Hi, this is Celeste. I have been writing poems since 2017 and my low-fantasy crime novel Project Dylan since 2022.

Letters for Creatives is the place where I share my thoughts on writing, creativity, resources for creatives, and interview creators and authors. If you want to get them in your inbox, you can always subscribe! You can take a look at the archive before you get one in your inbox.

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It is the fourth year anniversary for this newsletter this last September. I didn’t expect to go on hiatus for a few months. The criminal suspects that caused this was burn out, a move, a trip to Singapore and a Kiasmos concert in that foreign country.

I don’t know if you have experienced it. You stop writing one day, you don’t write for a week. A month went by and month two gets closer and closer. And the last thing you want to do is write.

I am still in the 25K word count for my novel WIP Project Dylan. But I started a different version of draft 1 where I am rewriting from scratch and try to figure out timeline, character motivation and plot. It is one big mess. But we will get there.

I am thinking about using Chat in the Substack app, to have more conversations with you directly. Let me know if you are interested.

Reading list

• I Have Some Questions for You - Rebecca Makkai

• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - V. E. Schwab

• The Dallergut Dream Department Store - Miye Lee

• Assembly - Natasha Brown

The first two are in some sense what my novel WIP would be, in the mystery fantasy genre. I still have to decide if it leans more towards mystery or crime.

All the TBR books above have incredible Prologue/Chapter One.

If you are deciding on what to read next, please read Assembly by Natasha Brown. It was sharp and realistic like nothing I have ever read.

Having a platform as an upcoming author

KM Fajardo has got her book deal for her debut book Local Heavens recently, which would be out in Fall 2025. It got me thinking about having a platform before you have your first book published.

Even if it is on a platform filled with writers (hi Substack), it still helps to have some sort of presence. Because when I see a book by an author I know online, I would go for their book, instead of all those other books.

If you are still thinking about starting a newsletter/social account, go for it. I wish I started writing on Substack in 2017!

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Prompt #16

To spice things up a bit, try to read/write something that you would not normally do. If you are not in that, try something different in other aspects.

With gratitude,

Celeste