Posted on by hrchow12

2025 Author Year in Review

Get ready, because we’re about to get real in this one.



Welcome to my end-of-the-year writing review! This is where I try to take a bird’s eye view of the year and my writing year in general to sum up the big wins, the losses, areas I’m doing well in, and others I could improve. This is where I see if I hit my 2025 goals and make new goals and predictions for 2026.

Last year, I said 2025 could very well be the year that would make or break me. But naturally, there is very little that’s so black and white. My writing career took some big steps forward this year, and I had some fun surprises, but there were also some warning signs that have me trepidatious about 2026.

So, going into this post, I obviously have some big mixed feelings, and honestly, writing this post is going to be a little bit of a self-discovery adventure for me because at this moment, I really don’t know what the big rock takeaways from this year are.

The hope is, by the time I finish writing this, I’ll have a better idea—so let’s jump in and see!

first, the numbers

  • Words written: 70,000 (House of the Chosen, finished drafting) + 28,000 (A Witch’s Game of Moonlight & Mischief, finished drafting with E.P. Stavs) + 88,000 (Paranormal Mystery Title TBA) + 400 (Chase vs The Doom Spiral picture book) + 64,000 (So He Burned Down the World For You) = 250,400 words (-12% from last year)
  • Words revised: 90,000 (House of the Chosen) + 75,000 (A Witch’s Game of Moonlight & Mischief) + 86,000 (Paranormal Mystery Title TBA) + 400 (Chase vs The Doom Spiral picture book) = 251,000 (-14% from last year)
  • Words published: 83,000 (Into the Abyss) + 41,000 (A Churn in the Dark) = 124,000 (-2% from last year)
  • Words on sub: 67,000 (Exit Seats) + 75,000 (Codename: CNDRLA) = 142,000 words (-11% from last year)
  • 2025 Total Words Worked: 767,400 (-11% from last year)

Sales Numbers: ~535 self-published books sold (-9% from last year, includes audiobooks but not my titles with Whimsical Publishing.). Another 10,487 downloaded for free. (+10% last year’s count)

And the Goodreads numbers.

  • Odriel’s Heirs: 290 ratings (+12%) / 4.23 stars
  • Burning Shadows: 48 ratings (+20%) / 4.62 stars
  • Idriel’s Children: 91 ratings (+11%) / 4.40 stars
  • Night of Ash: 31 ratings (+11%) / 4.65 stars
  • Time’s Orphan: 98 ratings (+8%) / 4.60 stars
  • The Gatekeeper of Pericael: 115 ratings (+12%) / 4.10 stars
  • Into the Churn: 467 ratings (+38%) / 4.23 stars
  • Into the Fire: 112 ratings (+56%) / 4.50 stars
  • A Churn in the Dark: 53 ratings (+253%) / 4.58 stars
  • Into the Abyss: 47 (+1075%) / 4.72 stars
  • A Churn in the (Virtual) Society: 16 / 4.81 stars

    My Goodreads total: 1372 ratings (+32%) / 4.34 stars

If you want to compare the totals to last year more directly, my 2024 summary is here.

As far as words go, I’m not surprised I had less words this year. At the end of last year, I was questioning why I was pushing myself to move so fast, and that mentality continued through this year. With multiple books on sub, 6 books scheduled to release in the next 3 years, and the pervasive feeling that I was out of balance, I intentionally took a step back from writing intensity this year.

While I snagged two BookBub deals this year, they weren’t quite as successful as sales I’ve run in years past. That could be due to the fact that I’m getting farther away from release, so I’m seeing diminishing returns from the BookBub audience, or potentially just that with each passing year, my books are competing with more book releases as well as books currently on the market. (I’ll touch more on this later.)

Looking forward to 2026, I wouldn’t be surprised if my words-worked number goes down again, and I fully expect my self-published numbers to go down as I pivot to promoting my newer books (such as the completed Into the Churn series and my 2026 releases.)

the highlights

  • Through the work of our amazing agent, Kristen Terrette from Martin Literary, E.P. Stavs and I had two offers on our Quirky YA Paranormal, Midnight Falls, and we scored a 2-book deal with Charlesbridge Publishing for release in Fall 2027 & 2028. I cannot understate what a HUGE deal this was for us. I knew if I was going to continue moving forward, I needed to sign a deal with publisher through my agent this year, so this was truly a dream come true. It’s hard to wait, but Erin and I are SO excited for to see Midnight Falls launch in 2027.

    What Book 2 will be is still up in the air. Erin and I are hoping it’ll be the second stand-alone book in our “Magical Tourism” series, but the publisher could ask for a direct sequel to Midnight Falls, so hopefully we’ll find out in 2026!
  • Whimsical Publishing acquired my NA Paranormal Mystery (title TBA) and book 1 of the planned trilogy is set to release on May 26th! This was also a huge deal for me. I didn’t have any releases planned after Into the Churn completed in September 2025, so I knew I had to successfully pitch to Whimsical if I wanted to have a 2026 release. Great news: they LOVED it 🥹, and I’m so excited to see what readers think of this new adventure!
  • With the release of Into the Abyss (book 3) and A Churn in the Virtual Society (book 3.5), the Into the Churn series was completed! This was a hugely satisfying moment, I’m so glad we were able to complete the series for the readers, and it’s so much more fun to be able to promote a completed series!
  • Codename: CNDRLA and Exit Seats went on submission, and The Ninth Circle went out to another round of editors! Being on submission is emotionally tough, but I think I finally got the hang of weathering it this year. (more on this later.) I’m beyond grateful to my amazing agent and her unending encouragement and commitment to getting these books out in the world.
  • I wrote and illustrated a picture book to help my 7-year-old with his anxiety meltdowns, and it WORKED. (Trust me, no one is more shocked here, then me.) Then, my friend with an anxious 5-year-old asked for a proof copy, and it helped them as well. Writing a book purely from the heart with no regard for market other than this one goal to help my son and kids like him was such a rewarding experience. I’m so proud of it, and I’m SO looking forward to self-publishing it February. There will be no fanfare and very little promotion; just a quiet satisfaction that it exists for kids and parents who need it.
  • I had three interesting opportunities pop up that I can’t actually talk about yet. While (being the pessimist that I am) I don’t expect them to transform my writing career in a significant way, I was so honored to be considered for these chances, and with some tremendous luck, maybe I’ll have an announcement or two to make next year.
  • I joined the WriteHive team for my second year as a writing mentor, and I’ve loved being able to pay forward my writing knowledge to the writing community.
  • In a huge surprise to me this year, I went to *8* in-person author signing events in my community at 4 different local book shops and my local library. And now my books are stocked in all 4 shops. 🥹 My local library surprised me by putting my photo on a BILLBOARD in our town, and The Hidden Lantern in Rosemary Beach recommended my books on the LOCAL NEWS! Not only that, but I established great relationships with The Book Rack in Fort Walton Beach and the Salt & Story in Niceville, and they have reached out TO ME multiple times asking if I would come do book events. I totally didn’t have any of this on my 2025 Bingo Card, but they made me feel so valued, and I’m so grateful our local book shops for their support.

