Introduction

The year 2025 sucked. On so many levels. I'm not even going to go into the broader sociopolitical reasons because it was bad enough on a personal scale. But through it all, I learned a lot of things about myself and the publishing industry. Here are five.

Breaks are good, actually

Yeah no I'm serious. I spent so much of this year forcing myself to write while burnt out and, guess what? It made me crispier. Working through burnout is a great way to get yourself sick, in the head if not the body. Sometimes we have to do it. I did it because I felt like I had to, but in reality, what I needed was to take a deliberate break and then come back with the well refilled.

Nothing gold can stay

I mean, this is one I've been learning my whole life, isn't it? I had a wildly productive 2023 and 2024, so I was ready to crack the whip again in 2025. It just didn't work out that way. I faced seven months of layoff threats. I had some personal losses. None of that was conducive to creativity or doing my best work. And that's okay. There are fallow periods, but that's how we reset. Even though it feels awful.

Agent-author relationships are business relationships

Agents will talk about believing in your work but the thing is, they need to believe it can sell. Same goes for editors at publishing houses, I hear. You can't take publishing personally or you're going to lose your mind. Breaks and separations and setbacks are about the market, not you as a writer necessarily. Your stuff may be great! It just may not be what's hot. Which brings me to my next point…

Learn to pivot or die

Okay, a little bit drastic here, but the idea is sound. “If at first you don't succeed, try again" doesn't mean try the same thing. Don't beat an idea into the ground. After separating from my agent, I realized that the epic fantasy market is shot right now. The kind of fantasy I want to write just isn't what's on people's menus. So, I decided to lean into horror, my other love. I'm not giving up on fantasy; I'm just choosing a different path for a while.

You need a solid core outside of the industry

I know, it’s the psychologist in me. But it's true. I've seen people crash out over the tiniest publishing mishaps and it's sad because I know that could be me easily. I've had my own crash outs. What keeps me going is that writing isn't all that I have or am. I used to think it was, but it's not. It's a big piece, but I'm a whole person even if I don't sell a novel this year. I deserve love even if I'm not agented.

And so do you.

Thanks for reading! What are some of your notable lessons from 2025?

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But wait! There’s more!

C.J.’s Corner

Get to know me and what I’m up to. Read it all or skip to your favorite section.

I’m writing | I’m reading | I’m watching | I’m listening | I’m playing | I’m doing 

I’m writing:

Watch this space. Things are moving slowly.

• I'm still querying my adult contemporary horror novel, And the Dark Will Know My Name. For a full pitch, check out the new section of my website. Querying is…slow. Very slow. The holidays, you know. But I'm still going!

• I got a hold on a short story from Haven Spec! And some rejections, but we can slide past those. Every rejection is just a mark of progress.

• The Enter Here anthology has been released! I'm so proud of M. Stevenson and I, our slushers, our authors, and our amazing cover designer, Aimee Cozza. We put our hearts into this anthology of science-fiction, fantasy, and horror. Get it here! It will also soon be available via paperback and Ingram. If you are a reviewer with a site or booktok or whatnot and would like a free review copy, contact us at enterhereanthology(at)gmail(dot)com.

• My new novel, The Priest of Teeth, is kind of in pause mode. I'm working on some short stories instead, including one about summer in Chicago. It's a horror.

• I also have two horror novels in the planning stages. One about a woman who is possessed by her dead sister. The other is about a psychiatric patient in an asylum where the staff are trying to summon a demon. Or are they?

I’m reading:

At least two things, because I have no chill.

I finished:

The Vegetarian by Han Kang. A beautiful literary horror novel about a Korean woman who has a dream that turns her vegetarian, which causes friction in her family. Told from the POVs of those around her, it objectifies her in way that feels purposeful and terrifying. Definitely one of those books where the true terror is in your own head.

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. What a weird, valuable book. It's got such a compelling narrator and a family of “freaks" who are proud of their physical deformities and whose toxic behaviors, not their deformities, are the source of their downfall. It's definitely going to be divisive in book club.

At Dark, I Become Loathsome by Eric LaRocca. I love LaRocca's style. The sinuous, sinister beauty of his prose. The way he goes after taboo topics at the throat. This book is dark af and the narrator drew me in. Great audiobook reader, fyi. Syrupy, sinister voice.

I’m watching:

I'm mostly watching lots of football. Go Bears! I've also been rewatching a lot of favorites. The Corpse Bride. Stardust. Edward Scissorhands.

I finally watched Weapons. The title is so interesting, fyi. Great movie but a little too long, as many movies are, and also they hammer home the explanations behind the supernatural too explicitly. Let us dream! But I enjoyed it. Solid three stars, maybe four. Memorable characters and I liked the daisy-chain style narrative.

I also did many of my favorite Christmas movies! Including National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, Miracle on 34th Street, and hopefully we'll watch White Christmas this weekend because the holiday is past but my family hasn't opened our presents yet so for us it's still on.

I’m listening:

I have still been listening to a lot of The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift. Also nu metal. MGK. Papa Roach. Some newer metalcore (think Spiritbox and Ice Nine Kills). I'm predictable.

I’m playing:

Not much right now, but I've thought about picking one up over my week-long holiday break. I really need to get back into BG3, which I never finished. Someone poke me.

I’m doing:

More crochet! I have made some hats and am working on a headband for an unspecified giftee. I have also started digital painting again and am pretty happy with the results! If you want to check out more of my art, you can look at my Cara portfolio.

That’s all for now!

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