romanticizing writing with...Neely Tubati Alexander

a romance author shares her romantic (and realistic) view of the writing life

I romanticize a lot in my life: trips I’m planning, the past, future change, homes on Zillow, and, of course, writing. Actually, writing and the writing life. With the writing itself, I sometimes romanticize the effort and timelines.

With the writing life, I imagine ample flexibility and having loads of time to read. I envision wearing comfy writing outfits that look both effortless and stylish and having no stress or tasks piled up as I stare at my screen and let my imagination run wild. Errands, administrative life tasks, a day job? As much as I love what I do (and checking tasks off my list), those aren’t often in my writing daydreams.

The reality is, I’m not writing in a cashmere turtleneck in my Hamptons beach house like Diane Keaton in Something’s Gotta Give, or staring dreamily out the window of my gorgeous NYC brownstone a la Carrie Bradshaw, and I don’t have a charming writing nook like the one Sandra Bullock has in The Lost City.

It’s fun to dream sometimes, but it’s equally important to know what the writing life really looks like. While this varies for everyone, every single time it’s going to come down to doing the work. The scenario will never be perfect. There’s usually never enough time, and you have to slip in writing sessions when you can, whether you’re sitting in an airport with time to kill on a layover, waking up early to write a scene before everyone wakes up and your day job starts, or tapping into your phone in the grocery line. But, like I said, balance is important.

And so I introduce to you romanticizing writing with…. It’s a monthly interview series that gives us a sneak peek into the dream scenario and the reality of an author’s writing life. In this column, we’re indulging, challenging, and shedding light on the ways we look at writing through a romantic lens.

This month, let’s romanticize with Neely Tubati Alexander, author of Love Buzz and the forthcoming In a Not so Perfect World. I adored both of Neely’s books so much—they’re beautifully written, immersive, and thought-provoking. I’ll read anything she writes!