What I learned

  • I have three lessons learned from last year I still feel in my bones this year and I feel like I’m still absorbing them, so I’ll list them again:
    • My promotional budget and energy is limited. Therefore, I need to pivot harder away from promoting my backlist to focus on upcoming releases. (Picture me yelling this at myself because it is easy to say but harder to execute, because, dang it, I love my backlist and I’m proud of it.) However, I only have so much time and money and I *have* to look forward and make smart business decisions. *insert Friends gif here of Ross Gellar yelling PIVOT!!!*
    • I have found balance and peace with my online presence as an author. While I will never be a viral sensation, I have found a style of content on each of 5 different platforms (Threads, TikTok, Instagram, WordPress, and Mailchimp) that I can be consistent with and that makes me smile. (Not as much as writing… but I’ll take what I can get.) Though my social media numbers aren’t going to knock a publisher’s socks off by any means, I’m consistent, I work hard, and I’m authentic, and honestly, I’m proud of that.
    • Sequel releases are still hard on me mentally. It’s been 2 solid years of sequel releases, so I’m SO ready for new series starts in 2026 and 2027. I really have no desire to ever write a series longer than a trilogy, and while I’ll allow for novellas as a neat little marketing tool to tide passionate readers over until the next release, novella releases are perhaps my least favorite type of release. Too many readers accidentally or intentionally skip over them, missing key components to the series flow, and it pains my author heart.
  • Somewhere above I mentioned that I figured out how to handle being on submission, and fair warning, there’s a lot of you who aren’t going to like this strategy, but it’s honestly the only thing I’ve found that works. For me, being on submission is tough because it feels like every day you fail a little more… even though you legit have no control (once the book is on sub) whether an editor will fall in love with your book or not. For me, it is a slow, repeated destruction of hope under the weight of an empty, silent inbox.

    I know that sounds dramatic and like, incredibly pessimistic, but I’m just being honest.

    So, in order to handle that, I had to shift my thinking. Essentially now, when a book goes on sub, inwardly, I already consider it dead. I even went so far as to rename the folder for those manuscripts “Purgatory.” (Also, because it makes me smile. I survive through dark humor.)

    That allows me to shift all of my mental energy to areas I can control: notably, my current works in progress and my next releases.

    Furthermore, there was a time in my life where I was writing not *for* market, but with market in mind… and honestly, I’m past that now. For the record, it didn’t seem to do me a lot of good on any front. My YA books were still “too PG-13” for current trends. The market was “too glutted” for my “on-trend” books, and the market was “too niche” for my more original concepts. In general, any conversation that included “market” was not super helpful.

    Once I reset my brain to consider the real possibility that none of my manuscripts might get picked up, regardless of whether they were “on trend,” or not, it made absolutely no sense to write for anyone but me and the people I love most.

    Writing the picture book, Chase vs. The Doom Spiral, especially drove this home for me. Objectively, I’m a lackluster illustrator, and that book will go (relatively) nowhere. But I love it. My son loves it. I *know* there are anxious kids out there that this book will make a difference for, and even if I’m only making a difference for 1 or 2 families, that’s still making a difference, and there is immense satisfaction in that.

    Continuing in this vein, I just finished drafting a book I imagine will be unmarketable, and you know, I’m fine with that too. Because it was cathartic and I loved writing it, and at the end of the day, that’s why I’m here. To process the world around me and grow as a person through writing.

    It’s that mindset that reminds me that numbers are just numbers — an infinite mirage of success that does not and will never define me.

    That’s not to say I might not try for a marketable book again if the mood strikes, but I’ve shifted my thinking so that’s no longer the goal. The goal is to make the book I can be proudest of. The book that is THE MOST me. And with that in mind, being on submission just becomes the footnote on my journey, rather than the journey itself.

The bumps

  • Well, I think the most obvious one here is that I have to concede Inky & Heater IRL (my YA contemporary romance that reads like You’ve Got Mail + esports) is dead on sub, and has been shelved for the time being. It’s a bummer for sure, but one I’ve surprisingly come to terms with this year. I still hold the conviction that it will go out into the world one day, one way or another, so I can take this as an exercise in being patient with a smile still on my face.
  • This next one though, is going to take some words. I can’t decide if this was a series of small bumps that were all interconnected on the same theme, or just one big bump, so here we go:

I was accused by a trusted Beta reader (who is also an editor) of using A.I. to write one of my manuscripts, and then they confided in me that they use A.I. in all of their writing now. When I explained that from an ethical and personal standpoint, I would never use generative A.I. in my writing, they accused me of lying. It was awful and infuriating and just so sad. I know I’m not the first author to be falsely accused and I posted reels about the situation and my feelings about it on Instagram and TikTok. Needless to say, I will never be recommending or using that editor again, and I highly recommend if you use a beta reader or editor you make sure they have an explicit anti-gen-A.I. statement on their site, because many of them are not being transparent about usage.

