Alex☕️🫖

Anyone else find writing in a different POV than you’re used to hard? I’ve been challenged to write 3rd person past tense when I’m so used to 1st present tense and it’s SO HARD. I keep slipping up lmao. I will do this though! 

I am officially on Submission! I'm scared, feeling sick and so super excited!!! Now to wait probably for months! I can do this... meanwhile, I've started a new book and I have no idea what I'm doing! CHAOS!!!!

Such a weird this year has been. I remember the start of this year being so, so awful and sitting there thinking "2025 is gonna be the worst", wondering how worse it could get. There was also an evening earlier in the year where I thought I'd give up writing forever. 
          For a few reasons now, it's actually turned around and become the BEST year. Not just writing but my personal life. This week has so far been a whirlwind and I'm absolutely not writing or focusing on my writing as I should be, but life has a funny way of doing things. Hell, this past MONTH has been absolutely crazy. I've never been more in shock and thankful for life. It's a funny old world. 
          I'm starting a new story, there's things going on in the background at home, I'm about to go on submission with Royally Bumped, and... yeah. Life is weird. The past couple of months have bowled me over. 
          When they say life begins at 30, really, it does. My 30s started amazing, then January was awful, but now it's turning around. 
          My point? Keep going. Even when I thought it couldn't get worse, I came through the other side. It may seem crap, but life has a funny old way of having the good all come at once!

This is just a reminder that I have a writing discord server. There I chat about my books but there's also places to share your work, get writing advice and chitchat with others about... well, anything! 
          It's the best place to keep in contact with me as I usually have Discord up in the background XD 
          If you want to join, my discord link is here: https://discord.gg/ZDNfz4yMwH
          
          I also have an instagram, the second bets place to find me! I've changed username recently, so my instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/alexorchardauthor/

Thanks for the follow! Means a lot to a wee little writer like me!

I'm working on something new! Right now, there's no title, no synopsis, just a vague idea and some character names. Oh, and I'm working in 3rd person?! ITS SO WEIRD after so long editing and expanding things... 
          Excuse me while I now sob into my 4-story pile of things I'm working on!

Sent Royally Bumped to my agent last night so now just waiting for the verdict! Hopefully I can go on submission soon but maybe more edits? Who knows! I’m enjoying a day off now! Then later will continue writing! Eeek 

So I've just finished my revisions for Royally Bumped! AHHH! 
          I kept track of my own stats for the past couple of weeks so here we go! 
          
          1-35 (inclusive) old version (out of 35): 82,972
          
          1-34 (inclusive, and cause deleted a chapter) new version: 77,561
          
          Final stats: (though still have to read it through and make final touch ups)
          Started revisions: 2nd July 2025
          Finished: 16th July 2025
          Chapters removed: 1
          Plot lines removed: 3
          Times wanted to stop writing: precisely 14
          Times felt good about it: Probably around 10 times
          But we did it! 
          
          
          Now I need to reread it over and then send it off to... be judged by my agent to see whether it needs more work! (probably!) I'm nervous and excited! I feel like Frodo at the end of LOTR XD

Anyone entering the Wattys this year? It's open now. It'll be the first time in *years* that I havent entered and it's weird! 
          GOOD LUCK TO THOSE WHO ARE ENTERING OR WORKING TOWARDS ENTERING!!! You got this!

If anyone wants/is unsure, I have just changed my instagram username. Still the same account/person etc, just losing the MiniMoxx username over there. The new user is alexorchardauthor and the link is here, https://www.instagram.com/alexorchardauthor/
          
          LOVE YALL