a week in my life as a writer (after leaving my full-time job)

[@briellewrites]

Experience a new way to learn with Imprint. Visit imprintapp.com/brielle to get a 7-day free trial and 30% off an annual subscription! 🍂☁

[@SilverXT]

I taught for 8 years before I left education. I decided to become a full time writer, but published a book before I quit to prove to myself that if I could publish a book while working, I have no excuse while I'm jobless. Welcome to the club!

[@briellewrites]

I love that!

[@jeanshelbybooks]

I want in the club! 😊 It’s my dream and even though I still work FT I’m having an amazing time writing every spare moment I have.

[@iluvSchleeping]

I moved to casual/relief teaching to focus on writing. Got an agent this year 🎉

[@jeanshelbybooks]

That’s really awesome! Best of luck to you.

[@SaraLubratt]

I love your energy around this time of being jobless lol, sending you wishes that your channel blows up and you finish your book so you don’t even need to go back to a job!!

[@briellewrites]

thank you Sara!! Lowkey hoping that too lol 🤞

[@andesears]

Go Brielle! That draft one to draft two progress shift was willlddd, the improvement is chefs kiss!

[@briellewrites]

Aww! Thanks ande!

[@vikillustrations]

I really appreciate that you actually shared a bit of your writing and how you improved on it. Honestly, mood and descriptions are something I struggle at a lot, so seeing someone share their journey with it is very comforting

[@briellewrites]

yay! im happy to hear it was valuable. it always makes me nervous to share snippets but I think its important to be real about how the beginning stages of writing look :)

[@vikillustrations]

@@briellewrites you mentioned last time that you are not comfortable showing your writing, that is why I made a point of commenting, to give you a little confidence boost :D glad to hear that it actually worked

[@camilleeedwards]

yall i HIGHLYYYY recommend booking brielle for feedback!!! i loveee a long vlog ☕ this was so cozy and satisfying to see your revision process evolve!! i love Briar and Varen's characterization in your second draft. Soft, anxious steps. Not expecting Varen to be associated with a little cottage. I can't wait for more 💖

[@briellewrites]

THANK U im crying.

[@morganunraveled]

completely resonate with having “high energy” and “low energy” tasks! I love how transparent you are and that you share this journey with us, and that you are so passionate about it 💛

[@annieway35]

So glad youtube recommended your channel. I work full time at home and write in my free time. I finished my first draft also, hired a developmental editor (who was FANTASTIC) and I'm editing my second draft, like you. I ran out of steam! You're right about I needed a deadline or pressure to edit my second draft. I also use my apartment building business office LOL! They have these little mini offices where you close the door. No distractions! I definitely write better/more away from home, coffee shops, Panera Bread is a good writing spot, as well as hotel lobbies.

[@briellewrites]

ah so cool how much we have in common rn!! best of luck w your second draft!!

[@CelineDamsgaard]

I love your approach to your time in between jobs. I hope you get to grow in all the ways you hope for and enjoy a taste of your future fulltime writer life 🥰

[@briellewrites]

ahh thank you so much

[@abbytheredwolf174]

“This morning I found him in the kitchen” the way you said it was the most beardy owner thing ever😅. He knew where the goods are at. I miss my girl so much so this was such a cute random clip to see. Absolutely loved the whole of this video, it’s nice to see people chasing their dreams even when it’s terrifying. It gives me hope for myself and that it’s still possible to do.

[@briellewrites]

aw! it's absolutely possible. cheering for you! and glad the beardie clip made u smile :')

[@morganunraveled]

I absolutely love hearing your before & after draft comparisons. it’s so amazing and inspiring to see your growth in the craft. it reminds me I have to start somewhere, doesn’t have to be perfect! something crazy I learned from Christy Anne Jones is that each draft she completely rewrites, referring to her prior draft but it allows her drafts to grow with her writing style & voice, as well as the change in tone like you were talking about! she writes several drafts and does this each time, it seems like a really tough thing to commit to for the entire second draft, but may be worth considering on some chapters where you feel need serious work! (sorry for so many comments but I’m loving this vlog!!)

[@briellewrites]

that is so interesting!! I've definitely been rewriting more and more as I go through this draft, definitely could see myself leaning into that even further in the future!

