revision. Author and book coach Jessica Brody teaches an online self-study course The Complete Novel Revision course which breaks down the process into three levels: story edits, scene edits and page edits. Whether you follow Brody’s process or use someone else’s, it takes time to review, reassess and rewrite your story to whip it into shape. Be patient with yourself and with the process.

Of course, before starting any rewriting or revising, it’s helpful to set aside the draft for a few weeks or months. Then print out the manuscript and read through it as a reader would. The time away from your story will clear your head and you’ll see the story with fresh eyes.

Armed with these strategies, you can easily overcome rewriting paralysis and create the novel of your dreams.

Kick Off November with These Holiday-Themed Writing Prompts

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately, so I don’t have a story planned for this week. But because November is Creative Writing Month, I wanted to help you stay motivated to keep writing. Whether you’re participating in a writing challenge or simply want to rev up your writing routine, there are plenty of story ideas to test your creativity. 

To get you started, here’s 25 prompts to keep you busy during the month and hopefully put you into the holiday spirit. Pick one, two or ten, then let your imagination run wild. These stories can be as short or as long as you want. Most importantly, have fun.

1. Write about someone (male or female) who attempts to host Thanksgiving dinner for the first time.

2. It’s the first snowfall of the year. Write about someone who is seeing snow for the first time.

3. Write about someone who falls for a holiday shopping scam. What do they learn from the experience? Do they help catch the thief?

4. Write about a pie eating contest featuring either pumpkin or apple pie.

5. The person hired to play Santa at the Thanksgiving Day Parade fails to show. What happens next?

6. Several college students who barely know one another drive home together for Thanksgiving break during a snowstorm.

7. A candy cane factory has come up with a couple of new, unusual flavors. What are those flavors? How do customers respond?

8. A young woman shops for jewelry for gifts and is persuaded by the shopkeeper to try on a rather ostentatious ring. When the ring gets stuck on her finger, what does she do next to get it off?

9. A family attempts to cut down their own Christmas tree for the first time with surprising results.

10. On Christmas morning, you find a gift on your doorstep. What is the gift? Who is it from? Why did they give it to you?

11. Write a note of gratitude to someone who helped you in the past.

12. Imagine you have a pet turkey. One morning, it suddenly begins to speak. What does it say?

13. You have a chance to invite a celebrity – alive or dead – to Thanksgiving dinner. What do you talk about over your festive meal?

14. You participate in a Christmas cookie challenge with several participants. What cookie do you make? What unusual ingredients or techniques do you use to set your cookies apart?

15. During the Thanksgiving Day parade, one of the oversized balloons experiences a mishap. What happens to the balloon and how does the crowd react?

16. Describe your favorite Thanksgiving Day food and the memories they bring you.

17. A group of friends or family members make one last hike through the woods before Thanksgiving break.

18. An angel visits you one November night. What message do they bring you?

19. November arrives with an unexpected guest – someone wants to spend the entire month with you. Describe this person, their reasons for making this request and how your home life is altered because of their presence.

20. Create a place called The November Cafe. Describe the cafe and what is offered on the menu.

21. During a family get together, an older family member reveals a secret they’ve kept from everyone for 20 years. What is their secret? How does it impact the family?

22. What is your Thanksgiving Day feast like? Describe what you eat complete with the sights, smells and taste.

23. Write a story about a mishap or accident at Santa’s toy workshop. What happened? Did anyone get hurt?

24. You discover a magical mode of transportation. What is it and where does it take you? What else happens on your journey?

25. It’s a week before Christmas, and you find yourself in the emergency room at the hospital. How did you get there? Did you have an accident yourself, or are you there to help someone else?

Five Ways to Write a Scary Good Story

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The following post originally appeared on The Regal Writer in 2020. It’s been edited and reposted here, just in time for Halloween.

Author Carmen Maria Machado once said, “How do you tell interesting stories? You puncture through reality and you let magic and weird stuff and ghosts bleed back through.”

I thought about this statement while pondering what to write about scary stories. All I could think about was the following vignette I saw on TV (Night Gallery, I think) many years ago. 

