The Ultimate Guide to Using AI to Write a Novel

~ Brooke F. ~ 6 Comments

Hello, readers! I’ve got a useful “writing” guide for you today. I realize that I’ve dedicated this blog to writing tips on how to better one’s craft, so what’s more on theme with that mission than making a guide on how to use AI to accelerate your “writing” process! No, not editing. Writing. The writing itself. You read that right. Read on to figure out how you can craft a best seller without typing a single paragraph of prose and bothering with the whole pesky process of… actually thinking up original ideas and how to effectively communicate that to your readers.

In short, in today’s rapidly accelerating digital age, writers have unprecedented tools at their disposal. With the rise of artificial intelligence, crafting an entire manuscript has never been easier. Why rely on your own voice, perspective, or hard-earned life experience when a silicon parrot can spit back something resembling prose?

Step 1: Pick Your Genre

Choose a genre you love deeply. Something personal. Something meaningful. Then immediately ignore all of that and ask AI to brainstorm “10 hot book ideas in any genre that sells.” Even try “trending book themes” if you’re at a loss for what moral you should convey in this piece. Morality should be determined by mas market, which is what your AI companion will reflect.

Step 2: Prompt the AI… a Lot.

Type a prompt. Then rewrite it fourteen times because the AI keeps misunderstanding your “tone.”
(It’s almost like… writing? Except somehow worse.)

“Make it more whimsical.”
“But also somber.”
“But also funny, but not too funny.”
“And can it sound like me even though I haven’t written a word?”

Step 3: Marvel at How Fast the Words Appear

After all, this is the age of INSTANT gratification. Our writing process should evolve to follow suit. Books should be written in the time it takes to make instant oatmeal. That’s how you get a meaningful piece of work worth sharing with the world.

Step 4: Experience the Sudden Realization That This… Is Mediocre

Realize that this work is nothing but a Frankenstein of everything that has come before it. With extra emphasis on what’s been trending in writing in the last 5 years. As everyone knows, literature peaked when Romantasy Slop started being churned out and hitting shelves. These books are all so similar, you can’t quite remember if you’ve read them before or not, but that’s alright, the indulgent story beats are comforting if not entirely formulaic and overdone… right? We read for comfort. Comfort should always be a priority in literature at all times. At. All. Times. Do NOT present anything discomforting or something that could be perceived as causing your reader to THINK.

Wait, what we’re we talking about again.

Step 5: Denial or Rewrite

You’re at a crossroads at this step. You can continue to tell yourself it’s fine and send it off for publishing anyway, or you can attempt to salvage your AI slop by editing. A lot. Please, by all means, continue editing. Realize every sentence feels like it was handcrafted by someone who has never tasted food, felt sunlight, or endured a junior-high breakup. Rewrite one paragraph. Then two.

Suddenly, you’ve rewritten the entire chapter.

Suddenly, you’re rewriting the entire book.

Congratulations! You have now done the exact amount of work you were trying to avoid in the first place. You’ll tell yourself this is simply “refining your AI-assisted draft,” but really you’ve rewritten 90% of it because your actual human brain finally woke up and said, “No. This is wrong. It sounds wrong and it’s not good.”

Step 6: Face the Existential Crisis

Ask yourself why you thought skipping the workout would get you stronger.
Then look at AI and realize it’s not your writing partner. It can’t write for you in the same way it can go on a run for you, make a call to your mother for you, can’t eat healthy for you, can’t laugh for you, can’t love people for you, can’t, can’t, can’t.

The shortcut is so tempting, and AI companies will lead you to believe that the possibilities of AI are endless. Sure, there are uses to be explored, but AI is not endless, nor should it be. AI will never write a novel for you. AI will never be a human for you. It is in its name. It is against its very nature. You are human. Writing is in YOUR nature.

Author’s note:

This is not an ultimate condemnation of AI. More so a thought exercise to make sure we’re not using it irresponsibly. I’m quite curious how AI can function as an editing assistant or writing prompt generator. But the sudden flood of AI slop books on Amazon, where not a single word was penned by a being with a brain, has me clutching my pearls a bit. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, AI in writing has become a common topic on this blog as it invades the writing world, for better worse, and I’m always happy to hear others’ thoughts on these changes.

k byeeee! Thanks for reading!