[@morganunraveled]

@@briellewrites that’s amazing, I love following your journey. it’s truly soo cool & inspiring to see you share your growth in the craft!

[@alyssa.and.the.books.]

40 minutes from Brielle??? SEATED

[@briellewrites]

hehe YAY

[@CelticShadows88]

I love your bearded dragon. He's so adorable! I've been writing for 15 years but I've never published a book. I do all sorts of projects as well. ADHD doesn't help me stay on one thing for too long. I've recently went through my old poem book and decided to write those into music. I do go back to writing every so often. So, I still enjoy it. Never give up and you're doing great.

[@briellewrites]

he's the absolute best !!!! love that you find your way back to writing.

[@michellemp1626]

Great video! Reading the first and second draft opening of a chapter was so interesting. What a treat!

[@briellewrites]

Yay! Glad it was interesting!

[@ananeu]

i am obsessed with ur new content! girly you are slaying the writing and authortube game 🤍✨ need to collab with this queen ASAP

[@briellewrites]

thank u ana!!! would love to stream w you sometime if you wanted to do some sprints

[@LyssaC-YT]

You mentioned a separate writing space around 15:30, and it struck me that was what I was missing. I used to go to restaurants (buffet style especially) or coffee shops, etc to do most of my writing and get out of my head. It’s too easy to be distracted, even in my office. *lightbulb moment*

[@briellewrites]

dude it is SO key!!! I literally almost never write at home unless im attending or hosting a livestream

[@kelleyiswriting]

HAVE I MISSED A BEARDED DRAGON IN YOUR VLOGS. Omg I love him?? I love this vlog so much. Filming is SUPER HIGH energy for me, especially the non-vlog videos. Did you say singing lessons??? Omg I want a clip of you singing :) and deleting teams is such a freeing feeling i had a bit of a break last year around this time too and it was kinda the best time of my life!!

[@briellewrites]

So interesting, I actually find vlogs much more exhausting than sit down videos! So much moving around of the camera lol😵‍💫 I don’t know if I’ve shown smaug before, I’ll have to start including him more!!!

[@LCp1RickIlls]

It took me a couple months to work out the kinks, but what works for me now is that I write in the morning, half an hour after I get up, for about 4 hours on and off (I write novels and screenplays) or when I reach both a page-page and a half in my screenplays and 500 words in my novel (sometimes I go over if I’m in a flow state, which doesn’t happen as much as I’d like), then I go and do my workout cause the brains been fully stimulated. I do this 6 days a week (off on Fridays).

[@briellewrites]

nice! that seems like a good strategy

[@kelleyiswriting]

I AM NOT READY FOR THIS CINEMATIC MASTERPIECE.

[@briellewrites]

HONORED

[@AJMurphyWrites]

An absolute treat of a video! Not gonna lie….I’m so hoping that the start of this new chapter helps you get those books out soon, but will wait as patiently as possible. You’re always an inspiration….you got this!!!!

[@briellewrites]

Haha aw!! I’m hoping it speeds things up to!! Definitely would love to still publish in 2025.

[@AJMurphyWrites]

@@briellewrites Fingers crossed!

[@kaitlinrochellewrites]

Brielle! I think you've found a really great way to revise without over editing (as a chronic over editor myself haha.) "Locking" your chapters after a certain amount of time or passes is so genius and I will definitely be implementing this when I get into the revising process. Also, how are you loving all the free-time?? Isn't it great (and slightly cursed.) I work seasonally, and make my big chunk of income in the summer and then part-time the rest of the year, so I'm very acquainted with the mixed feelings of so much- and still, not enough!- time. I've found that the schedule that works best for me is trying to stay low-pressure while forcing myself to do certain tasks regardless of how I'm feeling. Like writing, exercising and more recently (like a few days ago) vlogging! But I do like that idea of setting intentions for the day because I also have a lot of goals I want to hit and find it hard to do it all.

[@briellewrites]

I totally relate to it feeling like so much--and still not enough-- time lol. im really trying to work on taking the pressure off myself because I have been way too hard on myself for no reason!! but I love the idea of setting non-negotiables, im trying to do that with exercise since I want to take advantage of being able to prioritize my health rn. :') thanks for sharing ur experience!!! so valuable

[@jaepelton]

20:11 I usually set myself time goals! Like I’ll work on my book for at least an hour a day, and whatever happens in that hour happens 😮‍💨 That way even if I’m on a hard chapter I want to avoid, I still make progress :)

[@briellewrites]

So smart. I think I’m going to start prioritizing time goals too!

