MAR Literary Services

We Are On Holiday Break!

All right folks, that’s a wrap! This has been such an incredible year for me. I graduated college, dove headfirst into beta and alpha reading, started the process to earn my life coaching certification, and started building MAR Literary Services from the ground up. But you know what I’m most proud of? This newsletter. This……
Cookie Cutter Characters: When Your Series Becomes a Factory Line

I was somewhere around book twelve when I realized I couldn’t remember which hero I was reading about. Not because I have a bad memory. I’ve read over 4,000 books and can recall characters from years ago. No, I couldn’t remember this hero because he was functionally identical to the one from three books ago.…
Subplots Without Purpose Are Literary Dead Weight

Two thirds of the way through a dark romance novella that had me hooked, a new villain walked onstage. A ruthless madam. A silent enforcer. My reader brain lit up with dread and excitement. And then… nothing. They vanished without consequence. In this essay, I unpack why that single vanished subplot broke the narrative spell,…
What If You Messured This Instead?

As the last 31 days of the year begin, many writers start tallying word counts and feeling like they should have done more. But what if your real writing progress this year isn’t something you can measure on a spreadsheet? This post explores the deeper ways writers grow, the quiet wins that never show up…
Reediting published books: why going back matters more than people think

Recently I picked up an old series from an author I love, and it reminded me why reediting published books matters more than most writers realize. The early installments felt like they were written by a completely different person, and the break in continuity pulled me out of the story. Readers feel those gaps. This…
The Fallacy of “I Don’t Have Time”

Writers say “I don’t have time” like it’s a truth carved in stone, but it’s usually something far more personal. We’re not short on hours. We’re short on belief. When you tell yourself you’ll write once life calms down, you’re really saying your story isn’t worth choosing today. This post digs into why writers avoid…
The Theory OF Time & What It Means To Be Getting Older

As I get ready to turn thirty seven, I’ve been facing that quiet fear so many writers know well, the feeling of being behind. We measure ourselves against deadlines and word counts, then wonder if it’s too late to write the stories we carry. That nagging question pushed me to rethink time itself, and what…
Rebel With A Writing Cause

Why is it so hard to stay consistent with writing, even when you want it more than anything? The answer is not laziness or lack of discipline. It may be your natural productivity tendency working against you. After discovering Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies during a writing summit, everything about my own struggles finally made sense.…
Finding the Right Writing Advice Balance

In the realm of writing, applying advice blindly can lead to confusion and underdevelopment. The comparison between “Petty AF,” which suffers from a lack of clarity, and the chaotic charm of “Raging Barons MC” highlights the need for thoughtful critique. Writers must seek specific feedback that addresses their unique storytelling challenges to truly engage readers.…
Flirting With Burnout & What Comes Next

Creative burnout doesn’t hit like a crash. It sneaks in as a quiet fog, a slow dimming of focus you don’t notice until everything feels out of reach. I didn’t see it coming, but stopping long enough to breathe made the difference. Rest isn’t falling behind. It’s how your brain rebuilds the spark you’ve been…