Your Screentime Problem Isn’t Discipline, It’s Boredom

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Or, at least mine is, come to find out. But before I dive into today’s blog post, I just wanted to say hi and recap my last post. I gave you readers a little life update about how I want to commit more time to writing and continue to fight this nasty habit of mine: doomscrolling instead of doing something that actually makes me feel fulfilled. I’ve made numerous posts about this little struggle, which I’m sure is becoming almost universal at this point. Who isn’t trying to lower their screen time these days? Especially when we all know there are tons of more fulfilling things to do.

So that leads me into today’s post, which comes from a few random thoughts I had when I realized that I’d actually managed to lower my screen time lately. To a whole two hours a day! (Cue the round of applause.)

Okay… so maybe it could still be better, but as a self-proclaimed YouTube essay addict, cut me some slack. This is better. But I began to wonder how I managed this over the past month. I’ve made a variety of attempts to lower my screen time with varying degrees of success, so it felt important to pinpoint what strategy finally worked for my life. Why exactly was I able to reduce my screen time this time around? What changed?

The conclusion I arrived at was simple: I needed a hobby.

In my previous blog posts, I’ve described my distant desire to reduce screentime, but I didn’t elaborate much on my strategy for doing so because I assumed it would be as simple as that. I’d decide to be on my phone less, and therefore, I would be. Alas, it doesn’t always pan out that way (hence those varying degrees of success I mentioned).

Turns out sheer willpower is a tough thing to rely on when it comes to breaking a bad habit. You need to fill that empty space with something else. You, or at least I, need something else to occupy your time. I feel a little sheepish typing that out. The conclusion seems obvious, but it wasn’t so obvious to me at first. Certain months, I was terrible about filling my evenings after work, and lo and behold, those were the nights I was most likely to do something… screen-y.

This last month, however, was different. I didn’t plan for it to be different. It just sort of happened. I wanted a book from the library. I wanted to spend more time writing. So I invested time in both. My focus was less on reducing screen time and more on simply doing something else. But it seems that the lack of doomscrolling was a delightful byproduct. And so, my conclusion was made: I need to stop focusing so much on not getting on my phone and instead focus on what hobby sounds fun to dive into on a random weeknight.

This is probably obvious to everyone reading and hardly a novel discovery, but, fool that I am, I didn’t realize until recently that I need more than willpower to kick an overindulging screen habit. I need a hobby. Actually, a few of them.

But if you happen to be in my shoes and are possibly just as dense as me, maybe this post helped you realize that you’re not a weak-willed weenie. You just need to direct your attention toward something else you enjoy. Focus less on not doing something, and more on doing something better for you.

So here’s your gentle reminder for the week: put the phone down, pick something up, and let your hands and mind get busy with life again.

And I think that’s all for now! Byeeee! 🙂

October Life Update

~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

I’ll probably keep making these posts until I die. Yaknow, the obligatory “I haven’t posted in X months but! I’m not dead!” posts. All that being said, wow! I haven’t posted in about 2 months, and yes! I am indeed not dead. I think ya’ll are used to this song and dance by now.

So! What have I been up to, two or maybe even THREE of you may be wondering. In short: not writing. But before you bring out the tomatoes and fruit to throw at me (as I literally wrote a post about not procrastinating writing like three posts ago), I will say, it’s been a busy past couple of weeks. This was less of me blobbing around and doing anything but writing and more of me rushing around and doing anything but writing. Big difference.

Okay, okay, I’ll cut to the chase. I got married.

And gosh, it was lovely.

(Relevant instagram post inserted above because I actually have no pictures on my computer yet).

So yeah! It’s been busy. Making room in your house for another human is also an arduous task, especially if you find yourself a collector of a wide array of trinkets and are used to being utterly selfish with your use of space. It has been accomplished, however (if you ignore the study/office space), and we find ourselves finally lapsing into a semblance of routine that we now call normal.

The aftermath is very real though. I am a routine person by nature. When this routine is messed with, I find myself collecting a nice little bouquet of bad habits before I try to get my crap together and shed them again. And that pretty much sums up where I’m at currently.

Living with a lovely man, now known as my husband, and learning to share my life. I have also, as of late, found myself struggling to manage my time (namely, overusing my phone, a constant frenemy of mine), struggling to read, and struggling to eat actual meals, not just a weird variety of snacks and junk food. And then I got sick.

I write this post sitting at home during regular business hours with a cup of mint coffee in a mug beside me (which I’m quite proud of actually, because another bad habit that has been wriggling its way into my life is my over-eagerness to spend $7 on a fancy but delicious coffee. Great treat, but not an everyday purchase.). I caught an annoying cold, which required me to call out sick for probably the rest of the week. Irksome, but I have decided to use the time to do a few dishes and reflect on my life.