[@syds8752]

Your revisions were amazing! I’m so impressed with your writing

[@briellewrites]

thank you so much! that means so much to me.

[@thebookbelle]

I’ve just found your channel and loved this video! Best of luck with your book ☺️

[@briellewrites]

aw yay! welcome to the channel! ill definitely be checking out yours :)

[@CaeliFaye]

24:24 I love the draft 2 version of this chapter intro! you definitely added SO MUCH subtle world-building that didn't feel info-dumpy, and it was sm more atmospheric

[@briellewrites]

thank you so much Caitlin!!!

[@briellewrites]

just subbed to ur channel :)

[@CaeliFaye]

@@briellewrites ahhh thank you!! I'm such a fan of ur channel

[@meadowcryptid]

the improvement from draft one to draft two is so impressive!! i LOVE what you did with that scene at the beginning of chapter 6 🧡

[@briellewrites]

aw!! thank you so much :)

[@isabellajuanitalyn]

This is so inspiring and I completely agree with switching up days. It's definitely a work-in-progress still.

[@briellewrites]

so happy to hear it was inspiring yay :)

[@Pasuhdina]

Welcome to the city! Been in Seattle since 2016. There’s a lot of good resources for writers here. A lot of good jobs also. No stress.

[@briellewrites]

thanks so much for the welcome!

[@RoseCruz-l4w]

What a great video!! Love the “days in my life as a writer” format! ❤

[@briellewrites]

Thanks❤️❤️

[@hannahreidsandwrites]

That draft one/draft two comparison is SO GOOD! You got me hooked 😂

[@briellewrites]

ahhh thank you hannah!!!

[@hallelujah.moritz]

Love seeing your progress from draft 1 to draft 2! You're crafting 🪄 and the feels are coming throughhh

[@briellewrites]

Thank you very much 🥹❤️

[@JennaLioulios]

So excited for longer videos in your time off, this one was amazing 🤩 To answer your question about schedules that work, I’m self employed, manage my own time and run a creative agency, (although I don’t write yet I do have other passion projects) I’ve found colour coded and time blocking my google calendar partnered with daily to do list has been a life saver for me to manage my work load, passion projects and me time throughout the day. I would prioritise the most important in the morning, I find when I put my passion project tasks at the bottom of the list they never get done over “work” or personal tasks. But this is a great time for you to test out different schedule and routines and see what works best for you ☕️

[@briellewrites]

@@JennaLioulios hi Jenna, thanks for the advice!! Ive tried time blocking before and LOVED it, might have to bring that back :)) and i really should get into google calendar! Thanks for the tips :)

[@micslibrary]

omggggGG the new chapter 6 intro!!!!! INCREDIBLE!!!

[@briellewrites]

@@micslibrary ohhh thank you 🥹🥹 she’s growing :’)

[@JadeJuniiper]

READY for this next chapter! I adore your vlogs but this one was NEXT LEVEL

[@briellewrites]

yay!!! so happy to hear you enjoyed this one a little extra :)

[@Arayawrites]

Love to see the progression in your writing! And I love your content ☕🤍

[@briellewrites]

Thank you so much, Araya!

[@bedhead-studio]

I've taken significant time off from work a few times over the years. I find it so exciting in the beginning and then I start to feel lost and unmotivated. I love working part time, so that work doesn't feel like it's sucking the life out of me, but I still have limits on my free time.

[@briellewrites]

Interesting!

[@Jay-jv7wj]

me after listening to the draft 2 segment: YES!! heck yes! it does sound better as a writer myself, this is so inspiring omg

[@briellewrites]

YAY! that is so awesome to hear, thank you.

[@micaelap9051]

As a young up coming author your content is so helpful and has inspired me to write alot more! thanks a ton ❤❤❤

[@briellewrites]

that's awesome!

[@justalexis1]

yay!! 40 mins of brielle!!!

[@briellewrites]

hehe yay!! hope you enjoyed the video!!

[@nina-w]

the passage you shared was beautiful, i'm looking forward to hearing more!

