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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters

@amylbernstein.bsky.social
212 followers 416 following 165 posts

Author, Book Coach, Creativity Counselor. Fearless confronter of doubts holding creatives back. Author: "Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration." 2 novels forthcoming: "Tent City" and "Seed." amywrites.live

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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Writing in First Person? Dial Up the Charisma brevity.wordpress.com/2026/09/25/f...
brevity.wordpress.com
Writing in First Person? Dial Up the Charisma
By Amy L. Bernstein First-person POV may well be the most complicated point of view. When you build an entire story around the “I” voice, you commit to installing the reader deep inside a single sk…
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Reposted by Amy Slays Doubt Monsters
Jane Friedman @janefriedman.com · 22/09/2026
If you intend to get serious about writing powerful essays, you should familiarize yourself with three structural components that you’ll tie together to make a cohesive whole: 1. Form 2. Voice 3. Outcome Insight from @amylbernstein.bsky.social
janefriedman.com
3 Structural Components of Essay: Form, Voice, and Outcome | Jane Friedman
The essay is like any other literary genre: There are guidelines worth following, and style choice dictates different points of view and structures.
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Hi, #Baltimore, Our beloved Ivy Bookshop is hosting a #booktalk Friday, 9/11 at 6 pm between me and WYPR's Taylor Holbrooks. You're invited! TENT CITY and the Necessity of Writing in Dark Times www.theivybookshop.com/event/amy-l-... #writers #authors #booksky #dystopianfiction #bookstore
theivybookshop.com
Ivy Bookshop - Amy L. Bernstein with Taylor Holbrooks: TENT CITY
As the American town of Willing crumbles under a collapsing economy, hundreds seek refuge in the dense “city” of tents that spring up in the Kings’ big backyard. So follows the new novel by Amy L. Ber...
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
What's the next mountain I'm gonna climb? This was a dream come true! My talk focused on the necessity of treating artists as workers and paying them a living wage.
Amy Bernstein on stage at TEDx Logan Circle. Washington, DC, August 11, 2026.
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Writers: You'll have no trouble relating to this! That's me on the left and writer Veronica Vo on the right. She recently completed her MFA...and now she's out there in the querying and writing trenches. Join us for the related live chat!
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Artists are advised to wield data to define and measure their worth and their output. This does not always go well. And I'm not doing it. #cnf #essay #artist #writer #bksy amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/permission...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
When Measuring Messes with your Mindset
Look beyond the data for your identity as an artist
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
@readercon.bsky.social So excited to attend Readercon this weekend and share TENT CITY with everyone. A sly, dark exploration of the American Dream in decline. Check it out! Also excited about serving on the David Gerrold panel!!
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Slow your roll, writers. It's good for you! amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/the-other-... #writers #booksky #authors #fiction #nonfiction
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
The Other Hustle Culture
The different pace of making art
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Think you're clear on your "target" reader? Maybe not... amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/your-so-ca... #booksky #indieauthor #writer #author #fiction #bookmarketing
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Your So-Called Target Reader May Not Exist
We can’t always put readers in boxes and slap labels on them
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Yes, why not...? amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/why-not-be... #booksky #authors #writers #indie
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Why Not Believe That it Could Be You…?
No excuses allowed
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/six-years-... #booksky #writer
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Six Years Ago, I Made a Life-Altering Decision
The future is unknowable but dreaming about it is very real
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Aren't chapbooks wonderful? Hand-crafted, elegant, no two alike. I'm thrilled that Bottlecap Press has produced one for my hybrid story, DAYS OF LEAVING. #booksky #indie #author #writer #chapbook #fiction bottlecap.press/products/day...
bottlecap.press
Days of Leaving, by Amy L. Bernstein
Prose, chapbook, 44 pages, from Bottlecap Features. DAYS OF LEAVING is a gentle meditation on loneliness and the difficulty of living up to E.M. Forster’s dictum to “only connect” one’s inner and oute...
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
If only the rest of the world got on so well... amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/who-are-wr... #writers #authors #booksky #indie #fiction #CNF
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Who are Writers Like? Other Writers.