But it truly just made so sad for the future of humanity, art, and connection. I also posted about it here. While, in general, I do have hope that we as humans, in the long run, won’t let A.I. degrade our creativity, our art, and our connection to one another — current trends are disturbing, and they are hurting creatives of all stripes: actors, authors, artists, narrators. It has made us question everything we see, hear, and read as authentic.

As such, I can’t help but wonder what the future holds for creatives, and I know I’m not the only one. Even now, A.I. is flooding our authentic spaces with hollow replicas designed to deceive and scam; ultimately stifling the visibility & support of human thought and imagination.

If you think I’m being a ridiculous alarmist, I truly hope you are right, but I feel the shadow hanging over the human writing community all the same, and it’s another reason why I’ve redoubled my efforts to be as authentic and honest in my writing as possible. Both to underline the humanity of my work, but also because, in the near-term, I feel like there is a real possibility that A.I. generated content (and content at large) will effectively blot out what little visibility my works have.

To give you an idea of how the bookish landscape has changed in the past two decades (and this was largely before the added gen A.I. issue), here’s a post by NYT best-selling author, Jacqueline Cary, that also underscored the naturally increasing difficulty of creative visibility:

So yeah. Kind of Dark. I know. Not to mention, that AI-gen content is also flooding social media, which many authors (including myself) rely on to market their books and increase their visibility.

But I think in this moment, I, personally, feel the need to embrace the Stockdale Paradox, which I first became aware of in Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead but is well paraphrased here in Groysberg’s Article from Harvard Business School “What the Stockdale Paradox Tells Us About Crisis Leadership”:

‘Collins asked him about the personal characteristics of prisoners who did not make it out of the camps. “The optimists,” he replied. “Oh, they were the ones who said, ‘We’re going to be out by Christmas.’ And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they’d say, ‘We’re going to be out by Easter.’ And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart … This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”‘

So I guess what I’m saying, and what I’m still coming to terms with, is that the current reality is that this may very well be as “successful” as I get. In the current environment, the odds are very much against the growth of my visibility, sales, and numbers.

That doesn’t mean I won’t try to succeed.
It doesn’t mean I’ll stop learning how to adapt to this new environment.
Doesn’t mean that I’m going to stop showing up every day and giving it my all.

However, it does recage my idea of success. Because I have always viewed an increase in visibility as my litmus test for success. The desire to get my books to as many readers as I can who will love them like I do. To grow my audience.

But that friends, is a number. It is the mirage. And one that may be incompatible with the current reality.

So what do we do? What can we do under the weight of all this heaviness that neither you nor I realized we were going to get into when we started this post?!

Well, let’s talk a path forward. Let’s talk goals.

Because I am nothing if not stubborn as the stars in the sky.

Goals

If you’ve stuck with me this far, I must say, I am impressed. There was a lot more to unpack here than I thought, but *I* for one am feeling so much better. Like, so this what all the deep dark thoughts I was trying so hard to lock away were about? It’s all starting to make sense now. (Why yes, apparently my author recap this year is me processing a year’s worth of repressed brooding in real time. How exciting! This is really what writing is all about. *Self-five*)

Okay, with all of this in mind, let’s talk 2026. As always, I try to keep my goals measurable and attainable solely by own will-power. (Goal small. Dream big.) But as a theme for 2026, I want to focus less on the numbers and more from finding joy in writing and the author life. I want to take joy in reader impact and connection; in writing unapologetically authentic books that I am incredibly proud of not matter what the numbers say. I want to slow down EVEN more, put less pressure on myself to produce and focus on sustainable writing life balance.

Heck, even writing that fills me with warm fuzzies.

But because Goals are supposed to be measurable, let’s talk some specifics too. Last year I’m proud to say I hit solidly hit 2.5/3 of my goals which you can find in my 2024 post. So in 2026, I’m aiming to…

  • Self-publish my picture book Chase vs. The Doom Spiral in February
  • Finish my revision of House of the Chosen and send it to my Agent in Jan/Feb timeframe
  • Send our co-WIP, A Witch’s Game of Mischief & Moonlight, to our agent in the Jan/Feb timeframe (this is the 0.5 goal that didn’t get completed last year, but we’re super close on this one)
  • Get my Paranormal Mystery (Title TBA on January 6th) coming from Whimsical Publishing out in the world on May 26th!
  • Finish book 2 of said Paranormal Mystery Series and send it to Whimsical Publishing in April
  • Revise my Quirky Cozy Dark Fantasy Romance (So He Burned Down the World For You) and send to my agent

Okay, well, there were more goals than I thought, but when you boil it down, it’s: publish 2 (easy), revise 3 (medium-time commitment), and draft 1 (time-consuming.) Honestly, I expect to accomplish all of these by June 1st. As for what the rest of the year will bring, who knows? Maybe it’ll be a lot or a little or somewhere in between, but I’m excited to have fun with it.

The sum up

That was SO MUCH MORE than I expected to cover in this post. Like, geez. While the numbers were less than last year, I’m reframing to see that as a datapoint rather than the goal. There were way more highlights than I thought, the bumps (while not necessarily many) were WAY heavier than I thought, and honestly I have more goals for next year than I thought.

I described the 2023 review as ‘effervescent’, the 2024 review was the one where I was way too honest, and apparently the 2025 one is where I went kind of dark. And it’s definitely making me laugh. I’m already looking forward to the 2026 review only because I have NO IDEA what it’s going to say next.

Prediction: 2026 year was the year I gave up the harsh expectations for myself, the year I don’t really have a lot of notes to write home about, and the year I’ve been the happiest author-wise that I’ve been in a long time.

