In this month's LOW NOTES, I share my appreciation for being part of a community. Read and subscribe, peoples. #5amWritersClub open.substack.com/pub/jayheltz...

Yay: I manipulated the algorithms so my social media isn't showing me political crap anymore. Boo: I manipulated the algorithms so my social media only shows me why I'm "not measuring up" as a writer. How about less social media? Boom! #5amWritersClub, like ❤️ then write... a lot.

It's almost VDP time. Are you awake? Do you have the Zoom link? Are you ready to join your #5amWritersClub friends as we discuss RETELLING MYTHS? Should I keep asking questions?

Nah. No post today. Go write. #5amWritersClub, where writers... Hey, I said go write!

It's no myth! There's another #5amWritersClub Virtual Donut Party this Friday 9/26 at 5am ET. RETELLING MYTHS: what kinds, what types, how to adapt, how to recapture. Join us as Shawn Anderson and Betsy Ellor take us through their process to recreate your favorite myths. DM for the Zoom.

On Rosh Hashanah it is written... Well, it's RH and lets start 5786 with some writing. May you be written in the Book of Life for another year. Before you head off to shul, join me at the #5amWritersClub and get some new year words in, m'kay? L'shana tova! 🍎🍯

Upon returning from Jupiter, my MS will rest in a marinade of ideas, suggestions, corrections, and improvements. instead, today will focus on a short story idea that resides in my brain, and will live in an anthology this fall. #5amWritersClub, making stories one word at a time.

Here it is, the 1st draft of my next book. It looks great but Act 3 doesn't resolve (yet), character arcs aren't logical (yet), the protag doesn't change enough (yet), but it's here, and ready for the #5amWritersClub retreat this weekend. See y'all next week on the other side of #JourneytoJupiter!

I did not write this morning. I read, I read something else, I made notes (not about writing), I researched, I grew frustrated with the results of my research, I read something else, I stared into a dark corner of my room... Pretty productive, I'd say. #5amWritersClub, where its not all writing.

I've got plenty of time... I've got plenty of time... I've got plenty of time... 🕐🕒🕕🕗🕛 #JourneytoJupiter OH SHIT, I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME! #5amWritersClub, where time waits for no one, even if its conveniently early in the day.

Accountability check: Today's the day I reclaim the narrative, my narrative, letting in only those that help me, as I push out the ones that distract. The imaginary people that live on my pages will gain my attention. #5amWritersClub, pushing out people that suck since 5am.

#JourneytoJupiter in a few days and I gotta get my stuff ready. Currently prepping the 1st draft for print: deleting blank spaces, strikethrough sentences/paragraphs, (ignoring) margin comments, and more. #5amWritersclub, it's not always fun creative work, but its craft anyway.

Yesterday yesterday'ed the hell out of yesterday and left me with barely any yesterday in the tank which by the end of the day I didn't even want anymore. Today is a new day. I bet it'll be different. That's enough for me. #5amWritersClub, starting the new day off write!

My laptop has been hovering at 80% charged for the last week, never quite peaking upwards. Apparently they're designed to self-regulate for optimal battery life. I can completely relate. 🪫 #5amWritersClub, where we show up 80% ready to do the work and still get it done.

Here's the secret magic writing sauce... It's just words: picking them, changing them, reordering them, finding larger ones to sound smart, eliminating some to be efficient, or using smaller ones to make a point. You're welcome. #5amWritersClub, where we screw around with words.

Rereading my first draft and after two chapters of confidence in my story's direction, the third chapter shows that I was looking elsewhere. My, my, the highlights, strikethroughs and margin comments begin to pile up. #5amWritersClub, where there's no better time to clean this shit up.

Shhhh! 🤫 The writers are doing the work. Plus, it's Sunday. Shhhh! 🤫 (Whispering) #5amWritersClub, because shhhh, that's why.

Taking a moment to appreciate that I'm killing it this morning. My buzzing brain filled with ideas and fingers madly typing them out, all while nobody else is awake... except my fellow #5amWritersClub scribes. Damn right we think we're cool, especially before the sun rises.

The next #5amWritersClub Virtual Donut Party is TOMORROW! Fri 9/5 at 5am ET on Zoom. We're talking about THE VARIOUS PATHS TO PUBLICATION. Perfect for those of you, like me, who want to know what all the options are. Join us, will you? DM for the Zoom link.

Can we all agree that our main writing is not on Bookface, not on Xwitter, and sorry, not on BlooSky? They're fun hangout lounges, but it's 5am, time to return to your actual writing. #5amWritersClub, the secret clubhouse for writers who know where it's at!

Some days I rely on dogged determination. Some days I'm harangued by habitual hope. Occasional days are fueled with fierce fiery fantasy! Today is a day of meandering musings of made-up mush. (Can you tell I'm unfortunately unfocused?) #5amWritersClub... it'll come to me. Give it a sec.

Life has taught me to never trust any feelings or "rational" thoughts before the sun comes up. Guess it's time to write in order to put the other thoughts away. #5amWritersClub, where our batshit rules pretty much justify anything that supports our writing.

In this month's LOW NOTES, I write about failing to reach your artistic goals one note, one book, one day at a time. jayheltzer.substack.com/p/audition-f... Read and subscribe, peoples. #5amWritersClub

Some days you pick up where you left off, like grabbing a baton in a relay race. Some days, your scattered mind indecisively says "This, no this, no this." Some days, you sigh like its your next therapy session, attempting to fix something, anything. #5amWritersClub, where humans rise to write.

Dear Dark Energy of the Universe that attempted to knock me over this week, Sit down. I'm not paying attention to you. #5amWritersClub, because sometimes a🖕🏻is necessary to prove the universe wrong. PS - It's still Friday, so donut up, my faithful word conquerors. 🍩

Boo: Rejection and failing to achieve goals Yay: Finding inspiration that leads me back to the desk. Boo: Inspired to write about my rejections and failure to achieve goals. Yay: I know what my next Substack is about. #5amWritersClub, where ugly inspiration is still inspiration.