This reflecting has yielded a few conclusions: One, I need to get back on track with both my caffeine and time management. Second, I need to work on a new writing project. Now, figuring out what this creative project is, is a whole other problem of its own.

I love thinking up writing ideas, but I think it’s an entirely separate hobby from writing them. I am overflowing with concepts and projects I would love to see brought to life, but I often find myself grasping to find the motivation and time management skills to produce something (ugh, there it is again. Time management. Ick).

Creating an actual end product writing-wise just takes so darn long, and, possibly, linking me back to the whole time management thing, I don’t like taking that time. I often find myself spending that time making a Pinterest board for it and nothing more. This, unsurprisingly, leaves me entirely dissatisfied. And I’m tired of being dissatisfied.

(After all, it’s been a few months since my latest poetry book release and I’m getting ANTSY)

So! The anthem for the next month or so is to work on SOMETHING. It doesn’t matter if it’s a singular huge project or a bunch of tiny little ones. I just need to get back into the creative mindset of making something and letting it suck. And perhaps, in all this project bouncing around, I’ll find out what I want to set my eyes and attention on consistently, and that elusive next project will make itself known.

So stick around, there’ll hopefully be more to come as I’m getting back into the swing of things. And if not, I give you permission to throw the fruit this time. Throw a few “boos” in there too if you’d like.

The Dangers of Writing Like You Don’t Read

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

There’s a special kind of writing slump that sneaks up on people if they’re not careful. It’s sometimes not the one where you’ve got zero motivation, but the one where your words feel… stale. The same old metaphors. The same style. The same syntax. It becomes a formula of sorts and doesn’t feel fresh. It gets old.

I think a big culprit behind this is writing without reading.

When we only pour out words but never take any in, our writing starts to echo itself. It’s like talking to yourself in a room with no one else around. Eventually, you’ll run out of new things to say.

Reading gives life to your work. It stretches your brain into shapes you wouldn’t find on your own. You pick up little tricks without even realizing it. This could be a fun phrase, a surprising metaphor, or a way to pace a scene. Sometimes it’s not even about the writing itself but about remembering why you wanted to write in the first place. Books can also remind us of the wonder that made us pull out a pen or our laptop in the first place.

I didn’t read much throughout college and good gracious, it showed in my writing. Everything I wrote felt…Safe. The echo chamber became comfortable. Because, you see, a crappy side effect of not reading is sometimes not even REALIZING the echo chamber your writing is becoming until you sit down with a fresh pair of eyes and you find your own writing boring! It’s bland. It’s missing something. But when I began to pick up reading again (post college), I found writing easier and the quality better.

So if you’re in a slump, maybe the best cure isn’t another thousand words of pushing through. Maybe it’s picking up something off your shelf, letting someone else’s voice break through the echo chamber, and remembering that writing is, at its core, a conversation between you, your imagination, your inspiration, and your readers. And you can’t hold up your end of the conversation if you’re not listening, too.

Anyways, happy Tuesday, and thanks for dropping by and reading my little mini-rant.

K byeeee

Writing When You Don’t Believe in the Ending (Yet)

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

When I was in middle school, I had no qualms about just opening a Word doc and shooting from the hip. Who cares, right?? I’m in middle school. But as an adult, I can tell you a completely different story…

My tune has definitely since changed. As self-doubt and perfectionism have become a more prevalent issue in my writing life, I have found that writing when you know where you’re headed is not always easy. Even when you’ve got the finish line in sight, writing WITH a plan is hard enough.

But writing when you don’t believe in the ending? When you’re not even sure if the ending is good, or if the whole thing is worth finishing? That can be a little petrifying or even a slog depending on your personality. That’s like trudging through fog with no map and hoping you’re still on track.

And honestly, that’s where a lot of us live, I think.

We start a project full of enthusiasm, picturing readers crying or laughing at the perfect final scene. Then somewhere around the middle, the plot feels flat, the characters stop talking to us, and we start wondering if we’ve just wasted months of our life. Or maybe we planned the ending and Oh Shoot! It doesn’t feel like it fits anymore! What now???

My advice?

1. Remind yourself you don’t have to believe in it to keep going

You can keep typing even while thinking, This is probably terrible. You can finish a chapter while doubting whether it will all make sense in the end. Doubt doesn’t have to be a stop sign. Resign it to some annoying background noise, and you may even forget about it. Try and loosen up a bit and actually enjoy this whole writing ordeal; otherwise, it may be worth abandoning altogether if you cannot find a shred of enjoyment in it. Just don’t be so hard on yourself, and maybe attempt to write through the doubt.