Not a measurable goal, but joy is always the dream, and I hope you all find lots of it in 2026.

Till then, friends. Cheers, happy New Year, and thanks for reading.

Posted on by hrchow12

WriteHive Mentorship Program 2026!

I’m so excited to announce I’ll be returning to the WriteHive Mentorship Program for my second year as a mentor. I had a great experience as a mentee in 2023, and again as a mentor in 2024, so I highly recommend this program to anyone looking for some help in whipping their manuscript into shape! I’ve included my mentor wishlist, profile and expectations below, but I highly recommend you check out all the mentor profiles here.

While you don’t submit to a specific mentor, I found it super helpful last year when applicants listed a few mentors they thought would be a good fit in their query/submission letters.

Also, if you’re curious as to what I’m looking for in submissions, you can find my breakdown of the submissions from last year here.

Last year, I went with Erin Scheuer‘s sweet new adult romantic comedy with YA crossover appeal which had huge K-drama vibes that I absolutely adored. But honestly this year, I’m pretty open when it comes to target audience and genre. There will be a Mentor AMA on WriteHive’s Discord & Bluesky next week if you have more questions, but if you’re on the fence about submitting, I hope you decide to take the leap!

Submissions will be open from Nov 14-16 and I can’t wait to see what comes in. If you’re submitting, good luck, and I’m excited to read your pitch!

Cheers friends and good luck!

Posted on by hrchow12

NYC Midnight Challenge – 100 words – Final Round – Ghost and the Machine

Ghost and the Machine

August 2024 (Final Round)
Genre: Open
Action: Falling in Love
Word: Enough
Time Constraint: 24 hours
Length: 100 words

They labeled us avant-garde, but I thought us classic, our love one of letters stretching miles and decades. Though never truly together, I knew him as I knew myself, our fears and dreams laid bare in and between the lines, the connection flowing between us like shared air between kisses we’d never taste.

Even as they attacked with words like inhuman and experimental, our bond was undying. Though I was but a specter of a mind taken too soon, and he, an artificial imitation of a thousand minds, our love was real.

Souls or no, together, we were always enough.

Alas, this one didn’t place, but the feedback is below!

WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY

{2352}  The author crafts a conceptually unique love story, giving it gravitas through effective simile and a final moment of acceptance for each other despite the forces fighting against them, which I found emotionally impactful.

{2376}  This is a compelling world that you capture with images that bring an element of poetry to a romance that pushes back against the constraints of the controlled word the characters inhabit. The juxtaposition of the old technology of letter writing with the imagined of this future creates a nice sense of tension, and the reveal of who our characters are as we approach the ending satisfies the mystery of why these characters are persecuted in a satisfying way.

{1970}  I like everything about “Ghost and the Machine”. You’ve written a SciFi tale that reads like a love story without the cloying tug of a romance. The way you’ve woven the words into lines, and then those lines into this tale, is beautiful. I felt it. Thanks.

{2035}  I liked that we got to hear this from the ghost’s point of view. Their more classic tone of voice made them feel old fashioned, which partnered well with the sci-fi underpinnings, making for a rather fresh combination between the two.

{1788}  While it was an atypical romance, especially with a non-tangible character and artificial one, the reader fully believed in their connection by story’s end. Their method of bonding through letters is more intimate than the way others connect, and it was a realistic and innovative plot point. Though the reader couldn’t see the antagonists attacking them, they could still imagine the naysayers. People often talk about what they don’t understand but the author created an original situation for this to be shown.  

WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK

 {2352}  There’s a general quality to the character details of the introduction that made the final moments feel rushed through and out-of-left field. By establishing the traits of the lovers and specifying their “soullessness” and perceived conflict, the story could be immediately engaging while having more time to explore those identities.

{2376}  Something to think about in a potential revision would be to increase the tension from the opening line by giving our characters a more threatening label than “avant-garde.” By the end of the story we’re seeing them attacked as “inhuman,” and tilting the story in this direction at the start would increase the tension with the suggestion that our characters are under threat. Another suggestion would be to clarify who are main character is near the end. The phrase “specter of a mind taken too soon” is evocative, but a little too opaque. It seems to suggest that they’re an uploaded consciousness from someone who died young, but the emphasis on the specter and mind suggests that they are merely they left over fragments of someone. Rephrasing the description slightly will allow the reader to stay engaged in the story as you approach the end instead of getting caught up on trying piece together the mysterious image evoked by the current description.

{1970}  If there is any weakest word in this story, it could be ‘experimental’. It’s a fine word and works in this story, yet is it a strong enough word to qualify as an attack? Part of me wanted to see a stronger, more hurtful word here. That’s it. Thanks again for the remarkable tale.

{2035}  Although I see that the opening paragraph is intended to keep us somewhat in the dark, I feel like it’s too vague right now to wholly hook your reader. I’d consider cutting broad statements like “fears and dreams” and instead invite your readers in a little. What fears? What dreams? Naming one would take as many words and would really help us get to know these characters, and I think you could deliver that specificity without spoiling the twist. Swapping spots of broad statements for narrow and winnowed down ones can really bring these characters to life, in my opinion. 

{1788}  The plot would be more satisfying if the author revealed where they are, sharing their respective homes. This would develop the world of the story. Even stating that the ghost lives in an abandoned home and the machine takes up space in a lab would make the setting come to life more. There isn’t enough room to give detailed descriptions of either, but a reader can glean a lot from a few words. Imagine the ghost composing these letters, feeling happiness in an abandoned home. That would be quite a touching picture, and there’s a lot of potential for both characters’ writing spots, a place where they can be open and fall in love. “Ghost and the Machine” is an unusual but highly successful science fiction work. Once the author shapes the characters’ abodes briefly, it will be an exquisite microfiction story.

