@jayheltzer
Writer of fiction, microfiction and #5amWritersClub devotee, w/ some bass trombone on the side. I love humor, good humans, and creativity. I ask of at least one from everyone, but all three is fine too. Low Notes: https://jayheltzer.substack.com
In this month's LOW NOTES, I try to apply a year of "Less is More" to my writing desk, and it doesn't go well.
Read and subscribe, peoples.
#5amwritersclub
jayheltzer.substack.com/p/all-the-co...
First VDP of 2026 is tomorrow, building MOMENTUM for the rest of the year.
Plus... first details about the annual Journey to Jupiter in-person writing retreat.
You KNOW you want to be there... so be there.
#5amWritersClub
Virtual Donut Parties are back for '26, starting this Friday 1/9 at 5am ET via Zoom.
How to build MOMENTUM for a successful year
-Repetition
-Asking little & big questions of your work
-Measuring Success
-Celebrating without Slowing Down
#5amWritersClub
DM me for the new Zoom link
This might be my most favoritest one of all the ever. ♥️ 🐶
🧠More.
♥️Less.
✋🏻Some?
🧠It needs more.
♥️But not with unnecessary fluff. Move on.
✋🏻Gimme something, please.
🧠We haven't fully told the story. We've barely filled the scene.
♥️The reader understands. We shouldn't be working this hard!
✋🏻Kinda like this post?
#5amWritersClub
🧠I'm so tired. Not just sleepy tired, but so... ugh.
♥️I get it. You wanna write?
🧠Yeah, but... its easier to not bother.
♥️That's no fun. Writing is fun.
🧠Yeah, but–
♥️Hey... don't ever forget: Writing is fun. Doesn't have to be anything else.
🧠 😀
✋🏻Game on!
#5amWritersClub
Mazel tov! What a fantastic gift!
♥️The holiday concerts are over.
🧠Halleluyah!
♥️Time to finish with the gifts.
🧠Crap!
♥️But we get to write first.
🧠Halleluyah!
♥️Time to finish that synopsis.
🧠AW CRAP!
#5amWritersClub
🧠It's synopsis time.
♥️I believe in you.
✋🏻Good luck.
🧠The heroine... no. The night was...
♥️Take your time.
✋🏻You know the story, right?
🧠On a dark desert highway...
♥️That's not–
✋🏻Oh lord.🤦🏻
🧠Who's the MC again?
♥️This may take a while.
✋🏻I'll make more tea.
#5amWritersClub
If the void screams back, has a tree fallen in the forest? 🤔
🧠Its go-time.
♥️Hold on... a few more journal thoughts...
✋🏻We'll be with you in a sec.
🧠... Now?
♥️...
🧠Now??
♥️...
🧠Now???
♥️If you don't mind, I need to SCREAM INTO THE VOID AND CAN'T START THE CREATIVE PART TILL I'M DONE, OK?
🧠Damn.
✋🏻Told you.
#5amWritersClub
As a fellow parent who appreciates whimsy, it is time to stage an intervention.
I predict there's going to be a ton of frustrated Wordle players today.
Anyhoo, anyone seen my focus? It was here yesterday.
#5amWritersClub
♥️You really need to finish holliday shopping.
🧠What would my MC want for Christmas?
♥️Most of the good stuff is gone.
🧠Are there any gifts in Chapter 6 of my WIP?
♥️You're running out of time.
🧠Time is a plot problem.
♥️Oy, you're your own plot problem.
🤦🏻🎄
#5amWritersClub
If I had only seen your post yesterday, I would have claimed Chroma, since The Phantom Tollbooth is my all-time, all-ages, all-favorite book of all-time favorites. ♥️
I mean I’m 8% in. The current chapter has similarities but it’s not identical. However, like I mentioned, their execution of a cool idea we both had is far superior to mine… so far. 😉
No choice but to move forward. This story lives!
👀Hey! This best-selling book is like the one we're writing.
🧠Wut?
👀Sweet! It's got scenes just like the ones we wrote.
🧠Come again?
👀Wow. That cool idea we loved... they wrote it much better.
🧠<cry, panic, anger, cry>
♥️It'll be ok.
✋🏻<opens new document>
#5amWritersClub
Hence the beauty and glory of the #5amWritersClub
the brain is more lucid, the impossible and improbable become clever and doable, and the rules haven't woken up yet to tell you "you can't."
Amen, sister! ✒️💻
🧠'26 will have big plans, big changes, BIG GOALS!
♥️What about today?
🧠Let's survive today, ok?
♥️Will we be a different person on 1/1?
🧠Same, but new, cool direction.
♥️So, why wait?
🧠Shut up. '26 is our year.
♥️What about today?
✋🏻Today we edit or die!!!
#5amWritersClub
agnostic diagnostic might be the most genius concept of self-assessment these days I've ever heard. 🐶
Let's just say I can't handle the truth right now and my feelings go to 11.
This also extends to Australia too.
♥️Please don't look at the news. Let's just write, okay?
🧠It's incomprehensible.
👀We can handle it.
♥️No... yesterday was awful. Please don't.
🧠C'mon, just a few hours of creative work first.
✋🏻<click>
👀... Holy shit...
💔
#5amWritersClub
🧠What's all this noise?
👂🏻Her name is Mariah Carey.
🧠Is she in our book about the Mississippi Blues?
👂🏻No, she sang this Christmas song called–
🧠I KNOW THE SONG! What's it doing here?
👂🏻Living rent free.
🧠Get her out!
🪗Can I help?
🧠It would be a 🎄 miracle!
#5amWritersClub
I am Jay Heltzer, and I approve this message.
👃🏻<snore>
🧠Wha? Who woke me?
👃🏻Did you say something?
🧠Dammit. It's too early.
👃🏻My bad... but don't you get up early to write?
🧠Yeah, but...
👃🏻Well, there you go.
🧠You're not helping.
👃🏻All I'm saying is...
🧠Shut up. ☝🏻👃🏻
✋🏻Uh, we can't type like this.
#5amWritersClub