In this vignette, a man is at the kitchen sink washing dishes one night. As he finishes, he notices a tiny spider crawl out of the drain. He turns on the faucet to drown the creature or force it back down the drain. Seconds later, the spider returns, this time a little larger than before. The man turns on the faucet again to shove it back down the drain. This happens several more times, each time the spider grows a little bigger. Panic and fear sets in. The man’s eyes grow large and he begins to sweat. At the end, you see a close up of the man’s face as he stares up at the spider off screen. Then the screen goes black as the man screams.

The audience is left to wonder: Did the spider kill the man? Or did his fear of the spider kill him?

There was no blood or gore in this scene, but it was still scary (to me, at least) because it fed on my imagination – and the man’s fear. Logically, we know it’s not physically possible for a spider to grow so quickly under the rush of running water. Yet we saw it happen on the TV screen over and over. The man may have been afraid of spiders, but it was our imaginations that filled in the blanks.  
I believe that is the appeal – and the power –  of a truly scary story. It’s usually not the blood and gore that scares people; it’s the hint that something awful is about to happen.

Writing scary stories – whether about oversized spiders, brain-eating zombies or ghostly hauntings – can be a challenge for some writers, who may find it easier to conjure a creepy creature than follow the elements of good storytelling. How do you scare the bejesus out of readers when you have to pay attention to mundane things like plot structure, character and dialogue? Fortunately, there are ways to write spine-tingling scenes that readers will rave about.

1. Tap into your own fears. Horror author Shirley Jackson believed tapping into your deepest fears made the best scary stories. Think about all the things that scared you as a child, and what makes you afraid now. Most people admit to being afraid of snakes or spiders. Others fear drowning, being buried alive, thunderstorms, enclosed spaces, and suffocation. Any of these things can be the basis for a scary story. Tap into your fears and see what comes out from them.

2. Get inside the narrator’s head. Author R.L. Stine liked writing his teen horror stories from the first person POV so readers could view the action through the protagonist’s eyes. When the protagonist and her friends explore an abandoned warehouse late at night, readers see what they see, what they hear and what they feel, just as they do.

3. Create a good hidden monster. Sometimes the best monsters aren’t creepy-looking at all, but look like normal people like you and me. It can be the boy next door, a teacher at school or even the family pet. On the surface, they seem innocent, but maybe they possess a strange, magic power or worse, a diabolical, evil streak that no one else sees. Even more compelling is the evil being that never dies. It keeps coming back to life no matter how many times a protagonist tries to kill it – like the poor homeowner who couldn’t drown the ever-growing spider. One of the creepiest ways to end a story is by hinting that the monster is alive and well, and is prepared to kill again.

4. Write about your own obsessions. Is there an experience you can’t quite forget? A relationship you can’t get over? A friend who betrayed you? We all have our obsessions, things we can’t let go of. We all have those dark places within us where anger, jealousy and greed reside. Use those obsessive dark places to create your scary stories.

5. Make the story relevant to your reader. Think about the setting of your story. Sometimes seeing the story take place in a familiar place can be unsettling for readers. Instead of the overused haunted house, set the story in a library, school, a public park or the local coffee shop. Add modern elements too, such as cell phones and social media. There’s nothing more terrifying than getting a threatening text message from an evil adversary or someone who supposedly died long ago.

6. Take your ghostly and weird creations seriously. Not everyone will appreciate the scary beings born out of your imagination. That’s okay, as long as you do. Sci-fi author Ray Bradbury says the strangest, weirdest beings you create represent fear in some form. Furthermore, writers should be selective about whose criticisms they believe.

“I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas,” Bradbury once said. “When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room.”

The scariest stories aren’t necessarily about blood and gore, although for some people, that’s enough. Sometimes the mere hint of something mysterious or creepy can scare readers. Anything that draws on their personal fears and overactive imaginations may be enough to scare the heck out of them.

Honor Your Inner Writer During November National Writing Challenge

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Whether you’ve been a writer for some time or you’re just starting out on your writing journey, you likely have heard about National Novel Writing Month, which takes place every November. While the organization that started this event has shut down, the mission still holds true: to encourage writers of all levels of experience to amp up their productivity. The aim is to write 50,000 words during the month, or approximately 1,666 words per day.