We have a ridiculous amount in common
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
One of the most fun parts of completing a book? Choosing the epigraph...just the precise words to set the mood. #booksky amywrites.live/blog/f/the-j...
amywrites.live
The Joy of Choosing an Epigraph
One of the joys of finalizing a book is the chance to insert an epigraph (or epigram) at the front of the book, usually after the dedication (to loved ones for putting up with you).
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Hey, I'm inviting complete strangers to my party! Fortunately, it's virtual so you can't steal my silverware. But seriously: Let's have some fun! Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi... #fiction #writers #authors #booksky #newfiction #speculative #dystopian #booklaunch
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
The truth about writing #memoir is packed into this single question. #cnf #booksky
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Gotta love the magic of marketing. There I am, right between Cormac McCarthy and Octavia Butler. bookglow.net/5-dystopian-... #fiction #author #booksky #speculative #dystopian
bookglow.net
5 Dystopian Novels That Feel Uncomfortably Real - BOOKGLOW
What makes a dystopian novel truly unsettling isn’t how far it stretches the imagination—it’s how close it hits to home. These stories don’t rely on distant futures or impossible technology; instead, ...
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
This #cnf essay explores how fiction, including my new novel TENT CITY, contributes a rough first draft of history. I'm not in "sales" mode; I prefer "engagement" mode. #booksky #newbook #speculativefiction #fiction #novel medium.com/books-are-ou...
medium.com
Fiction Offers a First Draft of History
Invented stories have much to tell us about the real world
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Self-Doubt Was My Overlord medium.com/the-narrativ... #cnf #self-doubt #impostersyndrome #essay
medium.com
Self-Doubt Was My Overlord
The long road to becoming a joyful risk-taker
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Gonna help you tame that beast...
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
When revising feels like a slog...when you can no longer see your own words...look up: Your reader awaits. amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/vision-and... #cnf #fiction #nonfiction #writers
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Vision and Revision
Seeing your work clearly when everything looks blurry
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
TODAY, FRIDAY! Still got some gas in the tank? What a whirlwind, right? This is the book every self-doubting creative needs right now. Stop by for an honest conversation. You'll leave inspired and refreshed! Learn more about this little book punching above its weight at amywrites.live. #AWP
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Signing copies of my award-winning WRANGLING THE DOUBT MONSTER on Friday at the Women's National Book Assn. Booth 236. 1 pm. Stop by to chat about creative self-doubt! We're in this together! #AWP #AWP26 #writerscommunity #Baltimore
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
#AWP26 - Excited to have such dynamic writers join my virtual offsite, Is My Nonfiction Book/Memoir on Track? Wed 3/4 at 4:00PM. It's FREE! Sunday, Mar. 1 -- last day to submit pages for feedback. See AWP offsite pg for sign-up details! #CNF #Memoir
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
If you're heading to #AWP26 or coming to #Baltimore just for the conference offsites...we've got the lowdown on submitting to the best zines! #authorsandwriters #booksky #fiction #cnf
Secrets of the Editors: The Fine Art of Literary Submission & Rejection.
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Writing #CNF? Going to #AWP? Check out my virtual offsite: IS MY NF BOOK OR MEMOIR ON TRACK? Free group coaching by an expert. Insights into your structure, premise, and more! Deets: conference.awpwriter.org/offsite_even..., Mar 04, 2026
conference.awpwriter.org
2026 AWP
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
Want to get happily published? Begin by being honest with yourself about what you want from the experience. #CNF #writers #authors amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/is-there-a...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Is There a Wrong Way to Publish?
The answer depends on whether your intentions align with reality
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
I understand why we classify books by genre. But I prefer my #fiction to be hard to classify. Which is why I rail against the genre coding systems in place. #booksky substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com
The Rampant Coding of Literature
Tucking messy ideas into neat boxes
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Your published book isn't past its sell-by date. Remember there are readers out there ready to encounter your work for the first time. #booksky #fiction #writers #authors #indie amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/why-every-...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Why Every Day is Launch Day
How to keep that new-car smell going
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
Struggling to write better FIRST-PERSON FICTION? Don't miss my master class at the San Fran Writers Conf in Feb.! It's not just a POV--it's a mindset! We'll cover pitfalls, tricks, and share loads of examples. Real-time writing. www.sfwriters.org/events-and-p... @sfwc.bsky.social #fictionwriters
sfwriters.org
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Took 7 years to find a publisher for this dark tale about an economic apocalypse. TENT CITY A striving family. A collapsing economy. A tragic death. In Tent City, everyone must confront their demons in the struggle to survive. PRE-ORDER: www.open-bks.com/library/mode... #booksky #speculative
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 30/12/2025
We cannot undo anything that’s occurred in the past. Period. But we can change how we respond to events yet to occur. #cnf amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/the-past-d...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
The Past Does Not Predict Your Future
Look ahead to the good stuff
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
writingcooperative.com/when-family-... #cnf #creatives #writerscommunity
writingcooperative.com
When Family Struggles to Understand the Writer in Their Midst
Love and validation don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. But you can hold onto your identity and still enjoy family time over the holidays.
