2026 is the year of more offline writing 💕

Finishing a book is terrifying.
Because then what? Then people might read it. Then you might fail. But fear isn't a stop sign. It's just proof that you're doing something that matters.
Finish your story. Even if it's messy. Even if it's not perfect. Because done is always better than unfinished. 💕

The beginning of a book? Exciting. The ending? Thrilling. The middle? Absolute chaos.
#booksky

I saw another writer celebrate a book deal today. Someone else hit 50K words in a week. And me? I stared at my draft, wondering why I’m so slow.
Comparison steals joy—if you let it. Your pace isn’t failure. Your timeline isn’t wrong. Keep writing; your book is unfolding right on time.

I’ve been knee-deep in revisions, and let me tell you, writing a stubborn witch and a broody necromancer in a murder mystery is the best kind of challenge. The tension. The banter. The lingering looks that neither of them will acknowledge. 🖤

I wrote a scene today, and it felt... wrong.
Clunky. Stiff. Nowhere near the vision I had in my head.
But I kept writing.
Because bad words can be fixed. Blank pages can't.
Perfection is a myth. Keep writing, even when it feels terrible. Future you will be grateful.

My forward drafting machine helps me get down anywhere between 1000-3000 at a time. It helps curb my tendency to edit as I write.

🕯️ Fog-drenched streets.
🔮 Secrets buried in blood.
💀 A man who speaks to the dead.
Would you dare walk the streets of Greymoor after dark? 🖤

Enemies-to-lovers with reluctant teamwork? Or found family with high-stakes tension?
My WIP has both, but if you had to choose… 👀

I’m deep in the writing process, weaving mystery, dark magic, and reluctant partnerships into something that feels right. If you love slow-burn tension, gothic atmosphere, and sharp banter, you’re in for a treat 🖤

What’s a book that pulled you in with its atmosphere alone?

The foundation of my novel is solidifying, and the early chapters are setting the stage for tension, mystery, and the reluctant entanglement between Bryony and Damien.

open.substack.com/pub/tlmackay...

This was a huge accomplishment 🥰 82k words for the book I want to read. A dark romantasy ✨✨