That’s a hefty load for any writer. It’s much like aiming to walk 10,000 steps that doctors recommend (or about five miles). Who has time to do that? Both activities require more time than most people have available to them. 

The way I see it, the November Writing Challenge can be about any goal you want to achieve. It doesn’t have to be about 50,000 words if that goal is too steep. The Challenge is about finding new ways to fit writing into your life, whether that’s writing for one hour per day or writing only 500 words per week. It’s about stretching yourself beyond what you’re used to doing in your writing life. Plus it just feels better knowing other people are going through the challenge too. There’s power in numbers, and it’s empowering when you know you’ve got other writers beside you. Remember, the November Writing Challenge is whatever you want it to be.

Several writing communities offer their own writing challenges and support systems for writers. For example, Story Forge’s challenge is 30,000 words, or about 1000 words per day. That’s a more accessible goal for many people. You can find quite a few others like Reedsy, ProWriting Aid and AutoCrit. 

No matter which challenge you follow or if you make up your own like I’m doing, the key point to remember is to stretch yourself. Aim for more words. Longer writing periods. Or do something different. Consider these other possibilities:

* Draft one flash fiction story (about 1500 words) or a short story (up to 15,000 words) per week
* Commit to writing 500 words per day, the equivalent of two pages.
* Write for 30 minutes per day, especially if you’re used to writing sporadically.
* Write your current work-in-progress from a different character’s point of view.
* Write in a different genre than you’re used to. If you’re used to writing fiction, try writing essays.

You might consider some non-writing activities too.

* Read the first draft of your current work-in-progress, noting changes you want to make in the margins. But don’t make the changes just yet.

* Read about the writing craft. If you’re new to writing, this might be a good time to become familiar with the tools you need to craft your story. Learn about plotting, story structure, character development, conflict, etc.

* Got a story dancing in your head? Sketch out several scenes to get your creative juices flowing.

* Do background research. Is there a subject you know nothing about but is imperative to your current project? Spend a few minutes each day researching that topic.

* Spend some time world-building. What do the settings in your story look like? Whether you’re writing a fantasy in a make-believe world or a mystery set in a small town, take time to convert the setting from your imagination to the paper or screen.

* Work on character development. Get to know your characters by writing profiles of the main ones. Describe more than their appearance, but their desires, their personality quirks, their strengths and weaknesses.

The beauty of the November Writing Challenge is to make it whatever you want it to be depending on your goals and what you’re working on. You set the goals and how you’ll measure your success. Just remember to ramp up the activity so you’re challenging yourself to do something different or to improve your productivity.

For example, I plan on using November to draft a holiday romance novella. I’m already prepping by sketching out scenes I plan to write later. My goal is to draft five pages per day, or roughly 1000-1,2000 words. If all goes well, my rough draft should be complete by the end of the month.

If you’re creating your own challenge, it might be helpful to follow these basic rules:

* Establish your goal for November. What do you want to accomplish by month’s end?

* Make sure your goal is measurable. How do you know you’ve achieved success? Set a specific time limit or number. For example, aiming to write 1000 words per day or writing for 15 minutes before bedtime.

* Track your progress. Using a calendar, mark a symbol or star on the days you write or jot down how many words/pages you finished.

* Be sure to ramp up the difficulty. If you’re used to writing three days a week, what can you do to increase that output to five days?

* Reward yourself. When November ends and you can see the progress you’ve made, celebrate your accomplishments. Perhaps treat yourself to a low-cost writing webinar or a book about the writing craft.

You don’t have to target 50,000 words to be successful during November Writing Month. Whether you commit to writing one page per day or 1000 words per day, simply by sitting down to write, you’ve already achieved success.

 

Why Writers Need to Celebrate Their Failures

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As you might have heard, the Chicago Marathon took place last week, winding its way through the streets of our grand city. Watching the coverage on TV, one comment stood out–that just starting the race is a victory and success in itself.