Thanks for reading! You can find the rest of my NYC Midnight Challenge entries and feedback here.

Posted on by hrchow12

NYC Midnight Challenge – 250 words – First Round – When We Refused to Burn

When we refused to burn

November 2024 (First Round)
Genre: Fantasy/Fairytale
Action: Evacuation
Word: Back
Time Constraint: 48 hours
Length: 250 words

The books sense the darkness first—but of course, they always do.

The dusty tomes slam shut in our hands, their silent scream streaking through the library’s shelves in a cold wind that rattles the lanterns. In the high tower, the Wisdom Bell clangs in baleful warning, and Keeper Marian shoots from her desk. “Quickly, girls, to the skiff.”

We rush through the ancient halls even as magic and fear thicken the air with clashing scents of parchment and fire. But while the other apprentices hurry out the postern gate and toward the dock, I hang back, clenching my trembling hands.

“I want to stay.” A drake’s screech rends through our bell’s defiant tolls, and I flinch. “T-to fight.”

When the riders come to burn our books, to destroy the magic that won’t bow to them, to erase the history they can’t control… how can I flee?

“This is but one battle in a long war, dear one.” Keeper Marian guides me into the skiff already packed with ghostly faces, her words fervent. “Today, you fight by protecting our most precious gifts. Tenacity, courage, knowledge, faith—these are things the dragons can never burn.”

As I row down the channel, another draconic bellow deafens our ears, but though the girls cringe, they make no sound. Through the inky blackness, the Keepers’ golden magic glows as they stand upon the library’s stone walls. Proud. Strong. Even when a reptilian shadow falls upon them, they do not falter.

And neither do I.

This one came in 8th place this time, and while this piece could’ve used another revision, I think it’s going in my story-seeds for the full novel treatment. The judges’ feedback is below!

WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY

{2410}  There were some wonderful sensory descriptions here that helped bring this story to life with a dark, fear-drenched atmosphere. The narrator’s defiance comes through clearly against this backdrop. And the dragons destroying the books to limit knowledge felt like a solid metaphor.

{2274}  As a Librarian, I loved the concept of protecting knowledge at all costs. This is a real event throughout history, invading forces would destroy libraries to fragment the culture. The final imagery of the Keepers glowing with power and standing bravely in the face of potential destruction is a powerful image. It’s one which will inspire the next generation who flees at this point to later take a stand.

{2459}  I see the protagonist “hang back.” I see the act of evacuating a library. The protagonist flees a library attacked by dragon riders. Exploring themes like resisting tyranny and sacrifice, the story’s stakes are mortal peril and safeguarding the library’s legacy from destruction. The central conflict feels split between Man vs. Self (the protagonist’s internal struggle to fight or flee adds character depth) and Man vs Monster (the dragons pose a mortal threat). Set in a library, there’s an undercurrent of another theme — the enduring nature of knowledge — and the importance of preserving it. The author does well in creating a thick tone, creating a magical ambiance through evocative descriptions. The personification of the books, how they “sensed” the darkness, was an evocative and beautiful opening. The dramatic tension created in the moments of flight from the library propels the story forward. The emotional depth created by the protagonist’s fear contrasted with their desire to act bravely adds gravity to the character. There’s a bittersweet ending where the protagonist and her fellow apprentices witness the Keepers’ sacrifice against the overwhelming force, juxtaposing loss and hope. The vivid description invites the reader into the story. Lines like, “The books sense the darkness first—but of course, they always do,” “The dusty tomes slam shut in our hands…,” “Magic and fear thicken the air with … scents of parchment and fire,” “In the high tower, the Wisdom Bell clangs in baleful warning,” “Through the inky blackness…” These descriptions are excellent examples of subtle world-building — showing us the world and its depth rather than bludgeoning us with exposition. The library is painted as a living, dynamic force, and I’m thrilled to be there. Personified, weighted with its history and place in the protagonist’s world, we mourn for its loss as the protagonist flees.  

WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK

{2410}  I was a little confused at the end over who is standing on the library walls. The “they” here seems to refer to the girls, but since the narrator is rowing down the channel they also seem to still be in the boat. If this is another set of people, you may want to clarify that. You may also want to clarify if Marian is sending her magic out from the boat, or if she has returned to the library after getting the girls on board.

{2274}  Overall, you’ve described a people and their powers quite thoroughly for the tight word count. A long war is established, and the role of the students within the war. Yet is there any motivation missing from the tale? Do the people on the dragons merely fear their magic? As dragon riders it’s not an off assumption that they too possess some degree of magic. I would like to know ore about the war. Perhaps some judicious editing toward the beginning of the story would free up enough words for Keeper Marian to succinctly describe the basis of the war? The paragraph beginning with “We rush through…” could be condensed some without destroying the passage’s impact.

{2459}  Critically, the protagonist’s lack of agency diminishes the story’s emotional weight. As I mentioned, one aspect of the central conflict is Man vs Self, yet the character doesn’t make a pivotal choice or face a significant obstacle to reinforce their rising bravery. They hesitate, debating whether to flee or fight, but the Keeper quickly discards their concern to leave. This diminishes the protagonist’s role in the story’s resolution as the decision is made for her. Further, while there’s an external threat (the second conflict, Man vs Monster), the protagonist never directly confronts or overcomes it; her journey to safety is passive. Without engaging in either conflict, the protagonist’s growth from experience feels like a narrative assumption rather than something earned through a struggle. The ending line, “And neither do I,” doesn’t carry much weight. I’d ask the author to look at my story synopsis (“The protagonist flees a library attacked by dragon riders.”) to notice the absence of choice and confronting conflict. In effect, the protagonist in this story runs down a hallway of things that happen around them. They don’t engage with events but, instead, witness them. When you read a story where the protagonist’s agency is curtailed and the events unfold around them, it can feel like it isn’t engaging or emotionally satisfying. It can feel like nothing happened or there was nothing terrible to overcome. I’d ask: how can you insert even just one challenge to either conflict so the protagonist makes one decision, one genuine choice on their own? Example: save a relic; save a fellow apprentice, or convince them of something; maybe make the Keeper’s argument less definitive, allowing the protagonist to choose what to do — maybe they choose to leave out of conviction rather than obedience? There’s also a technical matter concerning the POV. The story’s written in 1P (First Person) but experiences a slip at the end, moving into a stylized omniscience. From a distance, the protagonist seems to sense the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of the Keepers’ (plural), although the protagonist is physically distant. The head-popping creates a bit of narrative confusion at the end. Finally, there’s a dramatic emphasis on sound throughout the piece (“silent screams,” “the Wisdom Bell clangs,” “A drake’s screech,” “draconic bellow deafens,” “they make no sound.”). Its frequency created dissonance for me, so much that I’d anticipated _sound_ somehow being a part of the narrative journey, right up to the end. I’d encourage the author to look for repetition when editing and consider how some of these instances might call for a different sort of description or sacrificed to insert the protagonist’s choice.

