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Every book I've ever written started the same way: one word at a time.

In this episode of Reality Writes, I walk you through my complete writing process. From the very beginning, when I was working another job with a kindergartner at home and 250 words a day felt like a genuine stretch, all the way to where I am now, writing 3,000 words a day across multiple series and genres.

Here's how the word count progression actually went:

• Year one: 250 words a day, five days a week: pre-agent, pre-book deal, figuring it all out
• Years two to three: 500 words a day: the first signs of muscle memory kicking in
• Year four: 1,000 words a day: first book contracts signed, two series, two publishing houses
• Years five to twelve: 2,000 words a day: publishing four to five books a year
• Year thirteen to now: 3,000 words a day: multiple genres, multiple series, one very necessary cup of coffee

We also talk about what happens after the first draft. Everything from the editing passes, the developmental work, the page proofs, I will never love, and where research fits into the schedule, including why a research trip is always work even when it involves a beautiful coastline and a very good grocery store.

And at the end, I make the case for reading as the single most important professional habit a writer can have, even when it feels like leisure.

Whether you're a reader who's always wondered what goes into the books you love, or a writer building your own process from scratch, this episode is for you.

Mystery Series Masterclass — https://courses.elliealexander.co

Ellie Alexander's website — https://www.elliealexander.co

Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave us a comment. What part of the writing process surprised you most?

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It's June, darlings, but we are diving headfirst into fall because that's just how publishing works, and also because fall is my favorite season and I refuse to apologize for it.

In this episode, The Tech Guy and I talk about why fall has become such a dominant season in books (genre mashups! cozy everything! readers simply demanding it!), and then I get to do my favorite thing: tell you about what's coming.

First up is A Fall to Remember, releasing September 1st, a sweet, low-spice cozy rom-com set during Half Moon Bay's real (and genuinely massive) pumpkin festival. I'll tell you the whole story behind it, including the viral "accidental influencer" video that helped inspire the premise, and the heroine, Miranda, who never asked to become internet-famous but did anyway. This one will also be my very first book with sprayed edges!

Then there's The Pumpkin Vice Café, book 23 of the Bakeshop Mystery series, releasing September 29th in trade paperback for the first time. Lance is hosting a big event, the event planner doesn't make it to the end of the chapter, and Jules is once again pulled into solving a murder alongside all your favorite Torte regulars. I'm also kicking off a bake-along starting in July, working through a recipe from every single book in the series, leading up to the release.

And I saved one surprise for the end: a third fall book is coming in the Novel Detectives world. A Murder at Midnight releases October 13th and follows Annie and Fletcher as a group of ghost hunters takes over the bookstore for an overnight investigation with, of course, a body to solve along the way.

All three books are available for pre-order now!

Links:

• A Fall to Remember — https://amzn.to/4fTeX4E
• The Pumpkin Vice Café — https://amzn.to/448kldK
• A Murder at Midnight — https://amzn.to/4uNmPsj

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Got writing questions? We've got answers. In this episode, The Tech Guy and I dig into the questions that land most in our inbox, starting with a great one from a writer, Matt, in Cleveland, about how to structure and set scenes in a cozy mystery. From there, we cover coaching availability, what makes the Mystery Series Masterclass work, plotting vs pantsing, traditional vs. indie publishing, querying agents, writing genre mashups, and whether authors really have to be on social media. The Tech Guy has some thoughts on that last one. Tune in, darlings, and keep those questions coming!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mystery Series Masterclass – https://courses.elliealexander.co/

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