It’s often said that writing a novel is a lot like running a marathon. The two activities have much in common:

  • Both require hard work to prepare for the long haul. While a writer’s legs may not be moving as they write, their brains are to conjure up plots and dialogue. 
  • Both require commitment of time and energy to keep training and working toward the end goal.
  • Both require continuous learning and dedication. Athletes continue to learn about how their bodies respond to the physical demands of running a race, while writers continue to learn about their craft and how their creative minds work. 

Perhaps the biggest similarity is this: Success comes by getting to the starting line or by sitting down to write. Because the only true sign of failure is not showing up. 

That’s why we must honor our successes AND our failures. After all, failure has a lot to say about our success.

For runners, failure might look like pulling up lame during a race and having to quit, or it might mean an injury or illness sidelines them. For writers, failure might mean never finishing a story you started writing or receiving rejection letters for a story you poured your heart and soul into. 

The Rome Business School in Italy outlines several benefits of embracing failure in our work, no matter what kind of work that might be. Failure can help you:

  • Develop resilience – the ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges.
  • Encourage creativity – It forces you to consider other solutions to your writing problems and think outside the box.
  • Foster a growth mindset – It helps us view challenges as opportunities, which we use as a stepping stone toward our main goal
  • Build confidence – Failure doesn’t have to define you. Instead, it can set the stage for figure efforts.

Thomas Edison, who invented the light bulb, phonograph, and movie camera, among other things, failed many times. He was noted for saying: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

The lesson to be learned from Edison is this: If we find something that doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean we failed. It simply means that we need to explore other possible solutions. 

Since failure can be instrumental in our career growth, it might be worthwhile to celebrate and honor your writing failures as much as your successes. Here are some possible suggestions:

  • Compile all your rejection letters and save them in a file. Occasionally read them to remind you of how far you’ve come in your writing journey. Seeing the feedback can spur you to keep working toward your goal or to find solutions to some of your nagging writing issues. Some writers even frame their rejection letters so they can see them all the time.
  • Light a candle and read each rejection letter out loud. Alternatively, if you’re working with beta readers or an editor, read aloud any of their negative feedback. Try not to react viscerally to comments, but allow their meaning to sink in. Maybe they didn’t get the message you were trying to convey in your story, in which case you may need to rewrite the message differently.
  • Journal your reactions to failure and rejection. As you write, you might discover why rejection makes you feel like a failure or why it has such a strong hold on you.
  • Rethink the role of failure in your work. Sometimes you have to view it as a stepping stone toward your ultimate goal rather than a dead end. What can you learn from the failed experience? Failure can teach us many things–courage, perseverance, resilience. It can coax you to try new techniques and pull you out of your comfort zone.

Whether you’re an athlete training to run in the next marathon or a writer working on their first (or tenth) novel, it’s okay to embrace failure. It has a lot to teach us if we’re willing to listen to its lesson and learn from it. The only true failure is not trying.

What Is a Hybrid Genre, and Should You Write One?

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

In a recent issue of Novel Suspects, the weekly newsletter from Simon & Schuster featuring mystery and thriller releases, a contributor wrote about a unique hybrid genre: mystery and humor. 

Who doesn’t like a little humor with their murder and mayhem, right?

At first glance, combining mystery and humor wouldn’t seem to work well together. But they can and they do, judging from the list of titles the writer included as examples, such as Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano and Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. (That title alone makes me laugh out loud.).

That got me thinking about all the other hybrid genres I’ve come across in my reading. I was practically weaned on romantic suspense which has been around for decades, popularized by Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. Their books evolved from gothic romance novels of the early 20th century.

Other hybrids have become popular, such as paranormal romance, historical mystery and romantasy, combining romance and fantasy.

Genre blending works by combining key elements, tropes and conventions that you’d find in each genre. Hybrids act as a gateway to new reading experiences. Readers who might not pick up a book in the fantasy genre might be inclined to read one when it’s combined with a little bit of romance. 

It’s become popular because hybrids cater to different reading tastes. It allows authors to experiment and explore complex themes, characters and world-building. Hybrids, because of their combined genres, can be promoted to wider audiences too, create more buzz and attract media attention. Once readers learn about these titles, word of mouth through social media is also possible. Here’s a great piece about hybrids at the Dabble blog.

