{"id":6597,"date":"2026-10-20T09:10:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T13:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/20\/write-of-passage-your-lying-manuscript\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T09:10:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T13:10:00","slug":"write-of-passage-your-lying-manuscript","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/20\/write-of-passage-your-lying-manuscript\/","title":{"rendered":"Write of Passage: Your Lying Manuscript"},"content":{"rendered":"<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-6597-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/221212493\/8f00d146f62167c008fdd3e6bebbe930.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/221212493\/8f00d146f62167c008fdd3e6bebbe930.mp3\">https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/221212493\/8f00d146f62167c008fdd3e6bebbe930.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>Walter Mosley said it a month ago on a Zoom for The Center for Black Literature\u2019s<\/p><div id=\"vanes-2018782301\" class=\"vanes-content-2 vanes-entity-placement\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Advertisements\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/writing-resource-shop\/\" aria-label=\"Get Resources to Help Write Your Story-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Get-Resources-to-Help-Write-Your-Story-2.png?fit=532%2C197&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Get-Resources-to-Help-Write-Your-Story-2.png?w=532&ssl=1 532w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Get-Resources-to-Help-Write-Your-Story-2.png?resize=300%2C111&ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px\" width=\"532\" height=\"197\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Summer Series. And in his MasterClass. I say it all the time. To get your novel finished, you need to have your butt in a chair and write every day. Whom are you going to believe\u2014us or your lying unfinished manuscript<strong>?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Putting Yourself and Your Words First<\/p>\n<p><strong>When you\u2019ve written a lot of books, people want to know how you do it. They ask about plotting techniques. Are you a pantser? A planster? Do you bounce between scenes or write straight through? What craft books do you recommend? Are you a morning writer or an evening writer?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>All valid questions. I enjoy talking about the work.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But the advice I give that seems to generate the most consternation is this: write every day.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cNow, Vanessa. When you say every day, do you mean <\/strong><strong><em>every<\/em><\/strong><strong> day? Don\u2019t you take Sundays off? Don\u2019t you go on vacation? What about Christmas? Surely you take off for Christmas.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Some of you are already looking at your work calendars, making me your HR rep trying to get me to approve your days off.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s what I mean by writing every day: take those words as literally as you need to take them to establish, in your own mind and spirit, that your writing matters.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>You need to believe that writing deserves a respected place in your routine.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Your words don\u2019t always have to wait until another month of research. Until you read another craft book. It doesn\u2019t need to wait for a new, different notebook. You shouldn\u2019t have to wait for a weekend when nobody needs anything from you.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you\u2019ve allowed your writing life to build up excuses, forgive yourself. Begin anew. But let\u2019s begin with vigor and consistency.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But Write Every Day?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Yes, there are days when\u2014clutch the pearls\u2014I don\u2019t work on a manuscript. But I\u2019ve written something, probably an essay for a podcast. Hint, hint. Or a little reflection for social media. Or something in my journal.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Does that finish my novel?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>No. And I have to be honest with myself about that. A beautifully written caption will not resolve the emotional conflict or lack of tension I left my characters in three chapters ago.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But every bit of writing keeps my writing muscles taut. Stringing coherent words together are like calisthenics. Arranging sentences are yogo. Any attempt at trying to get what\u2019s in my head onto a page is a useful one. For me, daily writing makes returning to the manuscript easier.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m telling you that writing is a muscle. And I want mine limber and strong, ready to work when I need it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Have you ever joined a gym or bought exercise equipment?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In the beginning, there\u2019s so much excitement. You have plans. You have goals. You have sneakers.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Naturally, the sneakers need to be cute.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Maybe you buy athletic wear. A matching set. Something that announces you are a person who intends to take this exercise business seriously.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Then you do the workout.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And the next morning, your legs have questions. Parts of your body angrily ask what are you doing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Eventually, the excitement of buying the equipment and icy heat lotion wear off, and you have to decide whether you\u2019re going to keep at this.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Writing asks that question, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>You bought the notebook. You downloaded the software. You found the perfect pen, the best journal. But, will you return to the work when the first burst of excitement wears off? How about when a scene is difficult? What about when you see words on a page and none of it comes out bearing any resemblance to the beautiful ones you imagined?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>That\u2019s where I believe many stop, when they need their muscles to push through.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>This past week, I was at the Writing Sisters Summit, hosted by Nina Foxx, in Taos, New Mexico.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>The air was fresh. The mountains were magnificent. The dirt roads were scary.