[@briellewrites]

thank you so much! I really appreciate that

[@L_oliviarodrigosbiggestfan]

Ur hair is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Tutorial? ❤ 🫖

[@jeanshelbybooks]

Congrats! This is my dream, to build a community of readers who love my books so I can fulfill my writing purpose full time. It’s very inspiring to see!

[@briellewrites]

I love that :)

[@arellskan]

I always r- write my first draft from scratch after editing by hand. I find it much easier to find new sentences and wording and incorporate the things I've learned about my characters during the read through and edits on paper. (I really must try printing my story as a book sometime and not just print it out on paper. love that idea)

[@briellewrites]

this is smart! the further I get into revision, the more re-writing I do lol, I think next time I revise I might take that rewriting strategy. thanks for sharing :)

[@MishraMonique]

I'm here from your other channel. Just subscribed to this one. Congrats on the sponsorship! Love it! I really enjoyed this vlog.

[@briellewrites]

aw thanks for coming over here Mishra! happy to have you!!

[@KrisMF]

ahhh congrats on the full-time writing/content creation !! i'm in the same boat as you :D 🫶 i love these long writing vlogs so much

[@briellewrites]

ahhh thank you kris!! it's been so cool seeing ur journey so far, excited to be in the same boat for a bit :))

[@hannahetienne]

I love the new vlog style - and that you shared those snippets from your draft! so cool to see the improvement :) i'm also struggling with the lack of structure in the revising process - how do i know exactly when i'm done with draft 2 if i keep going and going and going...instead of getting overwhelmed with all the changes i want to make (getting more daunting as the book gets longer), i think i'm just going to make a bullet point list of each section to be changed and work my way through, picking a section intuitively each time i sit down to write. from one first-time author to another, good luck with revisions! i'm excited to read your book one day :)

[@briellewrites]

hi Hannah! so happy to hear you love the vlog style :') that sounds like a great strategy, I've heard people loveeee having a revision checklist. its so challenging (but also fun) to tackle revision for the first time so wishing you the best of luck too!!! and thank you

[@AuthenticallyRaylynn]

I need to theme my days, and I love your idea of high energy and low energy tasks. I need to try that! New subscriber here! 🤍

[@briellewrites]

welcome to the channel, so happy to have you!

[@philippawood5047]

Congrats, Brielle, I have dipped in and out of your channel for a while and you are making incredible progress. I wonder if you are able to rewrite this part of your character's journey so well because, in a way, it mirrors your own. The stakes are higher for you now that you are stepping outside the confines of your own city in ending your previous work and veering towards writing more full time. So, your protagonist is able to grow with you. :)

[@morganunraveled]

I’m so excited for this new chapter & season of life for you. I know you said it’s not permanent (yet, we’re manifesting hehe) but it sounds so fun that you can enjoy being able to commit more time to writing & making videos full time for now 🥰

[@briellewrites]

lol love the (yet), not going to lie if things somehow work out and I don't end up having to get a job, I would be soooo thrilled haha. thank you Morgan

[@morganunraveled]

@@briellewrites hehe yes, totally squealed when I saw this video was sponsored! love to see you being able to do this full time even for right now and I hope for it to get to a sustainable place for you in the future!!

[@briellewrites]

Thank you so much !! 🥹💖 having sponsors is still so crazy to me, pinching myself every time lol

[@sandramiksawrites]

Just discovered your channel and loving your journey already! 🥰✍🏼

[@briellewrites]

Yay! I love that! Welcome to the channel!

[@milomazli]

Loved this vloooog! Yes please, super insightful! And yes, income stream breakdown sounds very cool! Find the info you are sharing opening perspective for me too ❤❤❤ so thank you!

[@briellewrites]

so glad you enjoyed it!! income stream breakdown coming in a couple weeks!

[@hallewhy]

Great vid! You inspired me to write for 2 hours everyday! 🍵

[@briellewrites]

that's amazing!!!

[@bm8490]

Lovely vlog, good luck in finding your productive groove in your new routine :)

[@briellewrites]

thank you so much! glad you enjoyed it!

[@itsamina]

this video was thoroughly enjoyable to watch, from beginning to end ☕✨

[@briellewrites]

thanks squirrel friend

[@lynndjung]

Oh this is CINEMA

[@briellewrites]

☺️ blushing

[@stanlevi2927]

I loveeee this longer video!