So what blended genres are hitting the bookshelves these days?

  • Science fiction and romance  (They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera)
  • Cozy fantasy  (Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree)
  • Historical horror (Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia)
  • Humor and mystery  (Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano)
  • Romantic fantasy (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas)

I’m sure there are others I’ve missed. Do you have a favorite hybrid genre that you like to read? Is there one you’d like to see more of on bookstore shelves? Would you consider writing one?

Books to Read for Hispanic Heritage Month

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Every so often, I like to share a list of reading recommendations–books I’ve either read or would like to read. Usually, they’re focused on a specific genre or location.

For example, in August 2024, to go along with the Summer Olympics in Paris, I shared a list of books by French authors or stories that took place in France. Earlier that same year in March 2024, I posted a list of books by Irish authors or with settings in Ireland to go along with St. Patrick’s Day..

As Hispanic Heritage Month gets underway, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of books by Hispanic authors or set in Spanish-speaking countries. The list covers a range of genres from literary and historical fiction to magic realism and romance. What I appreciate most about these stories are the unique characters and colorful settings. The true magic is in the storytelling, which brings the Hispanic heritage to life on the page.

I’ve broken the list into two sections: books I’ve read and books I’d like to read. Perhaps you’ve read these books yourself or have your own favorites to share. I welcome them in your comments.

Books I’ve Read

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya.  I first heard about this book when it landed on PBS’ The Great American Read list of must-read books several years ago. It’s a coming-of-age story about a young boy’s spiritual transformation, guided by his mentor, an elderly medicine woman. I found the story fascinating. As with many stories written by Latino authors, there’s plenty of magic and surrealism. The book has been banned in some locations because of its Spanish profanity and occult themes.

Like Water, For Chocolate by Laura Esquival. I remember seeing this as a movie so I wanted to read the novel too. It has romance, magic and tragedy featuring an all-female family. Youngest daughter Tita has fallen in love with Pedro, but cannot marry him because Mexican tradition requires that she must stay and care for her mother until she dies. To stay close to Tita, Pedro marries her older sister. Meanwhile, Tita pours all her unresolved emotions into her cooking, which makes for some interesting results. 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It’s been a long time since I’ve read this book, which is considered a modern classic. It’s the story of a shepherd boy named Santiago who yearns to travel the world and the treasures he finds along the way. It’s a story about longing, the wisdom of listening to our hearts and learning to follow our dreams. I may have to re-read this one.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra (Esperanza) Cisneros. Written by Chicagoan Sandra Cisneros and structured as a series of vignettes, this novel appeared on The Great American Read list and is considered a modern classic. It follows 12-year-old Esperanza, a Chicano girl growing up in a Hispanic neighborhood of Chicago over the course of one year where she enters adolescence and faces the realities of living in a poor and patriarchal community.

In The Time of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. I loved this historical fiction novel about the four Mirabel sisters who fought back against the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Written from their four different perspectives, their bond as sisters and family grew even as the world they once knew fell apart.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez. This Young Adult novel features a young girl Julia dealing with the loss of her older sister and the pressures and expectations of her family, particularly her overprotective mother. Instead, Julia has dreams of her own, including moving out of her neighborhood to explore the world.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I’ve had this book on my shelf for the past year, and I’m finally getting around to reading it. Though I’m only a couple of chapters in, I am enjoying it so far. The book is described as a blend of creepy horror and classic gothic tropes, set in a crumbling mansion in the mountains of Mexico in the 1950s. It’s earned high praise from critics and readers alike, so naturally I want to read what the excitement is about.

Books to Read on My TBR Shelf

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. This title lands at the top of almost every must-read list. It’s been sitting on my shelf for several years and I haven’t opened it yet because I find the size (more than 500 pages) is rather daunting.

In The Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia-Marquez. This one is also on my shelf. I tried to read it once, but it was at the start of the pandemic. The plot was too much like what we were all going through at the time.

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent by Julia Alvarez. The follow up to In The Time of the Butterflies, this story spans 30 years in the lives of four sisters, told from their different perspectives, as they begin their adult lives in the United States. The cool thing about this novel is that the story is told in reverse chronological order with the story concluding in their native Dominican Republic as children.