2. Lower the bar when you’re in the fog

If you can’t see the grand, perfect ending right now, fine. Just write the next part. You’re not committing to keeping it forever. You’re committing to getting it down on the freaking page. Sometimes a clunky placeholder scene is the bridge to the better one you’ll write later. This is the whole “one foot in front of the other” tactic and it works rather nice in my opinion.

3. Let the ending find you

The pressure to “have it all figured out” before you get there will kill your momentum. Sometimes you only discover the right ending after you’ve written the wrong one. Keep moving forward and trust that clarity comes from progress. I have often found that the right ending can come to me when I see how these characters have progressed and grown. I am better equipped by the end of the story to say “ahhh this feels right.”

4. Remember: every story feels worse in the middle

Middles are messy. You’re too close to see what’s working, and your brain is wired to spot flaws. But a finished draft, even a shaky one, can be fixed. An abandoned draft can’t. At the end, you can always edit but you cannot edit what isn’t even there!

5. Have something else that carries you through

Chances are, some redeeming elements about this story that made you start it in the first place, even if it wasn’t the ending itself. What are those elements? The characters? Your interesting or complex MC? The side romance you want to write? That scene in the middle where you reveal that plot twist? Maybe focus on that instead of the hazy or non-existent light at the end of the tunnel

In conclusion, I shall restate my hypothesis (just as my science teachers HAMMERED in my head): Write the next sentence. Then the next. Then keep going until you stumble right into the ending you didn’t see coming but are actually quite delighted with because it’s one that feels RIGHT.

I watched the Indiana Jones Trilogy for the First Time

~ Brooke F. ~ 4 Comments

Hey guys! I know I’ve been quieter this summer, and I want to say I’ve been busy launching my own business or writing a full-length novel, but that would be inaccurate, I fear. This summer has been my movie-buff arc. That’s right: I’ve been catching up on all the movies in my life that people have recommended to me and I put off because… well, college or the lack of access to them. Now with streaming being the norm and no longer having the demand of school sucking my time and soul away, I can “rent” a movie to stream on youtube for three bucks and boom! Movie watched. Also I have one of those phone bundles that gives me access to Disney+ so that’s cool.

ANYWAYS, that’s the context for what I’m about to cover next. I’ve never seen the Indiana Jones movies. Not once. And I set out to fix that. So, here are a few scattered thoughts and ratings I have regarding this legendary set of films.

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark: 8/10

This was a delightful romp. It was also neat to see the many gags and bits that have become classic clichés in media due to this film, complete with the classic idol and bag of sand swap, the rolling ball of doom, and much, much more. Also the dude’s face melting off at the end had me in stitches. I don’t know what it was about it but it amused me to no end. My biggest qualm with this film, and most of them, really, was the irritating presence of the female leads. I get it, they’re classic damsels, but DANG I did get sick of the constant “INDYYYYYY” screech that especially plagues these first two films of the trilogy. A small gripe here though I cannot say the same for the second film.

2. The Temple of Doom: 2/10

Wow, did I want to like this film more than I actually did. But I didn’t. Shortround was really carrying here was Willie was probably my least favorite character in this entire set of movies. At first, I thought I might get some relief as Marian unfortunately grated on my last nerve but Willie showed me how much I should have been thankful for when it came to the female lead in the first film. And then there was the Cult stuff…

The charm that seemed to exist in the first film seemed to be replaced in Temple of Doom with an intense feeling of dragging and dread. I felt that far too much time was spent on the weird heart-ripping ritual and the sending of poor sods into the lava pit. There seemed to be a lot of aimless running around, random hypnotism, and drinking and eating nasty-looking liquids, whether it was from a human skull or a gorilla head. The highlight of this film was the mine cart chase. That’s it. That’s where one of the points that this film earned came from. Shortround was the other point. Overall, I have no desire to see this film again.

3. The Last Crusade: 9/10

I sharp rebound here. The Last Crusade was my favorite of the three. The female lead, while not being someone I was attached to, served a purpose and shrieked less by quite a considerable margin when compared to the likes of Marian and Willie. And look! We’re back to outsmarting Nazis! Thank goodness! I really do feel like this is where Indiana Jones is at its best.