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I want to be clear: I appreciated the scenery. I have lingering questions about the roads.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But the sisterhood at the treat was amazing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Wanda Morris, Pamela Samuels Young, Sheila Williams, and I joined the faculty, bringing our experiences to a vibrant group of women writing across genres and at different stages of their careers. Some were working toward their first books. Others had been at this for years.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>We had time to talk about the writing and industry challenges. To ask questions and stay for the answers. To hear someone describe a struggle and recognize a little of our own.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And yes, I got up early. I know. Another revelation.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I walked the trails outside, feeling the crisp morning air on my cheeks. There was a slight breeze that smelled of sage. I took pictures, lots of pictures. I want to remember and treasure this experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Then I switched from my camera to my Notes app and dictated thoughts about the project I\u2019m working on.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>A phrase. A possibility. Something I was beginning to understand about the next new book.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>That counts, boys and girls.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Was it the most productive writing session of my life? Word count-wise, no.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But I was able to work out and articulate the premise of my next book. Something I\u2019d been reaching for became clear. I captured it and brought it home.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>That is useful work. That\u2019s words in a Note.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>My notes and journals are not a polished exhibit of perfect syntax and amazing grammar. There can be pages of disconnected phrases. Somethings will only make sense only to me. My daughter has license to destroy certain documents when I\u2019m gone so your vision of me and being literate will be preserved.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m being humorous, but I want you to understand that my daily writing isn\u2019t perfect writing, sometimes it\u2019s not good writing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A scene may begin as a few lines of dialogue. A character\u2019s motivation may show up as something different than my outline. You may write a paragraph and realize the only sentence you need is the last one. It\u2019s okay to write the paragraph to find it. That why editing and revision are powerful.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But every word and thought dump in my daily writing <\/strong>moves me closer to a completed project.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I think we struggle to write because we want prove that our writing is brilliant, and we\u2019re setting up that moment to share with someone. That is too much pressure. And it\u2019s unfair to you and your words.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Daily writing for me, has taken away that pressure. I\u2019m asking for words. Brilliance will come with editing and revision. And truthfully, the word the end needs to come before I start editing.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Let me take a moment to say, sign up for word time. Find a writing retreat. If you can make it work, take the mini vacation. Plan the staycation. Find a local hotel with good room service\u2014or reliable delivery\u2014and give yourself some time with your words.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s OK to go alone or together with other writers. You can start today pencilling in time on your calendar.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Writing Sisters Summit<\/p>\n<p><strong>There was something deeply nourishing about being in Taos with women who had made room for their words. We stepped away from our usual responsibilities long enough to hear ourselves think.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I came away feeling connected to the work and to the people doing it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I hope the women who joined us carried that feeling home, along with the things they learned and the pages they began.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The retreat deepened my love for making room in my ordinary life for writing. I can\u2019t wait for another mountain view or vineyard or rushing river or ocean.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Today, I\u2019m back in my office, answering emails, looking at my obligations. There definitely a stack of laundry to do.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And there is the book, that I\u2019m closer to finishing than I was yesterday, because my dedicated writing does this.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>For a very long time, my writing time was between 10 PM and 2 AM. I worked a full-time engineering job, and still am a full-time wife and mother. So every day doesn\u2019t mean hours of writing necessarily.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Every day doesn\u2019t look the same. Some days I have the same hours. Some days I have small pockets of time. I use what I have.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Journaling and essays keep me writing, but eventually I have to return to the people waiting inside a manuscript. So the other non-book writing can\u2019t take over. But I\u2019ll take words any way I can get them on to the page.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Consider your writing life for a moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Are you giving it regular attention? Are you allowing it to lie to you. Are your writing muscles feeble from lack of exercise? Are you asking them to perform whenever you have a little free time and coming up with blank pages?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Maybe after this podcast spend a few minutes stringing together words or add a few thoughts about your latest idea to the page.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>If I write 50-150 words a day, consistently, I can have a novella or short novel done in a year.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s doable. Take a moment and<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>work through one exchange between two characters. Maybe you dictate the thought that came to you on a walk. Then during tomorrow\u2019s writing time develop it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Then commit to coming back to the project the next day. Habits form by doing\u2014not wishing and hoping.