[@briellewrites]

yay! im so glad you enjoyed it

[@TaylorAnnWright]

Looooove the vlog format! 👏🏼✨📖🕯️

[@briellewrites]

Yay! So glad!

[@nataliejaneshields]

Filming is DEFINITELY a high energy task lol... why do you think I've struggled with the once a week uploads? 😂Such a good video Brielle! 💛

[@briellewrites]

bhaahha I totally get it. glad you enjoyed the vid Natalie! :)

[@Paul_Todkill]

Pretty wild to see these comparisons as someone currently living in LA working in Marketing, writing on the side... who as also seriously considered looking at the PNW to move LOL. Just gonna have to live this dream vicariously through you for a while ahah.

[@briellewrites]

LOL that is super crazy!! happy to have u living vicariously lol. really enjoying the PNW so far :)

[@lydiabell7304]

This was such an amazing video! I loved that your shared a snippet of a draft 2 version compared to draft 1, you've improved so much & that snippet has me SO excited to read your final masterpiece 😊 🧋

[@briellewrites]

ahhh thank you so much Lydia! so validating to hear that the improvement is evident, hoping the manuscript will continue to get stronger :) glad you enjoyed the video!

[@authorkristinealyse]

omg that apple crisp drink looks DELISH - filming is also a high energy task for me, sometimes I wish I could just script and edit lol!

[@briellewrites]

yuppp! I think I've accepted that it'll just always be draining and I need to plan accordingly. it was, in fact, totally delish

[@JemyRaeBooks]

Matcha team 4 life sista🍵🍵🍵 can’t wait to hire you for my WIP one day!!

[@briellewrites]

YES MATCHA CREW!! hehe can't wait to work on it!!

[@katgreer6113]

Idk if i could quit such a good job for a bf 😭 but maybe im just saying that cus im single. man love is strong ❤ thank you for your transparency of your financial situation. My friends have told me to just quit everything and "go for it" as if its that easy🤡 i have no alternative incomes or side hustles so no. Its not that easy. I wish it was.

[@briellewrites]

I love that perspective! and thank you.

[@michaelhelms2378]

🎉 I really hope this all works out for you!!!

[@briellewrites]

thank you!

[@liagracewrites]

such a fun vlog!! love all the progress (!!) and all the drinks 🧋🧋 i was drinking coffee and juice along with you lol. had to wait to watch until i got all my work for the week done, but here i am, ready to kickstart some preptober planning!! are you planning/hoping to be back in a job in november/nano season, or do you foresee that time as still being open?

[@briellewrites]

I'm hopeful that I'll be able to make it through November without the job!! which im very excited for since I'll be drafting a new project and very in need of the time!!! so glad you enjoyed the vlog

[@liagracewrites]

@@briellewrites haha, I kinda figured - best of luck!! i believe in you :D

[@0915SJ]

If you have any tips on how you structure your day now that it’s been a few weeks since this vlog came out I’d love to hear them! 🧋

[@briellewrites]

yes!! i'll be making a follow up for sure!

[@StephanieKoathes]

100% need goals. I use the pomodoro technique and set a overall session goal. So two hours, then a long break, then two more hours.

[@briellewrites]

wow four hours for a session is impressive! love that

[@76kilosofshade81]

I had some time off this summer, between school and work and travel. Entire weeks. I did about 25% of the writing I said I'd do. 🙄 so now I'm behind schedule in finishing draft one of novel five.

[@briellewrites]

ahhh yup haha. it's not as simple as just having the time, I'm learning that quickly! I thought my writing would skyrocket but realistically I'm writing about the same amount lol. best of luck with your first draft, you got this!

[@TiaLove28]

ugh this makes me so happy 😭😭

[@briellewrites]

Yayyy

[@TiaLove28]

i try to hit 1k in a day, but this month, i haven't been writing much because of school. i think timed sessions would be better for me

[@arcane9205]

Cackled with delight when i saw the runtime 😭

[@briellewrites]

YAY

[@katrinabrown3561]

This is actually my dream! I’m a teacher now and I want to be a children’s author

[@briellewrites]

I love that!! you can do itttt

[@katrinabrown3561]

@@briellewrites thank you! I will update more soon!