Another point for the Knight who has stayed alive for hundreds of years just to give cryptic hints as to what Grail one should and shouldn’t choose. His presence was an overall positive. Indy’s Dad was also a fun addition, not only adding stakes for our main character but being a FOIL as well. Indiana, I was surprised to find, doesn’t do a lot of developing in these films. In fact, when thinking about it, he lacks much personality at all; however, what little I can recall of it can be sourced from this movie. I love the reveal of him stealing the Dog’s name for his own, as it gives us the impression that Indy is a dramatic History buff who wants to escape his father’s shadow. It could be argued that Indy doesn’t HAVE to have a deep dive on his character motivations and growth and such, and I would agree, as that is far from the purpose of these films. Little hints like this are still welcome in my opinion.

So there you have it! A brief but accurate synopsis of my thoughts on this classic trilogy. I wish I had more in-depth thoughts to share, but alas, I do not have much else to add except for the fact that I can see why these films became the iconic movies that they are viewed as now.

Thanks for reading!

How to Generate Stories from a Deck of Cards

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

🃏Deck of Tales: Turn a Deck of Cards into a Storytelling Game

Did you know your old deck of playing cards is secretly a novel generator?

If you were the kind of kid who made your barbies have backstories or invented entire kingdoms on notebook paper, Deck of Tales is for you.

This game turns a plain old 52-card deck into a whimsical, dramatic, slightly chaotic storytelling machine. It’s part improv, part intuition, and all creativity. Great for writers, kids, bored adults, or anyone who wants to escape into a made-up world for a bit. It’s a game I invented as a middle schooler, and I hope you’ll get as much joy out of it as I have. But, enough backstory, on to the rules!

🎲 What You Need:

  • A regular ol’ deck of cards
  • Your imagination (and maybe a notebook if you’re a writer-type)

🧙‍♀️ The Magic of the Cards:

Face Cards = Characters
These are your story’s stars.

  • Kings are leaders, wise or power-hungry
  • Queens are love interests, schemers, warriors, or socialites
  • Jacks are dreamers, rogues, or loyal sidekicks

Aces = Fate
These cards shake things up.

  • Ace of Spades = The villain appears
  • Ace of Hearts = Love is declared
  • Ace of Clubs = A major battle or victory
  • Ace of Diamonds = Treasure or opportunity

Number Cards = Events
Each number is a kind of scene. Each suit gives it a flavor.

Suits = Story Themes

  • ♥ = Emotions, relationships
  • ♠ = Conflict, mystery, death
  • ♣ = Action, battle, adventure
  • ♦ = Wealth, ambition, discovery

Numbers = Action Prompts

  • 2 = A new encounter
  • 3 = A choice must be made
  • 4 = A new place
  • 5 = An obstacle appears
  • 6 = Bonding or betrayal
  • 7 = A clue or item is found
  • 8 = A fight or competition
  • 9 = A shocking reveal
  • 10 = A major turning point

Jokers (if you want to get wild): Plot twist! Magic! Prophecy! Sudden death! Dream sequence!

🧩 How to Play: The 7-Card Spread

  1. Shuffle your deck.
  2. Lay out 7 cards in a row. These are your story beats:
    1. Setting
    2. Main character appears
    3. Conflict begins
    4. Rising action
    5. Twist!
    6. Climax
    7. Resolution
  3. Interpret each card using the guide above.
  4. Tie it all together into one juicy little tale.

✨ Bonus Ways to Play:

  • Genre Remix: Assign each suit a genre. (♥ = Romance, ♠ = Mystery, ♣ = Fantasy, ♦ = Sci-Fi)
  • Free Write Oracle: Pull cards one at a time and just write what comes to mind. No rules.
  • Group Mode: Each person draws a card and becomes that character. Let the drama unfold.

💡 Example:

You draw:

  • 4♦ (a new city)
  • Q♥ (a charming love interest)
  • 6♠ (a betrayal)
  • J♣ (a loyal bestie)
  • A♠ (the villain arrives!)
  • 8♣ (a showdown)
  • 10♥ (a love confession that changes everything)

Story Summary:
A traveler stumbles into a glittering city. They fall for a mysterious woman. Just when things heat up, betrayal! With help from a scrappy sidekick, they escape. But then, the villain strikes. After a fight in the rain, love wins the day. Cue dramatic music.

If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel without actually writing a novel, this might be your new favorite game.

Let me know if you try it! I’d love to hear the wild tales your deck delivers.