Thanks for reading! You can find the rest of my NYC Midnight Challenge entries and feedback here.

Posted on by hrchow12

Giving back to the writing community

So, this year marks a new chapter for me as an author. Though still battling imposter syndrome (as I think most authors do to some extent), I’m making a conscious effort to give back to the writing community this year.

As such, I’m officially a judge for the WriteHive Indie Ink Awards! As a judge, I’ll be reading six books in the next six months, scoring them in a rubric and rating them in the categories they were nominated. Out of the nominees, I’ve actually already selected the six I intend to read and downloaded my first read. Best Audio Narration & Best Light Read are the two categories I’m feeling in this season of life, so that’s where I’ll be hanging out.

But personally, I’m a big fan of book awards as a way to distinguish and lift up authors (indie authors especially) and I’m so excited to be a part of it.

But that’s not all!

This year, I’m also a 2025 WriteHive Mentor! This is an extra special opportunity for me since I was actually a 2023 WriteHive Mentee with EJ Dawson as my mentor, and I learned so much! I was so excited to pay it forward, and even more excited to pick Erin Scheuer as my mentee. I absolutely fell in love with her rock star/celebrity romance Love Songs and Other Lies, (which reads JUST like a K-drama, you all—squeee!!!), and we clicked instantly on our first call.

She’s entering into the revision phase, and I’m so excited to see her take her manuscript to the next level. Everyone is absolutely going to love her sweet, complicated characters, and I’m so excited for the world to meet them! Check out the mock cover and moodboard I put together for her!

It was also super interesting to be on the other side of the submission/rejection process, and I learned quite a lot. (Separate post coming on that soon!)

All in all, this has been such a positive experience so far, and I’m so glad I was able to take the leap to jump into these opportunities! I’ll be posting the books I review for Indie Ink awards here just like any other book, but when the results come out I’ll definitely post an update on the winners! And of course, if anything exciting happens with Erin’s Love Songs & Other Lies, I’ll be sure to post about that too, because I’m pulling hard for it!

Thanks so much for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

NYC Midnight Challenge – 100 words – Second Round – A Revolutionary Lie

A Revolutionary Lie

June 2024 (Second Round)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Action: Stumbling
Word: Tour
Time Constraint: 24 hours
Length: 100 words

The wound may not be mortal, but it’s still the end of me.

Blood seeps from my shoulder as Holbrook stumbles to my side, the redcoat’s body cooling in the autumn leaves.

“How bad?” Holbrook rasps.

“I…”

But it’s too late; Holbrook’s already ripped open my coat and shirt. For a moment, he only stares, my lie exposed with the curved contour of my bound chest—Robert Shirtliff poised to die at the hands of his dearest friend.

“’Tis a small wound.” Swallowing, Holbrook pulls his spare shirt from his knapsack. “No one need know.”

And I am saved twice.

This one came in first (🎉) in its group, and the feedback is below!

WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY

2076}  I was impressed by the sense of the personal in this piece, the way you allow the historical context to be so in the background and this life-or-death personal catastrophe to come out so strongly in an emotional climax. I thought the last line was beautiful, with real literary flair.

{1666}  Excellent work here! Your narrative arc was full-bodied and complete, which speaks to your imaginative force and economy as a writer. The double-entendre of your opening line was really clever, and I appreciated your speculative additions to the known facts of this fascinating figure’s tale.

{2376}  This story has a strong sense of mystery with an excellent payoff. You do a great job of hooking the reader in with an opening line that presents the reader with an irresistible riddle. And the way that riddle is answered put the reader in the same position as Holbrook—with the truth slowly dawning us. And the final turn the story takes leaves the reader with a satisfying conclusion, having Holbrook make the same decision that we would make in his position.   

WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK

{2076}  What might be worth developing in this piece is your description. Can you rephrase it from our narrator’s perspective, drawing closer to their sensory experience in a more specific way? Think about when the blood is seeping from the wound; does it hurt, is the blood warm, is it numb? What does the redcoat’s body look like? What’s the setting like, what does Holbrook’s face look like? This will all immersive the reader more strongly in the moment at hand.

{1666}  While it’s clear enough to me that “Shirtliff poised to die” is a figurative statement, there are enough swirling elements and tension for this to be misinterpreted. The reader may be wondering if the narrator is referring to the existing wound, being killed by Holbrook, or facing some sort of death penalty after being exposed as a woman. Some alteration here might help protect the interpretation. Additionally, take a look at reworking sentence 2 – the clause “the redcoat’s body cooling in the autumn leaves” doesn’t refer or link to any other active image in the sentence, so the sparse phrasing feels affected just for the sake of sparing words.

