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The ideas, research, doubts, and real-world questions behind the fiction.
Essays on writing science fiction thrillers, emerging technology, books, and the author journey, with the occasional personal detour into the questions and experiences that shape the fiction.
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Author's Journey
Writing the books is only part of the job. This is where I talk about drafting, revising, publishing, marketing, and everything I’m still figuring out along the way.
Writing Motivation: How to Thrive as a New Author (Insights and Tips)
New author tips: Capture spontaneous ideas, commit time daily, celebrate progress, embrace half-baked ideas, and connect with readers.
Monica Chase
Aug 4
Two Weeks After I “Figured Out” How to End a Trilogy
Two weeks ago I wrote about how to end a trilogy without playing it safe. It was thoughtful, strategic, and slightly smug in hindsight. What I didn’t mention is that before you land the plane, you still have to fly the damn thing. And lately, the flying part has gotten… slow. Turns out there’s a creative trap that shows up when you care too much about getting something right.
Monica Chase
Mar 13
How To End a Trilogy Without Playing it Safe
I’m 42,000+ words into Book 3, which is either disciplined momentum or a very elegant way of avoiding a harder decision. The number keeps climbing. It looks good in my planner and gives me that quiet, virtuous hit of progress. See? We’re moving. We are not stalled. We are definitely not spiraling. Except I’ve started to notice that the movement feels slightly diagonal, like I’m covering ground without necessarily lining up the runway. If I’m being fair to my own brain, I know
Monica Chase
Feb 27
My Amygdala Thinks Zoom Is a Hostile Environment
The Librarian, the Gremlin, and the Zoom Call “Would you be willing to share in an upcoming meeting?” Sure. Of course. Happy to. My nervous system: absolutely not. It’s amazing how quickly a group of friendly authors on a Zoom call can feel like I’ve been called to testify before Congress. No subpoenas. No hostile cross-examination. Just coffee mugs, decent lighting, and someone’s cat stepping across the keyboard like it owns equity in the platform. There’s still a part of my
Monica Chase
Feb 26
Paper Bills in 2025? The Copay That Time Forgot
A routine dental visit becomes an analog comedy of errors—paper bill, no online pay, stamps & scissors—proving tech fails us in the funniest ways.
Monica Chase
Aug 13, 2025
When Author Virtual Assistant Services Miss the Mark
I tried to hire a Virtual Assistant. I came prepped with a one-pager and high hopes. What I got was a no-show interview and total silence. This isn’t a rant. It’s a cautionary tale for indie authors who outsource with optimism and get ghosted instead. If you’re building a business of one, here’s what happens when your prep is sharp, the service is shiny, and the system quietly breaks.
Monica Chase
Aug 7, 2025
Some Doors Wait for You. Some You Break Down
Some doors make you fight for them. Some just wait until you’re ready. This is what happens when life hands you a key you didn’t know was yours—and everything changes.
Monica Chase
Jul 16, 2025
This Was Out Of My Comfort Zone
A conversation I almost said no to. Writing gives me luxuries that conversation doesn’t. I can stop. Rewrite. Delete the sentence that sounded much better in my head. I can spend ten minutes looking for the exact word and nobody has to sit across from me while I do it. Put a microphone in front of me and suddenly all of those escape hatches disappear. My brain tends to run several exits ahead of my mouth, especially when I care about getting something right. Add the fact that
Monica Chase
Jul 8, 2025
Dear Future Me: Encouragement for Writers Who Feel Like Quitting
Feeling burnt out or lost in your writing journey? This funny, heartfelt pep talk from your future self is exactly what you need to keep going.
Monica Chase
Apr 22, 2025
What I Learned Updating My Goodreads Author Page
Updating my book cover on Goodreads turned into a metadata maze of ghosts, rules, and surprises. Here's what every author should know.
Monica Chase
Apr 2, 2025
How to Break Free from Overwhelm and Take Back Your Time
Feeling overwhelmed? Stop adding more. Start cutting what’s dragging you down. Here’s how to break free and take back your time.
Monica Chase
Feb 11, 2025
I Thought I Was Writing a Book. Instead, I’m Unraveling My Own Story
I set out to write a memoir. Instead, I found myself unraveling the story I thought I knew—and facing the truth I wasn’t ready to admit.
Monica Chase
Feb 4, 2025
The Messy Middle: How to Keep Going When Your Creative Journey Feels Overwhelming
Feeling stuck in the messy middle of your creative journey? Why the weight matters, how to handle it, & why it’s worth pushing through.
Monica Chase
Nov 18, 2024
How to Stay Productive as a Writer (Writing Tips For When It Feels Impossible)
Struggling to stay productive as a writer? Discover simple strategies like habit stacking, time blocking, and quirky rewards to boost focus!
Monica Chase
Oct 2, 2024
Why Embracing Mediocrity Can Lead to Mastery
Explore why embracing mediocrity can lead to mastery. Learn how consistent effort often outperforms the quest for perfection.
Monica Chase
Jun 22, 2024
Humanity vs. Technology: How My Tech-Inspired Novels Explore Our Deepest Connections (plus my favorite motivational writing tips)
Practical Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors: Master Storytelling Where Tech Meets Humanity
Monica Chase
Jun 5, 2024
The Art of Stumbling Gracefully - Embracing Failure
Dive into the art of gracefully stumbling through life’s ambitions, where every misstep is a hidden step towards our true selves.
Monica Chase
Apr 5, 2024
Transforming Triggers: Lessons from an Old House and Personal Growth
There’s an old house near where I live, built sometime in the 1800s. It’s charming and a little wonky, the kind of place that looks increasingly improbable as everything around it gets newer, busier, and louder. Once, it sat among open farmland. Then came a small town. Now it occupies the corner of a busy suburban intersection, surrounded by traffic, power lines, and all the other evidence that progress rarely asks whether the scenery is ready. I pass it often, and I’ve alway
Monica Chase
Dec 6, 2023
A Hostage Negotiator Made Me a Better Writer
A while back, a freelance opportunity landed in my lap. I was excited about it right up until the first few minutes of the call, when I became increasingly convinced that either I had misunderstood the project or the person on the other end had misunderstood me. This did not sound like a fit at all. As they kept talking, I could feel myself getting irritated. Had they looked at my website? Did they know what I actually did? I had spent an absurd amount of time making all of t
Monica Chase
Jul 18, 2023
The Surprising Lesson I learned From A 75-year-old
Yoda goes to the gym too There are days when it feels like everyone else somehow received the map. They’re publishing faster, growing faster, selling more, building something impressive while you’re still staring at the same mile marker wondering whether you accidentally took the scenic route through Nebraska. I know better than to compare my progress to somebody else’s. I also know better than to eat chips directly from the bag. Knowledge and behavior do not always enjoy a c
Monica Chase
Jul 18, 2023
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Behind the Story
I don’t just write about biotech, power, and the questions behind the fiction. On YouTube, I dig into the research, the writing process, and the ideas that refuse to stay on the page.
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The Chase Signal
You've got enough noise. This isn't.
Sneak peeks, character files, book news, and the biotech rabbit holes I keep falling into. I send it only when I have something worth sharing.
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