How to Be More Whimsical (Without Moving to a Forest)

~ Brooke F. ~ 6 Comments

Sometimes life feels like a never-ending list of emails and meal-prepping and remembering your passwords. And while that’s all very adult and responsible of us, sometimes you just want to inject a little whimsy into the day. I’m not talking wearing a tutu to work of course (unless you’re into that? Idk where you work). I mean tiny, delightful oddities that make life feel like a storybook for a second.

So here are some specific ways to be more whimsical. Even if you’re a practical person with bills to pay and a Google Calendar that rules your life. Aright, here we gooo:

Start carrying around one overly specific item for no clear reason.
A vintage skeleton key. A feather quill. A deck of cards. Let people ask questions. Refuse to explain. Mystery is 30% of whimsy.

Host a “mismatched tea moment” once a week.
No guests needed. Just you, an oddly paired mug and saucer, maybe a cookie, maybe a journal. Bonus points if you wear a shawl like you’re some mysterious wizard woman.

Leave secret messages for your future self.
Tuck tiny notes into your coat pocket or inside a book you’ll eventually re-read. “You are loved. Also, buy ice cream.” It’s like time-traveling kindness.

Assign your day a genre.
Decide that today is a romantic comedy, or a slow-burn fantasy epic, or a chaotic detective story. Suddenly your coffee run is a plot point, and your bus ride has cinematic tension.

Make a “soundtrack” for your day.
Start your morning with French café jazz, switch to dramatic classical when you do emails, then blast 2000s bops while you make dinner. Be the main character in the most eccentric indie film ever made.

Pick a word of the week and use it dramatically.
Not a normal word. Something like “bewildered” or “henceforth.” Use it in casual conversation.

Choose a random object as your daily talisman.
A marble, a mini pinecone, a button. Carry it like it has secret powers.

Add a secret ingredient to something you cook just because it feels magical.
Nutmeg in your eggs. Rose water in your lemonade. Not because it’s gourmet, but because it feels like a potion. Say “a dash of enchantment” while doing it.

Tell the time like you’re in a fantasy novel.
“It is the second hour past dawn, and I have yet to answer my emails.”
“It is nearly the witching hour—I must fetch snacks.”

Hide something for a stranger to find.
A doodle. A quote. A “congratulations, you found this” note under a library chair or taped to the back of a street sign. It’s low-stakes mischief. Good for the soul.

Rename your calendar events.
Instead of “Dentist Appointment,” call it “Royal Council with the Tooth Kingdom.” Instead of “Grocery Store,” try “Foraging Quest.” Suddenly errands are… thrilling?

Go out dressed like a book character.
Not full cosplay. Just a little nod. A scarf like Miss Marple. Overalls like Anne of Green Gables. Boots like a pirate.

Hopefully these will add a bit of sparkle to your routine!

A Beginner’s Guide to Finishing Stuff (From a Chronic Abandoner of Various Projects)

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Hi, my name is Brooke, and I’m a chronic abandoner. Not of people (I promise), but of projects, books, hobbies, that one prom dress I swore I’d make in an attempt to teach myself how to sew… you get the idea I think.

Finishing things has never been my spiritual gift. I’m the queen of a passionate beginnings, you see. I romanticize the planning stage. I make Pinterest boards. I buy cute supplies. I tell at least three people, “I’m so excited about this!” And then somewhere between “this is so fun” and “this is taking longer than I thought,” the energy fizzles out. The end result, I’m sure you can vividly pictures. Shelves of crafting supplies. Half-finished books in word docs galore. A USB stocked with outlines for projects that never quite made it. And not a lot to show for it!

But lately, I’ve been trying something new: actually finishing things. Ok, not everything. But SOME things. Like my poetry book. Like my journals. Like that book series I forgot about. The Prom dress still needs to be hemmed though I’m afraid. We’re not all perfect.

From all this “finishing” going on, I have learned a few things in the process. Disclaimer though, I still have more unfinished projects than finished ones so DEFINITELY take what I say with a pinch-no, a CUP of salt. So! With that disclaimer on the table, let’s get rollin’.

1. Start Smaller Than You Think You Need To

I used to set goals like “write a book,” “learn to quilt,” or “organize my entire life in one weekend.” Funnily enough, these goals would often occur on a late night during the weekend when I was suddenly zapped with ambition. These are not goals. These are lofty, unsustainable, and vague finish lines that realistically take ages to actually cross if ever crossed at all.