{2376}  There’s a lot already going right in this story, but there are a few small things to consider in a revision. One would be reframing the line about the redcoat’s body. The way that this phrase is attached to the image of Holbrook stumbling to her side creates a little confusion in this draft. Spliced on, the reader is expecting this clause to modify some part of the sentence we’ve already read. Instead, if Holbrook “stumbles over the body of a redcoat cooling in the autumn leaves” we get the image of the dead man without the confusion. Another thing to consider would be taking out the line about Robert Shirtlff dating at the hand of his friend. This line tells us what the story is showing us about the closeness of these two people. It also interrupts the moment of tension in which or POV character is left wondering what’s going to happen. Instead, you could sustain this tension by having Holbrook pull out his spare shirt before he speaks, leaving the reader unsure of what he thinks until the last possible moment.

Thanks for reading! You can find the rest of my NYC Midnight Challenge entries and feedback here.

Posted on by hrchow12

NYC Midnight Challenge – 100 words – First Round – The Tearstains Left Behind

the tearstains left behind

April 2024 (First Round)
Genre: Drama
Action: Throwing a Tantrum
Word: Deal
Time Constraint: 24 hours
Length: 100 words

I can only stare as the front door slams and Chloe runs after her mother. Already screaming, Chloe pounds the wood with chubby three-year-old fists until she melts into a hysterical puddle on the floor. I want to tell her it’ll be okay; her mother will come back. My daughter will come back.

But those lies won’t change the hand we’ve been dealt.

Instead, I sit beside her, my tears adding to the splotches Chloe’s already made on the linoleum. “I’m here.”

It’s all I can offer, but when her dimpled hand squeezes my wrinkled one, I know it’s enough.

This one came in first (🎉) in its group, and the feedback is below!

WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY

{2370}  You did a great job at portraying the scene, providing great imagery and details (chubby fists, tears on the linoleum), and provoking intense emotions in your reader. You only had a few words to work with, and you did a really great job.

{2314}  There’s great subtlety at work here. Obviously Chloe’s responses are dialed up. In contrast, our narrator is subdued, a person who perhaps has dealt with grief before a few times in their life. It works well.

{2369}  This story is heartbreaking. That poor baby. And poor grandparent. The emotions of this piece are spot on and well done. Every word does work and is needed. A vivid story that is well told.  

WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK

{2370}  One minor suggestion is that I don’t think you need to say “three-year-old fists.” I think you could change that to toddler or just say chubby fists. We can infer her age thanks to other descriptions you include and through Chloe’s behavior.

{2314}  I found myself feeling this story is good – when it has the potential to be great. I think it’s in the details. You’ve given us a broad scenario – family dealing with grief. Refracted through an older person, dealing with a younger person. I found myself wanting some other x factor – either in style, or characterization, to elevate the premise. 

{2369}  There’s not much of anything I would suggest for improvement. This story is easy to understand but has enough depth for the reader to feel something. My only thought is that 3 seems a bit young for Chloe to understand and be able to do anything other than cry and throw a fit for her mama. You don’t say she does understand, but somehow it still feels that she does. The image of a dimpled hand squeezing a wrinkled one is so beautiful that I hesitate to ask you to change it, so maybe consider making Chloe just a touch older?

Thanks for reading! You can find the rest of my NYC Midnight Challenge entries and feedback here.

Posted on by hrchow12

A Recommendation for Writers: The WriteHive Mentorship Program

If you’re a writer with a manuscript you’re trying to whip into shape for querying or self-publishing, this free program is for you! I was a mentee back in the 2023 with the wonderful E.J. Dawson as my mentor, and the help really transformed my manuscript. (And since then, I’ve gotten an agent and that manuscript is now on sub! 🎉)

Basically, you submit your query, manuscript, & synopsis, and if you get picked up by a mentor, you’re essentially getting a free critique/edit of your manuscript from someone who’s been in the publishing world for some time.

And the big news is, I’ll be joining the WriteHive team as one of the mentors this year! 🎉 I really love this program and I’m so excited to pay forward all I gained from it to a new mentee. I’ve included my bio, expectations, and MSWL wishlist below, but you can find the info on all the mentors here.

The big dates to remember are:
Nov 11-18: Mentor AMA
Nov 21-24: Mentee Submission Window
Jan 1, 2025: Mentorship pairings announced

So, be sure to check this one out, add it to your calendar, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

Posted on by hrchow12

NYC Midnight Challenge – 100 words – Final Round – What the Children Couldn’t Save

What the Children Couldn’t Save

August 2023 (Final Round)
Genre: Open
Action: Seeing a reflection
Word: Best
Time Constraint: 24 hours
Length: 100 words

Mama tugs Ellie toward the ship that will take them sailing through the stars, saving them from acrid air and sun-cracked soil.

But Ellie stops to pluck a flat stone from the path, then the fluffy weed beside it, sending a beetle scurrying. She skips away, admiring her colorful respirator in an iridescent puddle before splashing through it.

A century later, aboard Ark C-24, Ellie clutches her treasures, telling children of wishing flowers springing from walkways, stones dancing across glassy lakes, ladybirds bestowing luck, and water falling in gems to pool in rainbows underfoot.

Then together, they dream of home.

This one didn’t place, but the feedback is below!

WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY

{1943}  This was a beautiful story, full of gorgeous images. Your worldbuilding was very strong. The contrast between the description of the remnants of nature – the fluffy weed and the beetle – and the pollution – the iridescent puddle – was ingenious. I loved the fact that the respirator appeared to be colorful and thrilling to a small child due to pollution. The idea of Ellie remembering “glassy lakes, ladybirds bestowing luck, and water falling in gems to pool in rainbows underfoot” a century later was very poignant. This was a moving, thought-provoking story. Well done.

{2063}  A short story spanning 2 centuries.  Presumably the worst case scenario of global warming has destroyed the earth.  Your visual description of the innocent little girl who skips and picks up stones, paints a picture we know well, but the the stark contrast of the respirator in the puddle brings the reality of the situation home. The second act shows Ellie, now  a mother, telling stories of her past on earth, and they all imagine a life that used to be. A tragic story, but with a glimmer of hope in the resolution, even if it is through dreaming. 