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas. For a change of pace from the somber tones and serious themes of previous works, here comes a rom-com I’m looking forward to reading. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be invited to a wedding in Spain?

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. This novel has been on my wish list for several years. Combining elements of romance and magic realism, this title appears on many must-read book lists and has received praise from readers and critics alike.

Of Love and Shadows by Isabel Allende. Of Allende’s many other published works, this is next in line to read behind The House of the Spirits.

Romance, mystery and magic are hallmarks of these stories, which makes them more fun to read.

Use These Prompts to Kickstart Your Autumn Writing Practice

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

There’s a hint of autumn in the air (at least where I live). Once Labor Day passes, I’m ready for pumpkin spice and apple cider, fall foliage, and making soups and stews.

It’s also an opportune time to reconnect with your writing routine especially if the long, hot, humid summer zapped your creative juices. If you’re looking for a chance to start up your writing routine or need some fresh story ideas for fall, I’ve put together a list of 40 prompts that can kickstart your imagination, including a few for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Feel free to embellish or tweak to fit your genre, whether that’s romance, fantasy or narrative nonfiction.

Hope these ideas inspire you to have a little fun with your writing this autumn season.

Just a reminder too that you can find writing prompts on my website, which are updated every couple of weeks.

Autumn-Themed Prompts:

1. An event that takes place in an apple orchard or pumpkin patch.

2. A child/children follow a black cat to some unknown destination.

3. A pumpkin carving contest with a surprise twist.

4. Someone gets lost in a corn maze.

5. An event or mishap takes place during a football game.

6. Grade-school students get a surprise visit from a famous person.

7. A group of people plan the annual fall festival.

8. A farmer and his crew bring in the fall harvest.

9. A character discovers or invents a new autumn-themed beverage.

10. A battle of the marching bands reaches a crescendo during a half-time show.

11. A football player pops the question to his girlfriend on the field.

12. A group of alumni celebrate their university’s Homecoming weekend in an unusual way.

13. A couple marries during a fall-themed wedding.

14. Something surprising and unexpected happens during a tailgating party.

15. A newlywed couple in their new home makes their first attempt at fall housekeeping, including cleaning the garage or attic and clearing out the gutters.

16. A story featuring caramel apples or apple cider donuts or some other apple treat.

17. Someone attempts to make soup, stew or chili and mistakenly adds one surprising and unexpected ingredient.

18. A character reminisces about the last day of the weekly farmer’s market.

19. A story that features one of the following: hot cocoa, hot apple cider or pumpkin spiced latte.

20. Someone sees the fall foliage for the first time.

21. A grade school class goes on a fall-themed field trip – farm, petting zoo or cemetery.

22. A broadcaster makes a blooper during a live telecast of a football game.

23. Someone discovers an old cedar chest in the attic, but it’s locked. How do they get it open? What do they find?

24. Someone without baking skills reluctantly joins a baking contest.

25. A college professor finds a mysterious package on their desk.

Halloween and Thanksgiving Themes

26. A young girl meets a friendly ghost in her new home.

27. A PTA meeting or dance takes place at a haunted high school.

28. A character watches a horror film for the first time.

29. A group of friends or a family tell ghost stories around the campfire.

30. A character wakes up one morning and finds a real skeleton in their closet.

31. A scarecrow in a corn field comes to life after dark.

32. Instead of leaves changing bright colors, they turn purple or black. Why did this happen?

33. Two rival families compete for the town’s annual Halloween decorating contest.

34. College students car pool home for Halloween weekend. What happens when their car breaks down or they make a wrong turn?

35. A child wakes up one morning and discovers he/she has magical powers.

36. A character experiences Halloween or Thanksgiving for the first time.

37. Something goes terribly wrong at the Thanksgiving Day parade.

38. An unexpected and unwelcome guest arrives for Thanksgiving dinner.

39. A character is forced to share a ride home for Thanksgiving with someone they don’t like.

40. Children find something unusual inside their Trick or Treat bag of goodies.