Hear How Jess Lourey Wrestled A Monkey To Write 20 Novels

How’s that for a headline? :) It was written by the fabulous women behind Game of Books, a podcast that combines writers and wine. You can hear the full interview here, but the heart of our discussion was fcoused on how challenging it is to write. I’m 20 books into my career and my most recent book, Unspeakable Things, is an Amazon Charts bestseller, selling 50,000 copies last month alone.

I’m not telling you that to brag. I’m telling you that so when I tell you that writing (if you’re doing it right) is hard, you know I know what I’m talking about. Sure, there are the days where all the words flow, and there’s nothing on this green earth like the feeling of getting a story right, but the self-doubt and subsequent struggle to put myself in the chair and write is real, and it’s there every morning, even 20 books into my career.

I’ve found only three things that make it easier: travel (a new, safe but inspiring environment is so empowering), a group of like-minded women (never underestimate peer pressure and female support, in equal measures), and time (which is another way of saying “permission to create”). That’s why I personally take at least one writing retreat a year, and I make time to lead two or three. There’s nothing like it to ground me and produce stories that heal and stories that sell.

How about you? What makes writing easier for you?

p.s. We just had a flurry of sign-ups for our May 2020 all-inclusive Colorado Writing Retreat, but we still have a few spots open. The retreat is open to all levels of writers (from the writer-curious to professional) and all styles of writing (trust me, it works; you will get what you need out of this retreat). There will be meditation in the am and pm, three hours of writing workshops in the morning, dedicated rest and writing time in the afternoon, plus a one-on-one session with me. Best of all? Someone else does all the cooking. A deposit of $710 holds your spot.