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Doing needs to happen.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Even when it\u2019s awkward.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Even when I\u2019m tired.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Even when there\u2019s something on the TV\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Even when there\u2019s a food fight in Book Social Media<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In Walter Mosley\u2019s MasterClass he say his <\/strong>Rule number one: Write every day. It\u2019s nonnegotiable.<\/p>\n<p>I agree.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your unfinished manuscript agrees too. The chores and regular life say\u2014\u201cNaaaw. Writing can wait.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Who are you going to believe, your word count or procrastination?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>This week\u2019s booklist includes:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/12381\/9780316573207\"><strong><em>Hanging and Burning<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u2060<strong> \u2014 Walter Mosley. A dying gangster hires investigator Joe King Oliver to find his missing granddaughter, drawing him into a family history of violence and buried secrets (Releases Oct. 20, 2026).<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/12381\/9798217178056\"><strong><em>This Never Happens Here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u2060<strong> \u2014 Wanda M. Morris. Two detectives investigate a disturbing pattern of murdered parents and missing children in Atlanta\u2019s wealthy suburbs (Feb. 16, 2027).<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/12381\/9781668024331\"><strong><em>Sounds Like Trouble<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u2060<strong> \u2014 Pamela Samuels Young and Dwayne Alexander Smith. Two private investigators juggle their simmering attraction and clashing personalities while tracking down a mysterious package for dangerous mobsters.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/12381\/9780063307988\"><strong><em>Daughters of the Wind<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u2060<strong> \u2014 Sheila Williams. A corporate executive who secretly commands the winds must gather powerful women across time to confront a looming climate catastrophe (Dec. 1, 2026).<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/12381\/9780578295008\"><strong><em>Island Secrets: A Queens of Kiawah Story<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u2060<strong> \u2014 Nina Foxx. On South Carolina\u2019s exclusive Kiawah Island, a cozy mystery blends murder, romance, and closely guarded secrets.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>* <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/12381\/9781448317646\"><strong><em>Murder in St. James\u2019s Park<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u2060<strong> \u2014 Vanessa Riley. When Lady Worthing discovers her husband murdered, her search for his killer exposes secrets that challenge her judgment and shake her family.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This week\u2019s indie bookstore spotlight is <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rep.club\/\">Reparations Club<\/a>, a Black-owned, woman-owned bookstore and creative space in Los Angeles, California. Purchasing through this episode\u2019s Bookshop.org links supports Reparations Club. If you\u2019re ever in Los Angeles, stop by, browse the shelves, and give them some book love! In fact, check out my <strong>other partners in the fight<\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/fireswordandsea.htm\"><strong>, bookstores<\/strong><\/a><strong> large and small, who are in the trenches fighting for literacy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Remember to check my <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/writing-resource-shop\/\">Resources Center<\/a> on my website for my writing downloads. Lots of free and low-cost tools that I\u2019ve made available to help you on your writing journey.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If this podcast sparked something in you, show some love\u2014hit like, share the episode, and subscribe to <\/strong><strong><em>Write of Passage<\/em><\/strong><strong>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vanessariley.com\/\"><strong>VanessaRiley.com<\/strong><\/a><strong>, under the podcast link in the About tab.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>If this sparked something in you, show some love\u2014hit like, share the episode, and subscribe to <\/strong><strong><em>Write of Passage<\/em><\/strong><strong>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Thank you for being here.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I want you to come again. This is Vanessa Riley.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is a public episode. If you&#8217;d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.substack.com\/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_2\">vanessariley.substack.com\/subscribe<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"vanes-1822238450\" class=\"vanes-after-content vanes-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 3px;margin-right: 3px;margin-bottom: 3px;margin-left: 3px;\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"Advertisements\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.substack.com\/\" aria-label=\"Listen to the Write of Passage Weekly Podcast\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?fit=1080%2C1350&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Listen to the Write of Passage Weekly Podcast\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=240%2C300&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=819%2C1024&ssl=1 819w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=768%2C960&ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" width=\"540\" height=\"675\"   \/><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Walter Mosley said it a month ago on a Zoom for The Center for Black Literature\u2019s Summer Series. And in his MasterClass. I say it all the time. To get your novel finished, you need to have your butt in a chair and write every day. Whom are you going to believe\u2014us or your lying [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[81,793,9,620,756,694],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal-stories","category-politics","category-recommended-reading","category-syndication","category-technology","category-tv-and-film"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.3 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Walter Mosley said it a month ago on a Zoom for The Center for Black Literature\u2019s Summer Series. 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