Hi, Jay can’t be here today because he’s focused on something. It’s something good. It always is. Why? Because #5amWritersClub, that’s why.

(5th attempt to write a post) This weekend I... the feelings of... when you... (damn) This does not bode well for my writing session this morning. #5amWritersClub, no it's not always there, but I'm always here, so 😝

I've arrived at the desk with no agenda, no pre-loaded idea, not much focus, and a wandering mind... but I'm at the desk! #5amWritersClub, where showing up isn't the battle and the battle still awaits only you aren't sure what the battle is.

The #5amWritersClub celebrates Fridays with donuts. 🍩 Not because you landed your book deal, you wrote eleventy billion words, you won a prize, or you won the auction for a shiny new fudpucker spatula adapter. We donut on Fridays because donuts are awesome, just like you. 🍩 Now go write!

Ahhh... the first draft re-read. So fun, right? Nothing like arriving at the third act, discovering you did it all wrong. No arc, no continuity, misguided conflict, MC seems to be on some other kind of path... WTF was I writing??? Sigh #5amWritersClub, it ain't always gonna be right, write?

I began the day consuming tear-inducing art--a song with wailing vocals over lush harmonies, a painful short story on aging that hurts my bones--and now I'm supposed to work on my goofy shit? So be it. #5amWritersClub, where art makes you cry before the sun rises... sometimes.

I'm quick to dole out the advice or motivational words here and there, all free of charge for my beloved #5amwritersclub Today I heed my own words, otherwise this sluggy morning is going nowhere. Even cheerleaders need cheering too. ok... here goes... #keepfuckingwriting

You! Yeah, you! Yes, and that person next to you. Tap them for me. Get their face out of their phone. Hey, both of you. Screw it, HEY ALL OF YOU... You're awesome. Now go write! #5amWritersClub, need I say more?

Today I am motivated by the boxes I have not checked yet. ✅☑️ Sadly, there's a metric shit-ton of boxes. ✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅☑️✅ Good thing no one is awake to interrupt me. #5amWritersClub, the perfect time to get shit done.

VDP starts now. Join us. DM me for the Zoom link. #5amWritersClub

Tomorrow, peoples! Wanna talk shop with other writers at 5am ET? I know you do. It's another #5amWritersClub Virtual Donut Party! 🍩 DM me for the Zoom if you don't have it already!

Who wants to discuss the ART OF THE GENRE SENTENCE? At this weeks VDP (Fri 8/15 5am ET) we'll look at sentences that intro a character, describe a setting, or establish conflict, & how they vary between genres. Set your alarm, bring a few fave examples, & Zoom in w/ us and the #5amWritersClub

I overslept and I don't think I'm going to check-in today. #5amWritersClub, where you do the thing anyway because you know you can't stay away.

Okay week, what do you have for me? -Nonsense at work. ✔️ -A need to shake off lazy summer habits. ✔️ -The constant desire to change/improve/adapt. ✔️ -Co-hosting a fun VDP with the #5amWritersClub on Friday about crafting genre-based sentences. ✔️✔️✔️ Let's do it, peoples!

My first hour was reading. That's good. (I also obsessed over #DCI2025 finals tonight, IYKYK) My second hour was processing art envy. Normal but not good. Will the next hour use my words? Maybe... #5amWritersClub, where I sit here being human around art stuff!

It's Friday, grab a donut. 🍩 But the week was challenging.🍩 My work is struggling.🍩 People I know are going through a tough thing.🍩 I haven't met my goals.🍩 The world is terrible.🍩 Does🍩Not🍩Matter! #5amWritersClub, where everyone gets a donut on Friday!

In honor of @dci.bsky.social and the 2025 #drumcorps season closing this weekend, here's a LOW NOTES honoring my favorite corps, the Santa Clara Vanguard, and asking my fellow writer's "What's your VAN-GUARD moment (in your writing)?" #5amWritersClub jayheltzer.substack.com/p/van-guard

...and then I told Wednesday, "Piss off!", and it did, respecting my wishes, despite its best intentions. "Ok, Thursday. It's you and me," Jay said like an old man yelling at kids to get off his lawn. #5amWritersClub where the previous shitty day is erased by a good day...maybe

My brain is overbraining this morning. I'm opening tabs left and right, impulsively researching random shit, pulling books from shelves to find things... My superpowered focus can multifocus! (dude, that's not a thing.) #5amWritersClub where caffeine solves and makes problems.

Happiness: placing your book in the neighborhood little library Happiness: seeing your book was selected from neighborhood little library Sadness: book was returned to little library Happiness: Book was selected again from little library Repeat… #5amWritersClub

Up for a short writing challenge? Join me in the @nycmidnight.bsky.social 250-word Microfiction Challenge on December 5th! Learn more at nycmidnight.com/250 Plus if you do a post like this, you get a discount on your registration. How cool and easy is that?

The "bad news" machine follows me around, ensuring I'm updated on the latest pessimism. Didn't order it, don't want it, I refuse it. I prefer the optimism of my fiction... as I #MakeItWorse for my characters.😈 #5amWritersClub, where bad news should live in the writers hands.

Time to press the big ol' reset button. Resetting the mindset, the practice, the habits, the morals, the values, the choices, the tendencies, the face, the body, the fingers, the mind, the essence... But not the #5amWritersClub. That's still the best part of my day.

In this month's LOW NOTES, I compare writing a novel to getting a tattoo. Totally same thing, right? Read and subscribe, peoples! jayheltzer.substack.com/p/a-tattoo-i... #5amWritersClub