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/in-praise-... #cnf #fiction
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
In Praise of Slow Starts
My love of boring first pages in the great-books canon
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Take note! #AWP26 goers: The Fine Art of Literary Submission and Rejection: Secrets of the Editors ...a walkable off-site you won't want to miss if you want to break into the lit mags. Watch for our listing!
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Do you suffer from the self-doubt blues? There are ways to cope...and remember, you're not alone! #cnf #essay #creatives amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/five-ways-...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Five Ways to Address the Sabotage Caused by Self-Doubt
Mindsets to help you strike a better balance
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
"So if you’re among the multitudes feeling disconnected these days, and wondering what your purpose is, consider that your purpose—at least in part—is to explore the artist within you and discover how your art helps to restore meaning to a deeply troubled world." open.substack.com/pub/amylbern...
open.substack.com
Existential Interlude
Reflections on a time out of joint
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 14/11/2025
Object-ives # 11: The Hardest Working Dress on the Planet An essay 50 years in the making. #cnf opensecretsmagazine.com/p/prom-dress...
opensecretsmagazine.com
Object-ives # 11: The Hardest Working Dress on the Planet
Memories of cloth and armor for a rebellious promgoer
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
Applying the reverse bucket list concept to writing and creativity....Lots to think about! #cnf amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/can-writer...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Can Writers Ever Truly Be Happy?
Radically redefining goals may hold the key
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
If you're looking for inspiration...not simply to write...but to write tight... amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/the-case-o...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
The Case of the Shrinking Novel
The mystery of saying more with less
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
News Flash for #AWP 2026 in #Baltimore! I'm offering a FREE off-site meeting room less then 10 mins' walk from Convention Ctr. Seats up to 48. Kitchen. Food & bev. allowed. Meets ADA. Ping me.
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
News flash: Your first draft isn't your last. It may not even be your first. amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/its-true-w...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
It’s True: Writing is Revising
When you think you’re finished, the magic begins
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Rejection: Ever heard of it? Nah. Not you. But in case you're curious... amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/the-many-l... #cnf #authors #writers
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
The Many Lives of the Rejection Mindset
A journey from self-doubt to self-affirmation
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
We're going to work it!
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
My latest #CNF from #Medium on a topic I'm fairly obsessed with. medium.com/thought-thin...
medium.com
Is AI Ramping Up Our Doubts About Everything?
Finding the limits to what we should question
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
Marketing: "Dreaded drudgery that never ends and constantly disappoints us by failing to deliver the outcomes that would justify all the crap we put ourselves through." Can I get an amen? It doesn't have to be like this. amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com/p/marketing-...
amylbernsteinauthor.substack.com
Marketing: The Dirtiest Word in the English Language?
Find the joy, abandon the drudgery
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
#CNF writers new to #essay writing: Come to my fast-paced mini-workshop on discovering your voice through essay. Free. Fun. Online. Sept. 19. 10:30 a.m. Eastern. #MediumDay medium.com/blog/medium-...
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Hey, #women, and friends of women > Happy to share this little truth from The Virago. #cnf #nonfiction #essay medium.com/the-virago/a...
medium.com
A Doubting Mindset Holds Women Back
Women hesitate while men plunge
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Amy Slays Doubt Monsters @amylbernstein.bsky.social · 25/08/2025
As a Boomer, I have a lot of empathy for the world that Gen Alpha is growing up in. Some thoughts on how that plays out. #cnf #nonfiction #essays medium.com/the-narrativ...
medium.com
Giving Gen Alpha a Fair Shot at Happiness
The kids will be all right — maybe
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