Jessica Gasbarro
@jessica-gasbarro.bsky.social
I am an aspiring children’s picture book writer, and I also run a free Substack blog that chronicles my mother’s life and the lives of the strong women in my family.
Pinned
I write personal narrative essays about family and emotional truth — and I share them weekly on Substack. I’m also working on a children’s picture book series about empathy and belonging.
Here for storytelling, process, and real conversations about writing.
What are you working on lately?
Here for storytelling, process, and real conversations about writing.
What are you working on lately?
I sat down to work on my next essay and immediately needed:
• tea
• a different chair
• a blanket
• a snack
• silence
• background noise
• emotional clarity
• a new pen
• a snack for after the snack
Anyway, I wrote one sentence.
How’s your productivity going today?
• tea
• a different chair
• a blanket
• a snack
• silence
• background noise
• emotional clarity
• a new pen
• a snack for after the snack
Anyway, I wrote one sentence.
How’s your productivity going today?
February 15, 2026 at 2:05 PM
I sat down to work on my next essay and immediately needed:
• tea
• a different chair
• a blanket
• a snack
• silence
• background noise
• emotional clarity
• a new pen
• a snack for after the snack
Anyway, I wrote one sentence.
How’s your productivity going today?
• tea
• a different chair
• a blanket
• a snack
• silence
• background noise
• emotional clarity
• a new pen
• a snack for after the snack
Anyway, I wrote one sentence.
How’s your productivity going today?
One of the most unexpected parts of publishing personal narrative work is realizing how much of writing is an act of collaboration with your reader.
Readers often engage with it in ways that reveal emotional layers I hadn’t fully articulated, even to myself.
Have you experienced this?
Readers often engage with it in ways that reveal emotional layers I hadn’t fully articulated, even to myself.
Have you experienced this?
February 14, 2026 at 10:45 AM
One of the most unexpected parts of publishing personal narrative work is realizing how much of writing is an act of collaboration with your reader.
Readers often engage with it in ways that reveal emotional layers I hadn’t fully articulated, even to myself.
Have you experienced this?
Readers often engage with it in ways that reveal emotional layers I hadn’t fully articulated, even to myself.
Have you experienced this?
I write personal narrative essays about family and emotional truth — and I share them weekly on Substack. I’m also working on a children’s picture book series about empathy and belonging.
Here for storytelling, process, and real conversations about writing.
What are you working on lately?
Here for storytelling, process, and real conversations about writing.
What are you working on lately?
February 14, 2026 at 4:32 AM
I write personal narrative essays about family and emotional truth — and I share them weekly on Substack. I’m also working on a children’s picture book series about empathy and belonging.
Here for storytelling, process, and real conversations about writing.
What are you working on lately?
Here for storytelling, process, and real conversations about writing.
What are you working on lately?
Some days writing feels like flying. Today felt like digging. Both still count. Progress doesn’t always feel inspiring while it’s happening.
Do you measure writing success by output or by showing up?
Do you measure writing success by output or by showing up?
February 14, 2026 at 1:03 AM
Some days writing feels like flying. Today felt like digging. Both still count. Progress doesn’t always feel inspiring while it’s happening.
Do you measure writing success by output or by showing up?
Do you measure writing success by output or by showing up?
Last night, I stared at my draft until it apologized and started behaving. Writing is mostly psychological warfare.
Does anyone else negotiate with their document?
Does anyone else negotiate with their document?
February 12, 2026 at 2:03 PM
Last night, I stared at my draft until it apologized and started behaving. Writing is mostly psychological warfare.
Does anyone else negotiate with their document?
Does anyone else negotiate with their document?
This morning I moved an essay from idea to interview notes — not glamorous work, but it’s where the story actually starts. Writing is mostly preparation disguised as procrastination.
What part of your creative process looks slow but is secretly essential?
What part of your creative process looks slow but is secretly essential?
February 11, 2026 at 2:45 PM
This morning I moved an essay from idea to interview notes — not glamorous work, but it’s where the story actually starts. Writing is mostly preparation disguised as procrastination.
What part of your creative process looks slow but is secretly essential?
What part of your creative process looks slow but is secretly essential?
A group of friends of mine and I are going to get together to do a Zoom “party” we’re calling “Slay the List.” the basic idea is we force (support) each other to finish a task or two that we’ve been putting off during the party. I think it’s going to be great.
Would you try something like this?
Would you try something like this?
February 11, 2026 at 4:27 AM
A group of friends of mine and I are going to get together to do a Zoom “party” we’re calling “Slay the List.” the basic idea is we force (support) each other to finish a task or two that we’ve been putting off during the party. I think it’s going to be great.
Would you try something like this?
Would you try something like this?
@booksky.club 📚💙
I am an aspiring children’s book writer, but I also run a free Substack where I post essays about the life stories of the strong women in my family. Check out the introductory post to see if it’s something that interests you. All feedback welcome.
open.substack.com/pub/jessicag...
I am an aspiring children’s book writer, but I also run a free Substack where I post essays about the life stories of the strong women in my family. Check out the introductory post to see if it’s something that interests you. All feedback welcome.
open.substack.com/pub/jessicag...
The Truth About Texas Women
Introduction
open.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 11:06 AM
@booksky.club 📚💙
I am an aspiring children’s book writer, but I also run a free Substack where I post essays about the life stories of the strong women in my family. Check out the introductory post to see if it’s something that interests you. All feedback welcome.
open.substack.com/pub/jessicag...
I am an aspiring children’s book writer, but I also run a free Substack where I post essays about the life stories of the strong women in my family. Check out the introductory post to see if it’s something that interests you. All feedback welcome.
open.substack.com/pub/jessicag...
I sent out my first batch of query letters to literary agents two weeks ago for my children’s book series. I’m already going stir crazy. What’s the best way to make use of my time while I’m waiting for responses?
February 10, 2026 at 10:15 AM
I sent out my first batch of query letters to literary agents two weeks ago for my children’s book series. I’m already going stir crazy. What’s the best way to make use of my time while I’m waiting for responses?
Reposted by Jessica Gasbarro
I'm going to talk about something personal for a sec, which I don't do here very often because I try to keep things bookish, but it relates to my upcoming Valentine's Day webinar. It's a bit ironic, but when I started planning Query Unrequited, my life was in a very different place. Now... 1/4
February 10, 2026 at 1:25 AM
I'm going to talk about something personal for a sec, which I don't do here very often because I try to keep things bookish, but it relates to my upcoming Valentine's Day webinar. It's a bit ironic, but when I started planning Query Unrequited, my life was in a very different place. Now... 1/4