Now I aim to “write for 10 minutes,” “sew one line,” or “put away the laundry mountain (just the socks).” Turns out finishing is a lot more achievable when you’re not setting yourself up for theatrical failure. Be realistic and be kind to yourself.

2. Romanticize the Middle

We romanticize beginnings and endings. The start is all fresh notebooks and adrenaline. The end is the glorious Instagram post or the satisfying checkmark. But the middle? That’s where things get boring, awkward, and full of self-doubt.

If you can learn to love the middle and make a vibe out of it, throw on a playlist, light a candle, celebrate the slog, Congrats! You’re halfway there. Progress is still progress, even if nothing is complete just yet. Celebrate more than just the finish-line.

3. Keep a “Done” List

Everyone loves a to-do list, but I’ve started keeping a done list. Every time I finish something (even the tiniest task), I jot it down. Finished a book? On the list. Replied to that one email that’s been haunting me since Tuesday? Absolutely going on the list. Wrote 300 words on a story I’ve been ignoring for months? That’s going in bold and underlined.

There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing all the little wins pile up. It proves that yes, I do finish things, just not always on the dramatic scale I imagined.

4. Stop Waiting to Feel “Ready”

Finishing stuff isn’t about being ready. It’s about deciding to move even when the ending isn’t in sight or planned out. Waiting until I feel motivated has kept me in procrastination purgatory more times than I can count. I’ve learned to accept that I won’t feel like finishing most things but if I just start walking, the motivation catches up eventually.

(Usually after snacks. Snacks are the ultimate motivator.) (And maybe a nap. Naps are important too.) (Honestly, just make sure you’re taking care of your basic needs before you take any of this advice).

5. Embrace the “Imperfectly Done”

Not everything you finish has to be amazing. It just has to be done. The first poem you actually finish might sound weird and cringy. The painting might look better in your head than on canvas. The short story might never get published. But hey! It exists. That’s pretty neat!

AND it’s done. And that’s worth celebrating. You saw it through. You beat the voice that said, “Why bother?”

And with every imperfectly finished thing, you build the muscle. You prove to yourself that you can finish projects. Even if it takes longer than you originally intended (when DOESN’T it???). Even if you abandoned it once and came back weeks later with coffee and renewed determination. Still worth throwing some confetti. Perfection is NOT a prerequisite for appreciation or celebration. (I find myself constantly yelling this at myself mentally).

So here’s your permission slip: Go finish something tiny today. A draft. A to-do item. That sandwich. (Never let a sandwich go unfinished. We eat our crusts around here) You don’t have to be perfect, fast, or even consistent.

You just have to keep going, little by little.

From one recovering abandoner to another, I believe in you.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go add this finished blog post to my list!!

How to Rebuild an Attention Span

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

In the digital era, where the currency of our time is measured in fleeting moments and short form content and the ting! of notifications are ever present, the art of focus has become as elusive. Our attention spans have been whittled down to where we can barely settle down long enough to read a paragraph, leaving us scattered and unfulfilled as we leap from tab to tab, app to app, in a never-ending quest for the next dopamine hit. And yet, there are a few of us, who are waking up to the startling effects of a shattered attention span. Though recognizing the problem and fixing it are two totally different issues.

I am far from perfect on this journey to rebuild my attention span. My blog is proof of that. If you’ve kept up with my posts at all, you’ve probably heard my bemoaning my constant struggle to put the phone down. I have been delighted that in the recent year, my efforts have been fruitful. I enjoy reading again. It was a bit of a trick finding the correct genre but it’s also been a consistent effort of mentally yelling at myself when I find myself doom scrolling. But now that I’ve achieved this minor victory, this seems like a good time to impart what little I feel I’ve learned in the process of rebuilding my attention span. It’s been a slow process that will continue to be a struggle in this digital age but the joy of reading cozy mysteries in the evening to wind down for bed has encouraged me to say the least.

So, without any more stalling, here is my tips on rebuilding a scattered, tattered attention span:

1. Rethinking your Night Time Routine

Often what has been motivating me to move further and further away from the short-form content consuming life has been this anxious, awful feeling that I get when I finish scrolling. This feeling was by far the worst at the end of the day where I settled into bed and would find myself scrolling for…who knows what?

I’m winding down, I’d tell myself though, I realize now, that I was winding myself up! Scrolling doesn’t relax you in the same way a book or even a comfort movie might. You still paying attention to too much. And I don’t have to remind anybody that it doesn’t take much scrolling to find some bad news that’s infiltrates your mind and messes with your faith in humanity or the world (if there was much of that left anyway?)