[@AdamFishkin]

I caught the abbreviation "Aplcrap." on the Starbucks cup. You have to hand it to them for confidence. You bring up an instinct you had to do multiple passes of a chapter during the same draft. I don't know how exactly that triggered a light bulb for me, but now I'm questioning whether the draft in and of itself is more important than the components you need to change. I think it boils down to two things. 1. clarity of the process. Will each chapter's needs be clear to you if you only do one pass per draft? 2. sensibility of workload ... taming the double-edged sword, which has a mind of its own against the full-time writer. Are you doing too much on the second draft? Or are you leaving too many things for the third draft? Your present and future self might as well cooperate. All in all, Brielle, this was a nice check-in. :) P.S. I've set my own schedule since 2014, and it has kept me in a semblance of sane. However, the time I wake up is unpredictable, so the provisions I need to set for each day are difficult to summarize here.

[@briellewrites]

I am constantly asking myself that question about the balance too between making significant changes so that this draft is enough of an improvement, without tinkering forever… right now I feel like I’ve been able to balance that well but we shall see how I feel when I get to draft three, lol. I’m still trying my best not to rush and to change most of the issues I see. It’s a process 😅

[@LifewithMar]

The terms "writer" and "structured time" really don't play well together. I find it more productive to have a weekly or daily word count target. Yes, you sometimes have to write through the muck and even when you don't feel like it, but it's far more efficient if you can figure out when you're feeling most creative and aim to write during those blocks of time. I can't write in the mornings (not a morning person at all), and it's very obvious the content I create when I'm more inspired and in the zone vs when I'm not really "on" yet. That being said, I do try to batch video/content creation days vs. couch potato writing days and have found that to be helpful. I've been self-employed at home for 10 years+ now and this is my loose "schedule".

[@briellewrites]

Nice!! Always cool to hear what works for other people! ive been finding aiming for 1-2 hours a day of writing has been a good starting point for me, as of now I'm letting myself do that at any point in the day, we'll see how I feel going forward (though I do actually find I'm freshest in the morning!)

[@AnggiSahamCantik]

Here's ☕ for you because I watch to the end. Hehehe...

[@briellewrites]

YAY thanks for watching til the end :)

[@DraftsNDreams]

This is inspiring! ❤️

[@briellewrites]

yay! im so glad to hear!

[@teasbian601]

40 minutes YASSSSS🎉🎉🎉

[@briellewrites]

HOPE U ENJOYED

[@EmmaBennetAuthor]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@briellewrites]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@fdykstrad4]

It looks like you’re using a novel planner workbook… which one do you recommend?

[@paytonjletko]

what do you think has helped you improve as a writer? just the act of writing, revising, and editing more or?

[@briellewrites]

maybe ill make a video on this topic! but I think the short version is just practice, as well as critiquing other people's work.

[@paytonjletko]

@@briellewrites yes please!

[@S.p.a.c.e.C.o.w.b.o.y]

I'm currently a Funemployed writer.. 😂

[@nicoleporter1369]

I love living in the Seattle area! It's such a great region, just a expensive. I hope you like it here.

[@briellewrites]

Really liking it! I know it’s an expensive city but compared to LA it feels cheap LOL it’s all relative

[@rebeccamason3609]

☕

[@briellewrites]

❤️

[@andesears]

☕️🧋

[@JadeJuniiper]

🍵 💕

[@briellewrites]

[@kokoro_flow]

🍵

[@briellewrites]

[@teaandtypewriters2913]

I would encourage you to look at other writing events instead of participating in and advertising for NaNo.

[@briellewrites]

Hi! I made a statement on my stance on this in my latest video.

[@IHBooks]

☕️

[@briellewrites]

:)

[@YourFellowCello]

the straw tho-

[@briellewrites]

LOL

[@micslibrary]

loved this longer format and getting to see how you're settling in 🥹☕️

[@briellewrites]

Hehe thanks for watching 🥹🥹✨

[@RoseCruz-l4w]

☕️🧋

[@briellewrites]

❤️

[@sproutswithjoy]

🧋

[@briellewrites]

[@UndyingLight117]

☕🍵🧋😄

[@briellewrites]

yesss all the beverages