Writing Craft Books That Actually Work | Ep. 2

🎧 Prefer to listen or watch?You can listen to the audio version of this episode here, or watch the full video on YouTube:👉 Watch on YouTube: Watch HereIf you’d rather read, the full transcript is below.Writing Advice, ADHD Brains, and Real Life ChaosEvery single person in the writing community tells you to use Save the Cat Writes a Novel.And listen—I get it. It’s a good book. I love the book.It’s just… not the best book for my ADHD brain.There are other options that have worked way better for me, and I want to share those. But first, I need to catch you up—because last week we were talking about something very real.I Cannot Wake Up at 5 A.M.I cannot wake up at 5:00 a.m.I’ve tried. I’ve really tried.And people love to say, “If you want to write the book, you’ll find the time.”Which sounds great—until you’re a homeschool mom with kids home 24/7, 365 days a year, and you don’t get breaks.I have a seven-year-old and a five-year-old. Boy and girl.One is bossy and plays mom.The other is a feral little gremlin boy who does not like being told what to do.They fight constantly.I don’t drop my kids off at school and come home to quiet. I’m with them all day, every day. Writing looks different for me than it does for someone with a 9–5. And even those writing lives look different depending on whether kids are involved.Everyone’s writing journey is different—and I get frustrated when we compare them.(And yes, I do this too.)The 4:30 A.M. ExperimentSo I decided to try waking up at 4:30 a.m.Wednesday and Thursday? Success.Friday? Absolutely not.One of my kids woke up in my bed, and that was the end of it. I also refuse to wake up at 4:30 on weekends because… no. I’m not torturing myself like that.I’m trying to find time where I can. I’m trying to wiggle it in.If you’re in the same boat—especially if you’re a homeschool mom and a writer—tell me. I’ve had a few people comment saying they are too, and honestly? I love that. It feels like we’re on our own little adventure when it comes to writing.Writing Craft Books I Do and Don’t RecommendThese are recommendations based on my brain, not rules. They may or may not work for you—but here’s what’s helped me. If you decide to purchase through the links provided please know I can earn a small commission at no extra cost to you {All titles are linked}.📘 Save the Cat Writes a NovelWe all know this one.I do like it. But for me, it’s almost too much outlining. I need some structure or my ADHD brain squirrels off—but too much outlining makes my brain think the book is already done.That said, if you’re struggling to understand the basic ebb and flow of a story, this book will help.📘 Shut Up and Write the Book – Jenna MoreciI love this book so much more.She uses a blend of Save the Cat and three-act structure, but the tone is very:“You’re overthinking it. Just write the book.”It’s funny. It’s blunt. It made my brain click.If you don’t like cursing or dry humor, this might not be your vibe.But it is absolutely mine.📘 Structuring Your Novel – K.M. WeilandThis book gives very clear, simple directions for structure.For me, once I understand structure, the rest flows more easily. It’s detailed but not overwhelming—and that balance really worked for me.📘 Story Genius – Lisa CronI just started this one, but I already love it—especially for scenes.Scenes are the bane of my existence. They feel like they have rules… but also no rules? This book really helps break that down and makes scene cards feel manageable.📘 Dialogue Book – Gloria KemptonIf dialogue feels flat or too “talking heads” for you, this helped me a lot.It focuses on writing dialogue with movement, so it feels alive—not just text, text, text.📘 Romancing the Beat – Gwen HayesIf you’re writing romance or romantasy, this is essential.The romance arc is separate from the plot arc, especially in fantasy. This book makes that clear and gives you a roadmap.There are also new romance-writing books {How To Write A Romantasy} coming soon from Jenna Moreci and {Make Your Story Matter} from Abby Emmons, and I’ll update you once I’ve read them.📘 The Emotional Thesaurus Books (and Friends)These are the only books I own in physical form—and honestly, I wish I’d bought them digitally.They include:* The Emotional Thesaurus * Emotional Wounds Thesaurus * Emotion Amplifiers Thesaurus * Conflicts Volumes 1 Thesaurus * Conflicts Volumes 2 Thesaurus * Positive Traits Thesaurus * Negative Traits Thesaurus * Urban Settings Thesaurus * Rural Settings Thesaurus * Occupations Thesaurus They help you understand:* Physical cues of emotion* Internal sensations* Mental responses* How emotions escalate or de-escalateWhen I struggle to explain what a character is feeling internally, these save me.Where I’m At Right NowI miss you. We haven’t talked in a week.I’m still finishing the last 10 chapters of my book. I’m waiting on edits for chapters 1–10. I’ve been learning how to draw and working on character art. And don’t even get me started on the book cover.When you genre-bend—romantic paranormal dystopian fantasy—it gets messy. Every genre has expectations, and I think we’re leaning more fantasy because dystopian readers don’t always want fantasy.I’m stuck right now. My word for the year is stay, and I’m staying—even when it’s hard.Real Life Moment (Because This Is Real Life)We’re mostly dye-free and sugar-free with our kids. But yellow dye slipped in, and we paid for it for five days.This morning, my daughter woke up screaming. Her mouth was full of blood.Her brother kicked her in the face and knocked out a baby tooth. She swallowed it.So yes—we’re having a very serious conversation about not kicking people.This is real life. It’s messy. My room was destroyed yesterday. I’ve gotten zero writing done in the last four days because I’m adjusting to waking up at 4:30 a.m. and feel like a zombie.But this is honest. And I think people want honest right now.Tell Me About YouWhat’s going on with you?What writing craft books do you love?Are you writing? Are your kids feral too?I hope something in this helped—even just a little.I’ll catch you in the next one.Bye.— Ash KairieUnfiltered. Unapologetic. Still Becoming the Indie Author. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ashkairieauthor.substack.com