Olivia O’Ryan—Author
@oliviaoryanwrites.bsky.social
Writer/author—interested in authorship, author business, productivity, procrastination, building community and audience. #WriterThreads #BookThreads
Pinned
Ok introductions. Hi, I’m Olivia, and I used to work in corporate as a process documenter/engineer in relation to productivity.
I wanted to branch out into writing because as I quickly discovered in my career, the act/art of writing itself is a peculiar process and not one that can be “machined”.
I wanted to branch out into writing because as I quickly discovered in my career, the act/art of writing itself is a peculiar process and not one that can be “machined”.
What's your biggest excuse for not writing today? No judgment—just curiosity. Sometimes naming the obstacle is the first step to moving past it.
November 13, 2025 at 5:44 AM
What's your biggest excuse for not writing today? No judgment—just curiosity. Sometimes naming the obstacle is the first step to moving past it.
Start messy. Edit later. Just start. The blank page forgives everything. Your perfectionism doesn't.
November 13, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Start messy. Edit later. Just start. The blank page forgives everything. Your perfectionism doesn't.
The obstacle: "I'll start tomorrow." The solution: Tomorrow is today repeated. Start now. This moment is the only one you control.
November 13, 2025 at 3:12 AM
The obstacle: "I'll start tomorrow." The solution: Tomorrow is today repeated. Start now. This moment is the only one you control.
The obstacle: "I'll write when I have more time." The truth: You'll never have more time. Life doesn't get less busy. Start now.
November 13, 2025 at 2:33 AM
The obstacle: "I'll write when I have more time." The truth: You'll never have more time. Life doesn't get less busy. Start now.
The obstacle: Analysis paralysis. The solution: Pick one project. Commit to 20 minutes. Start. One choice. One commitment.
November 13, 2025 at 12:31 AM
The obstacle: Analysis paralysis. The solution: Pick one project. Commit to 20 minutes. Start. One choice. One commitment.
Twenty minutes a day equals 121 hours a year. That's a book. That's your book. The one you keep saying you'll write someday.
November 12, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Twenty minutes a day equals 121 hours a year. That's a book. That's your book. The one you keep saying you'll write someday.
You don't need motivation. You need a system that works when motivation doesn't. Habits carry you when feelings fail.
November 12, 2025 at 4:00 AM
You don't need motivation. You need a system that works when motivation doesn't. Habits carry you when feelings fail.
Write before you check your phone. Your thoughts deserve to come first. Let your own voice be the first one you hear today.
November 12, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Write before you check your phone. Your thoughts deserve to come first. Let your own voice be the first one you hear today.
What do you wish someone had told you about writing? That it's hard? That it matters? That you're capable? I'm telling you now.
November 12, 2025 at 2:31 AM
What do you wish someone had told you about writing? That it's hard? That it matters? That you're capable? I'm telling you now.
You don't need more time. You need permission to start small. Twenty minutes changes everything when you stop waiting for the perfect hour that never comes.
November 12, 2025 at 1:24 AM
You don't need more time. You need permission to start small. Twenty minutes changes everything when you stop waiting for the perfect hour that never comes.
What routine could you build around 20 minutes of writing? Before coffee? During lunch? After the kids sleep? Find the pocket that's yours.
November 11, 2025 at 5:55 AM
What routine could you build around 20 minutes of writing? Before coffee? During lunch? After the kids sleep? Find the pocket that's yours.
The page doesn't judge you. You do. The blinking cursor isn't mocking you—it's waiting patiently for whatever you have to offer.
November 11, 2025 at 4:12 AM
The page doesn't judge you. You do. The blinking cursor isn't mocking you—it's waiting patiently for whatever you have to offer.
Morning pages aren't about quality—they're about clearing the fog so you can see. Write to think. Write to process. Write to wake up.
November 11, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Morning pages aren't about quality—they're about clearing the fog so you can see. Write to think. Write to process. Write to wake up.
Time management myth: You need a full hour to make progress. Truth: 20 focused minutes beats distracted hours every single time.
November 11, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Time management myth: You need a full hour to make progress. Truth: 20 focused minutes beats distracted hours every single time.
If you had 20 uninterrupted minutes right now—no phone, no notifications, just you and the page—what would you write about? What's calling to you?
November 11, 2025 at 1:11 AM
If you had 20 uninterrupted minutes right now—no phone, no notifications, just you and the page—what would you write about? What's calling to you?
What's the smallest step you could take toward your writing today? Not the ideal step. The realistic one. The one you'll actually do.
November 10, 2025 at 2:52 AM
What's the smallest step you could take toward your writing today? Not the ideal step. The realistic one. The one you'll actually do.
Your future self will thank you for the 20 minutes you invest today. Every word is a deposit in the bank of your creative life.
November 9, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Your future self will thank you for the 20 minutes you invest today. Every word is a deposit in the bank of your creative life.
You don't need a writing retreat. You need 20 minutes and a door that closes. Magic happens in ordinary moments, not just mountaintop experiences.
November 9, 2025 at 6:56 PM
You don't need a writing retreat. You need 20 minutes and a door that closes. Magic happens in ordinary moments, not just mountaintop experiences.
What does your writing practice look like when you remove all expectations? When you're not writing to publish or impress? What emerges?
November 9, 2025 at 5:21 PM
What does your writing practice look like when you remove all expectations? When you're not writing to publish or impress? What emerges?
Writing isn't about talent. It's about showing up when you don't feel like it. When it's hard. When you'd rather do anything else.
November 9, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Writing isn't about talent. It's about showing up when you don't feel like it. When it's hard. When you'd rather do anything else.
What does "enough" look like for you as a writer? How will you know you've arrived? Maybe you're already there.
November 9, 2025 at 2:25 AM
What does "enough" look like for you as a writer? How will you know you've arrived? Maybe you're already there.
The obstacle: Comparison. The solution: Your story isn't theirs. Write yours. The world doesn't need another version of someone else.
November 9, 2025 at 12:08 AM
The obstacle: Comparison. The solution: Your story isn't theirs. Write yours. The world doesn't need another version of someone else.
The secret to finishing? Stop waiting to feel ready. Start before you're sure. Confidence comes from doing, not from feeling prepared.
November 8, 2025 at 9:11 PM
The secret to finishing? Stop waiting to feel ready. Start before you're sure. Confidence comes from doing, not from feeling prepared.
The obstacle isn't time—it's the belief that it has to be perfect. That first drafts should read like final ones. They don't. They never do.
November 8, 2025 at 5:30 PM
The obstacle isn't time—it's the belief that it has to be perfect. That first drafts should read like final ones. They don't. They never do.
What would your writing look like if you trusted yourself more? If you believed your voice mattered? Try it.
November 8, 2025 at 4:50 PM
What would your writing look like if you trusted yourself more? If you believed your voice mattered? Try it.