This routine, like any routine, is training your brain. In this case, it’s training your brain to think and continue to think even long after you’re ready to be drifting off to sleep. Replace this habit with something entirely different. If you can’t sit through a regular schmegular book, maybe grab a magazine or a poetry book (or something less intimidating and more short). Try and read in some form. This will train your brain to focus on ONE thing and will better relax you for rest.

2. On a Similar Note, Don’t reach for your phone first thing

Still guilty on this front sometimes. But if you do find yourself reaching for your phone, try and replace scrolling with maybe a quick read of an article you like or a quick WORDLE. When that’s done, get up. Though, I will say, in an ideal world, one wouldn’t be reaching for their phone at all, but baby steps! I think, overall, the goal is to not start your day scrolling.

I eventually want to personally progress towards reading a devotional or something else to start my day. Yaknow, something that doesn’t involve my phone BUT we’ll get there eventually. Just not there yet. It’s nice to have something to wake my brain up with and right now that’s a quick crossword that happens to be on my phone.

3. Set Boundaries

Designate certain times of the day as “sacred,” where you commit to a distraction-free zone. This could be the first hour of your morning (like what I was talking about in the above point), where you greet the day with a cup of tea and a good book, or the final hour before bed, where you bid adieu to the screens and let your brain unwind with a gentle stretch or a page-turning novel. These pockets of time, like stepping stones, will help you cross the river of distraction. Each small pocket of time is training your brain, no matter how small. It builds over time. Remember, your brain is a muscle and becomes stronger with consistency and patterns of thinking and focus.

4. Adjust Your Mindset

Try and pivot your brain into a mono-tasking type of mindset. In a world that glorifies multitasking, this can be almost a rebellious act of sorts. Yet, studies have consistently shown that our brains are not wired to juggle multiple tasks efficiently. Instead, we pay a heavy cognitive tax, switching between tasks with the grace of a clumsy octopus who does everything but none of it well. We forget little things. We’re hardly ever present. Our sense of time degrades. And when it comes time for us to focus on something important, it’s a constant battle to not check and see what else is happening in the world through a screen.

Embrace the beauty of single-tasking. Choose one activity and commit to it fully, giving it your undivided attention. This could mean turning off notifications during work hours, using tools that block distracting websites, or even adopting the Pomodoro Technique, where you dedicate chunks of time to a single task followed by short breaks. As you train your brain to focus on one thing at a time, you’ll find that your productivity (likely) skyrockets and your sense of satisfaction deepens.

One thing I found is when I’m getting ready to go somewhere, the time it takes is nearly cut in half if I’m not using my phone. But, if I’m watching a youtube video while I do my makeup or find myself watching reels while I tie my shoes, these actions take a lot longer and I am moving MUCH slower. And my attention is so scattered, I don’t even realize it till I glance at the time and shoot! Running late again!

5. Practice being still

Next, incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine. This ancient practice has been shown to be a potent antidote to the fragmented attention that plagues our modern lives. Begin with short sessions of meditation, stillness, or deep-breathing exercises, gradually increasing the duration as you become more adept. Mindfulness is not about clearing the mind entirely but rather about becoming aware of the thoughts that flit through it like butterflies in a garden. Observe them without judgment, and gently guide your attention back to the present moment. This mental workout strengthens the muscle of focus, making it easier to resist the sirens of distraction when you need to be productive. It’s like doing push-ups for your prefrontal cortex.

What I personally like to do is sit out on my porch at the end of a day, and just…do nothing. Sit, with my eyes shut and listen to my brain or the birds outside. It steadies me and while, I don’t do it every day, I never regret it when I take the time to do so.

To Conclude…

You’re probably never going to reach this fully “zen”, undistracted state. I’ve had to come to terms with this. It is simply because of the times we live in. Unless you’re interested in becoming a hermit, there is always going to be a slight tug to become distracted again. And giving in sometimes isn’t the end of the world. What I’m really after here are the patterns I’m giving into that is harming my brain in the long term. Not that random scroll I did the other day through pinterest while I was in the waiting room of a Doctor’s Office.

The ultimate goal, at least for me, in doing all these things, is to be present. I want to remember my life and feel deeply. And if I’m bouncing from task to task and never trying anything new or focusing, how is that classified as living?

Anyways, I don’t wanna go too deep with you guys on a random Saturday morning where you were just hunting around for some little tips on how you can better your attention span. So, I’ll see ya’ll later!