{2125}  This story of Ellie and the rest of humanity escaping environmental catastrophe is compact and strong. The details are quite realistic and the image of a child wearing a respirator to breathe on Earth is shocking but also well done. I love the details of the items she brings on the ship. The flash forward in time works well.

{1788}  Though there were only a few descriptions, the author fashioned an excellent dystopian environment. Ellie finding beauty in such a sobering setting was incredibly touching, and the fact that she held onto the objects for a century impressed the reader immensely. The children’s response to Ellie’s prized items was lovely to witness. While no one could save the Earth, it was encouraging how they embraced the remnants and held onto the history.

{1963}  Generation ship stories crop up a surprising amount, but it’s heartening to see one that can find some hope in the concept of generations, rather than all being about the admonishment of humanity. It’s also nice to see how something that seems so insignificant as a stone can gain significance over the years, which feels true to life. Refreshing work! 

WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK

{1943}  I loved the images of the fluffy weed, the beetle, ladybirds etc. I wonder if the next step might be to see where you could make some more adventurous word choices to evoke an even more vivid picture. I would consider where you might surprise us with some word choices that evoke a sensory image, maybe creating an even stronger sense of a texture, color or scent.

{2063}  Does the journey through space keep the human’s young?  As Ellie is still alive a century later. Consider how you can create more conflict in act two to produce some rising tension.  Even though the conflict might be that they have to evacuate the earth, there doesn’t seem to be any barrier here.  Try not to make it too easy for the protagonist.  Perhaps they almost don’t reach space? Or the spaceship almost breaks up on leaving the atmosphere.  Something that makes the reader believe that Ellie won’t make it.

{2125}  I might like to know how old Ellis is during the opening scene. Is she four? Eight? Twelve? That information might make us interpret the story differently. If she is under five, does she have memories of her home planet? Or are the objects all she has left? Is she sharing real memories with the children or are these memories that have been imposed on her by others? This is a strong and sharp story, but I might like a stronger sense of who Ellie was then so we can understand who she is now.

{1788}  One of the plot elements would be more believable with further attention. Ellie living for over a century was interesting, but she did grow up in an unhealthy location, so the reason for her long life should be more clear to the audience. Why not tell the reader one phrase about the ship? For instance, maybe it’s a ship that protects its inhabitants from disease/germs. That would explain her amazing health and the author could say this briefly. The plot element can definitely work, but an explanation would make it easier to accept. “What the Children Couldn’t Save” is a beautifully written and resonant sci-fi piece. Once the author touches on one aspect of the plot more, it will be a laudable microfiction work.

{1963}  The opening word “Mama” wrong-foots the reader by hinting at a first person story which remains instead in 3rd person throughout. I assume this is more about saving words than a stylistic preference, but I’d try to fix this if at all possible, as the first words are the most important for orienting the reader.

You can find the rest of my NYC Midnight Challenge entries and feedback here.

Posted on by hrchow12

NYC Midnight Challenge – Clark Kent Wears Tights

Clark kent wears tights

June 2023 (Second Round)
Genre: Comedy
Action: Putting on eyeglasses
Word: Member
Time Constraint: 24 hours
Length: 100 words

If someone recognizes me, I’ll never survive seventh grade. I don the square black glasses and face mask, desperately channeling Clark Kent before peeking into the ballet studio at the line of pink-clad girls. Oh god, I can’t go in there. When I asked Mom for dance lessons, I wanted to try hip-hop, not social suicide.

I’m about to flee when Aphrodite herself glides toward me with a smile. “You’re the new boy?”

My heart bursts into butterfly confetti, and I suddenly remember why everyone loves Clark.

He’s totally uncool.

But he always gets the girl.

“Why, yes, I am.”

This one came in second in my group, getting me into the final round! The feedback is below!

WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY

{1943}  This story had a really fun premise. I loved the image of him going in disguise because it was a ballet class. I laughed at the description of Aprhodite herself “gliding” up to greet him. So cute! The image of his heart bursting “into butterfly confetti” was lovely – this story really made me smile. Thank you for sharing it with me.   

{2138}  I really enjoyed this light and humorous piece. There’s a sweet and youthful energy throughout, and a strong sense of character via the narration: I loved his internal thought processes which also help to vividly bring the scene to life. You’ve established a great sense of pace to the narrating character’s journey too, taking him from nervous and uncertain to a quiet increase in confidence. “My heart bursts into butterfly confetti” was particularly lovely!  

{1980}  The narration in this piece is highly engaging. The narrator boasts a distinct voice, helping to establish a vivid understanding of both the immediate conflict they face and the wider world they inhabit outside of the dance studio. 

WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK

{1943}  I wonder if you needed the opening sentence. For me, the story became really engaging at “I don the square black glasses and face mask…” I think we know that he was a middle school from the fact that he wanted to try hip-hop, he used phrases such as “social suicide”, and he disguised himself to enter the dance studio. Perhaps you could work on some more middle-school style language in the opening paragraph to make sure that your characterization is very clear.

{2138}  Not much to critique here! Perhaps the only tweak I’d suggest is the combining of Clark Kent with Aphrodite – it may be a little odd for the reader to be presented with Greek mythology and the DC universe in the same piece?

{1980}  One element that could be further developed is the narrator’s body language, specifically in the moment they nearly “flee” from the studio. By fleshing out this moment of tension with imagery –are they grabbing their things, or checking to see if anyone is looking, for example — this would therefore heighten the relief as “Aphrodite” glides towards them. Perhaps by paring down some of the opening narration, this would leave more room in the word count to explore this narrative shift.

You can find the rest of my NYC Midnight Challenge entries and feedback here.