Day 6: Tricks for Staying in Your Chair

Today we hear from writers Tracey Palmer and Belle Brett about how they keep writing, keep their love for their projects, and how “work” is more than just generating pages

Tracey Palmer is professional writer and editor, and founder of Palmer Communications. She completed Grub Street’s Novel Incubator program in 2016 and serves as co-editor and writer for the group’s blog, Dead Darlings. She’s won residencies at the Salty Quill Writers’ Retreat in Maine and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. The Texas League of Writers named her first, unpublished novel a finalist in its manuscript competition. Her second novel, ALIVE DAY, is a character-driven, literary drama that gives voice to the often-untold story of female veterans in America. 

Belle Brett is a graduate of Grub Street’s first Novel Incubator class. Her first book Gina in the Floating World, a gritty, and sexy coming-of-age novel set in 1981 Tokyo, was called by Kirkus reviews “a sharply observed and unforgettable debut.” It was chosen as a Sarton Book Awards finalist in contemporary fiction and a Benjamin Franklin Awards silver medalist in best new voice in fiction. When not writing or making art, Belle can be found working on her blog, “Our Slow Downsizing Story: Savoring the Journey Bit by Bit.”