iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Hi #momswritersclub! Chat postponed until next Wednesday, September 30. I'll send an email out tomorrow. Look forward to seeing you then!

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I love a solid amount of time to settle in and write but since I became a mom and even more since I got a nonwriting job, I survive on writing in small chunks much of the time. Though usually I manage 1-2 hours at night.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I love writing out doors! But I also love writing in cool fall/winter weather. Mostly I just function better in cool weather :-).

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

That makes sense. Though since I write out of order I'm more likely to smooth things over when I revise - unless it's a major change like the one I was talking about with the victim in the mystery.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

He was a character with major history with the MCs so it really added a lot to the story.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I also love peppermint mochas!

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

It's funny isn't it? Somehow if too many people like it it starts to feel obvious. But I enjoy pumpkin spice lattes regardless!

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

The holiday drinks are fun! Which are your characters' favorites?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I would love that - I've occasionally had the last scene in mind when I started (in one book I wrote it books in advance), but I often struggle with a scene that sums up plot threads and themes. Whereas the opening is usually pretty clear for me from the start.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I went back to the beginning and rewrote the early chapters when I made this change. And then I always do a lot of drafts, so there was lots of time to smooth things over. I was on retreat I got the idea, and I almost didn't go with it - but it added so much to the book I couldn't resist.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

So you cut the chapters as you go? I realized most of my major changes happen in the drafting stage too. Even though I write my first draft out of order. I tweak things ordering the scenes but don't do major changes.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

So you're happier writing when it's warmer? I actually love cool temperatures for writing. In the Bay Area September tends to be warm, so right now it's in the 80s...

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

It's so interesting - less structure can be relaxing but it can also make it hard to carve out time.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Retreats are so lovely - I totally rely on them for major progress. We had a mini one in early August where M and I both got a bunch written.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Hi! Great to see you here! Hugs on also being on September deadline

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

M: Talia would be extremely skeptical, then love them. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

T: Mélanie Rannoch would love them but be a bit embarrassed she loves something so ubiquitous (much like her author :-). #momwritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Q.6 #momswritersclub The smallest detail can tell us a lot about characters. Would your MC love or loathe pumpkin spice lattes (even if they exist in a world w/o them)?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

T: Last for me too. Weirdly, as in general I find the first act of a book the hardest to write and the last act the easiest. But opening scenes usually come to me fairly easily. Whereas I often leave the last scene until very late in the process. It's hard to wrap everything up! #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

M: Last. But not always because of the scene itself, it's the process of getting there. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

M: Last. But not always because of the scene itself, it's the process of getting there. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Q.5 #momswritersclub Also on my mind as I revise - what do you find harder to write, the first scene in a book or the last?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I changed the identity of the murder victim (to connect to another book in the series) about 1/3 through the first draft. I don't tend to make major changes once I have a draft. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Q.4 #momswritersclub This one is inspired by personal experience as I'm in the midst of revisions and inevitably things shift. What's the biggest change you've ever made in revising a book?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

T: I usually have a fall deadline, so that can be stressful. And while writing retreats are great, getting ready to go on one in October can add to stress in September. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

M: Nothing! Like I said earlier, my writing doesn't really change with seasons. #momswritersclub.

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Q.3 #momswritersclub Conversely, what's your least favorite thing about writing in the fall?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

T: Like M I find the call light and colder weather and earlier sunsets very inspiring. It's also a time of year when I'm usually finishing one project and starting another. And when we go on writing retreats! #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

M: I can't change that writing changes much for me seasonally, but I find the warmer light and the colder weather in fall much more inspiring. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Q.2 ´#momswritersclub A change of seasons can shift a lot. What's your favorite thing about writing in the fall?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

T: get my novella off to the copy editor and start on the next novel in the series! (Fortunately I have two October writing retreats). #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Q.1 ´#momswritersclub It may not quite be the Fall Equinox, but fall is the air. What are your autumn writing goals?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Hi! I'm Tracy, ´#momswritersclub co-host, joining with my daughter and fellow writer Mélanie, from home (not work for once!) in Marin County, CA. T is madly revising a novella in her Regency spy mystery series. M is working on way too many projects!

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Welcome to #momswritersclub chat night, parent writers of Blue Sky! Settle in and introduce yourself. Chat goes 24 hours and beyond to accommodate all time zones. #amwriting #momwriters #parentwriters #writingcommunity #momswhowrite #MomsWritersClub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Snippet from the scene I'm editing - "My dear Raimundo. You know my history. Surely you realize I trampled every definition of morality to bits. I violated almost every sort of honor and decency. And I can’t say with certainty I’d do things differently if I could make those choices again."

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

T: I like to switch the corkboard in @scrivenerapp.bsky.social and look at all my scenes and move them around. I also like to read the first page of several other books before I dive into my own and try to trick my brain into seeing it with fresh eyes. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

M: I don't have any hacks - just get though it. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Q.6 #momswritersclub I love hearing how other writers get through the process. What's your favorite revising hack to share?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

T: I almost always leave the last scene (sometimes the last chapter) until really late in my revising. It's hard to wrap up a book and it's like I need to work through the whole story to know what I need to do to wrap up the themes and character arcs. #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Q.5 #momswritersclub Do you sometimes deliberately wait to write certain scenes until late in the revision process? Which ones?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

T: I write out of order so in the revision process I'm shifting scenes around - that's when the structure of my book really comes into focus. I also inevitably realize I need new scenes. But oddly the opening usually stays more or less the same (with a lot of wording tweaks). #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Q.4 #momswritersclub How much does your book change as you revise?

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

T: Sort of like M - the proofreading and double checking research notes and checking continuity from prior books (I write a series). Also that the deadline is looming :-). #momswritersclub

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Tracy Grant @tracygrant.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

M: spell checking. Doing things like adding commas, making sure names are spelled right. All of that. #momswritersclub

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